A Seed Library operates much like a book library: you “borrow” seeds and later return an equal or greater number of seeds after growing your plants. Unlike a seed exchange, you don’t need to provide seeds upfront, making this particularly helpful for gardening beginners.
At the Prince George Seed Library, we encourage borrowers to let some of their plants mature to collect and save a portion of the seeds to return in the fall. This crucial step supports the creation of a locally sustained community of seed growers, reducing reliance on large corporations controlling the availability of something as fundamental as seeds.
Since its launch in 2022, the PG Seed Library has embraced a stress-free, no-commitment approach. While borrowers are not obligated to return seeds, they are strongly encouraged to do so. Administered and mentored by the PG Master Gardeners, the program understands the challenges of gardening, especially in the North, including poor growing seasons and the many factors involved in taking a seed through to maturity.
The Prince George Seed Library was started in collaboration with the Prince George Public Library and the David Douglas Botanical Garden Society (DDBGS), with initial funding in 2022 coming from the TD Friends for the Environment Foundation Grant. The subsequent years saw funding from DDBGS and Farm Folk-City Folk (FFCF). The FFCF mobile seed cleaning trailer usually visits Prince George Seed Library in the fall to assist with cleaning the seeds saved by the local community using their innovative and sophesticated equiment.
To help seed borrowers be successful in their growing journey, the Master Gardeners facilitate seed starting and seed saving workshops, hosted by the Prince George Public Library. These are targeted to beginner gardeners and provide hands-on experience in starting and saving seeds. Throughout the growing season, the PG MGs, in collaboration with the PG Public Library, act as ever-standing resources for the novice gardener.
The Seed Library is available for free to the public in both branches of the PG Public Library (Downtown Bob Harkins branch and Hart Nechako branch) and doesn’t require a library card. It runs from March until June (or until stocks last) and includes a curated list of flowers, herbs, and vegetables chosen for a variety of reasons including their hardiness in this growing climate.
