The Seed Library is an ongoing community project. Our goal is to give everyone access to seeds to grow flowers and vegetables. Our seed collection started with donations from Canadian seed companies, and it keeps growing through donations from St. Albert and area gardeners.
Using the Seed Library is easy. Just ask staff at the Information Desk on the second floor of the Downtown Library. You can choose seeds to take home for free. If you are able to harvest seeds from your plants at the end of the season, you can donate extra seeds back to the library.
The seed library is stocked entirely by donation and the selection changes as seeds are lent out. There is greater availability in the spring and the selection will be smaller as summer arrives.
Gardeners with more seeds than they can use are invited to donate seeds all year long.
All seed donations and pick-ups must be done in person at the second floor Information Desk at the Downtown Library. A library card is not required to use the Seed Library.
Plant the seeds. If you are borrowing seeds labeled as easy, do a little research and learn how to save seeds from that plant. At the end of the season harvest your seeds, keep some for yourself and return the rest to the library. If you borrow seeds not marked easy, please enjoy your plants but only return the seeds if you are an experienced seed saver and know how to save the seeds properly.
Please borrow responsibly; only borrow what you intend to plant and grow. You are now part of a community of gardeners and we ask that you respect the Seed Library is a shared community resource. It is recommended, the first year you use this resource, that you only borrow 3 varieties.
No, returning seeds is not a requirement, but bringing seeds keeps the library stocked and grows the seeds available to the community.
The seeds in the St. Albert Seed Library (with the exception of commercial donations) are heirloom varieties. We encourage seed donors to practice organic growing methods and to be honest when providing information on their seed donations.
Seed quality is important to the library. If you are borrowing seeds not marked easy please only return seeds if you are an experienced seed saver and know how to save the seeds properly. Easy varieties include: tomatoes, peas, beans, greens, peppers.
Yes. If you have leftover commercial seeds you would like to share please add them to the commercial seed box in alphabetical order. Commercial seed packets should not be expired. To add seeds to the rest of the collection, they must be open-pollinated, non-hybrid varieties.
