FAQs

The Seed Library is a collection of open-pollinated and heirloom seeds that you can borrow from to plant and grow at home. Our seed collection depends on donations and seasonality. You'll see different seeds available at different times, so check in frequently to see what's available.

See the list of libraries that have seed collections you can browse. If your library does not have a collection, you can place holds in the catalog and have the seeds sent for pick up at the library of your choice. 

Learn more on our Welcome page, and browse through all our resources, news, tips, and events on the Seed Library page!

Download our brochure (en español) to learn:

• What is the Seed Library
• Why we save seeds
• All about choosing and borrowing seeds
• How to save and share seeds from your garden
• What are some helpful seed saving resources to get you started
• How to stay connected with the Seed Library community

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Using your Seed Library couldn't be easier! Download the printable brochure below to have on hand.

Download our brochure to learn:

• About the seed library
• How to select seeds
• Easy vs. Advanced seeds
• How to borrow seeds
• How to save seeds
• Why we save and share seeds

En español: Tomar prestado semillas

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Your Pima County Public Library card is your key to borrowing seeds. You can check-out up to 10 packets of seeds per month, checking them out just as you would books, DVDs, and any other library materials! Seed Library locations.

Download our brochure (en español) to learn:

• What is the Seed Library
• Why we save seeds
• All about choosing and borrowing seeds
• How to save and share seeds from your garden
• What are some helpful seed saving resources to get you started
• How to stay connected with the Seed Library community

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When growing to save seed, please try to match the seed saving difficulty with your level of gardening experience.

Easy Seeds

Easy seeds are great for beginning seed savers. These plants are mostly self-pollinating, so the risk of cross-pollination is minimal (but not impossible). Saved properly, they are reliably the same as the parent plant.

Advanced Seeds

Advanced seeds are better suited for more expert seed savers. These plants are cross-pollinating and are very likely to cross-pollinate with other plant varieties, which can result in "mystery" plants. Saving seeds from advanced plants requires special precautions such as hand pollination, tenting, and other methods to ensure varietal purity.

See: A Beginner's Guide to Sharing and Saving Seeds

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Visit the Seed Library to get started or check-out one of the library’s many gardening and seed saving books.

Download the Seed Library brochure | Tomar Prestado Semillas, opens a new window for more information.

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If your organization is checking out our Seed Library resources with an eye towards growing one of your own, start by visiting the Seed Library.

If you have specific questions, you can contact the Seed Library.

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We make it easy to find which seeds you can plant when. You can search our seeds in the catalog by month!

For example, if you're looking for which seeds we recommend planting in January, just type "seeds january" or "seed library january" into the search box and search by keyword. All of the available seeds that you can plant in January will show up at the top of your search. Towards the bottom of your search, you'll see less-relevant results creeping in, like gardening books. To filter them out, limit your search to "3-D Object" by using the filters on the left.

For your convenience, here are handy links to each month's seeds. If you hit a "dry" month without any results found, try placing a hold on something available to plant for next month, instead!

• January, opens a new window
• February, opens a new window
• March, opens a new window
• April, opens a new window
• May, opens a new window
• June, opens a new window
• July, opens a new window
• August, opens a new window
• September, opens a new window
• October, opens a new window
• November, opens a new window
• December, opens a new window

For more details about gardening by local seasons, visit the Seed Library, which sprouts up Now Sowing blogs with all kinds of useful (and often punny) info!

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