Gardeners in Olive Branch, Mississippi, now have a no-cost place to pick up seeds and return ones they have saved. DeSoto County Master Gardeners opened the library at B.J. Chain Public Library on Oct. 17, the group's third seed library in the county, according to the DeSoto Times-Tribune.
How the seed library works
The model is straightforward. Residents take seeds free of charge and, when they can, bring back seeds collected from their own plants. The collection is sorted into four categories: herbs, flowers, vegetables and donated seeds. The library also accepts new, unopened seed packets.
Organizers have asked for native plants in particular, including milkweed and goldenrod. Seeds saved from local gardens have an added advantage, since they have already adapted to DeSoto County's climate and insects.
A low-cost entry point for beginners
Master Gardener Don Murphy described the project as a risk-free way for new gardeners to get started and learn how to plant. Terrie Smith, who coordinates Master Gardener programs in Olive Branch, made a similar point. "It's risk-free and you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a seed," she told the newspaper.
Lori Ferguson, a Master Gardener intern who joined the program in April, is overseeing the B.J. Chain collection as part of her service hours. Her advice to people hesitant to start: "Don't be scared to get seeds."
Supporting pollinators
The Master Gardeners also hope to increase the supply of native seeds in circulation. "The native seeds help to support native pollinators," Murphy said. Milkweed is the only plant that monarch butterfly caterpillars can eat, which makes it central to efforts to support the species as it migrates through Mississippi.
Residents planning a visit should check B.J. Chain Public Library's hours, which the library system publishes. Gardeners with surplus seeds from this year's harvest are encouraged to donate them ahead of spring planting.