Seedlings to Share

6/17/20 Update!

Last call for offering and seeking vegetable, herb or pollinator-friendly flower seedlings from other community members via the Seed Library’s Seedlings to Share program!  We will be closing the database next week, so contact us at seed@charlottepubliclibrary.org now to offer and/or find out what is available.
Thanks for participating and happy gardening!
Linda Hamilton and Karen Tuininga
Seed Library Coordinators
seed@charlottepubliclibrary.org

About the Program

Did you start extra seedlings this spring and now have more than you need?  Did you buy 4-packs of seedlings but only need fewer than 4?  We’ve turned this common situation into a way to encourage more food gardening.  As part of our home gardener support program, the Seed Library has set up an easy way for local gardeners to share extra vegetable, herb and pollinator-friendly flower seedlings with those who would welcome having them.  To offer seedlings, go to the Seedlings to Share form and enter your items in the secure Seedlings to Share database along with your contact information.  Do it as soon as you can so that right after the end of May we can open the database to those seeking seedlings.  Access to the database will be through the Seed Library only.  Community members who check the database and wish to adopt your seedlings, will contact you directly to arrange a convenient hand over.  (See below for guidelines for COVID-19 precautions when sharing both seeds and seedlings.) 

It’s late May and chances are your seedlings are eager to go into the ground, …….so now is the time to offer them!   We’ll announce the opening of the database as soon as we can in June and it will remain open for a few weeks for both adding and requesting seedlings. 

Alternatively, if you have not already planted an extra row or two in your garden with the Charlotte Food Shelf in mind, you might see if you can create that now with your extra seedlings.  Those fresh veggies and herbs will be so appreciated later this summer.

Thank you for helping increase the amount of fresh, local food available!

Thank you for participating in the Seed Library’s programs for seed and seedling sharing in the community.  Out of consideration for fellow gardeners, please use the following guidelines when handling material.

COVID-19 SAFETY GUIDELINES WHEN SHARING SEEDS AND SEEDLINGS

Treat packets of seed the same way the Library is treating books:  Wearing a mask, wash hands thoroughly before touching seeds or seed containers.  If necessary, divide seeds into smaller paper or other containers for giving away.  Label with information helpful to the recipient.  Place packets of seeds for each recipient in a loose paper bag or other container they can easily be shaken out of.  Label with recipient’s name and leave untouched in a cool dry place for 72 hours before taking to agreed location for pick-up by the lucky recipient.  Using gloves (or tongs or other indirect means), the recipient can shake the seed packets out into their own container to take home.

Label seedlings and/or attach written information helpful to the recipient.  Do not handle the seedling containers/pots (or paper) for 72 hours before adoption by a fellow gardener.  Wearing a mask and after thoroughly washing hands, handle seedling containers with tongs or other indirect means to transfer them to an open tray or cardboard flat labeled with the recipient’s name.  Leave the tray for the lucky recipient in the agreed upon location where he/she can pick them out of your tray onto their own and take them home. 

Thank you for taking these precautions.
Linda Hamilton and Karen Tuininga, Seed Library Coordinators
Margaret Woodruff, Charlotte Library Director