The seed library is closed for the season. Be sure to check out seed saving and harvesting info.
What is the Seed Library?
The Seed Library offers free, open-pollinated seeds and resources for planting, growing, harvesting, and seed saving. Grow your own food and return your saved seeds to share with the community if you are able.
For more information on seed donations, including the form to use for donations, please see the section below on How do I donate seeds?
Not sure how to save seeds? See below in our Videos & Resources section for more information and videos on seed saving and harvesting.
How does the Seed Library work?
CHOOSE what you can use. No check out required. Limit to 15 seed packets per person.
Availability and selection of seeds will change.
Choose necessary resource sheets to help you grow. These are available online or in person.
GROW what you brought home.
Plant your seeds in some soil with lots of sun and add water.
SAVE seeds from what you grew and bring back to the Seed Library for others to use.
Why have a Seed Library?
Empower community members to grow their own food by offering free seeds.
Support food security and improve access to the freshest, healthiest food possible.
Provide a culturally diverse selection of seeds so the multitude of cultures represented in our community can grow foods that reflect their palate and preferences.
Keep open pollinated seed varieties thriving and in use.
Connect people to community resources for planting, growing, harvesting, and seed saving.
Learn how to save seeds for the next growing season, share with friends and family, and return seeds to the Seed Library.
Borrowing & Donating Seeds
How do I borrow seeds?
Pick up seeds from our Seed Library on the 2nd floor of the library. Seed packets are also available on the Bookmobile. To learn more about the seeds, click the link for the seeds you wish to borrow from the list. You will be redirected to the growing guides.
Choose what you can use. No check out required. Limit to 15 seed packets per person.
All seeds are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Placing holds on seeds is not available.
Seed Library Collection
Seeds are available March through August.
Click on the heading for planting & saving instructions.
The Seed Library is currently accepting open-pollinated or heirloom seeds.
We are unable to take seed potatoes, onion bulbs or other actual fruit and vegetable donations for distribution.
Here's how to donate seeds:
Seeds you have grown/collected yourself
Print a donation form, or pick one up at the Public Service Desk or Seed Library
Return the completed form with your clean, dry, and ready to be packaged seeds to the Public Service Desk on the 1st floor.
Commercially packaged seeds may also be donated. Open-pollinated or heirloom varieties are requested. Donated GMO or Hybrid seeds will be distributed outside the Seed Library. (A donation form is not needed for these donations.)
Why no GMO or Hybrid Seeds? These seeds may not produce plants exactly like the parent plant. They may produce something somewhat close or very different. They can be grown for food, but not for saving for the Seed Library.
Open-pollinated or heirloom seeds will be "true-to-type" if saved and grown again.
"Tom Bellinger and Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick are University of Minnesota (UMN) Extension Olmsted County Master Gardener Volunteers. We enjoy being silly with our educational outreach about our local projects and topics covering Master Gardener Priorities of Horticulture Skills, Local Food, Climate Change, Nearby Nature, Clean Water, Pollinators and Plant Biodiversity."
Find links to free webinars, articles and videos about foodscaping, garden projects and other timely topics" from the Minnesota State Horticultural Society.
Grow your own healthy food with cancer-fighting seeds.
Mayo Clinic is collaborating with Rochester Public Library to provide seeds for growing healthy, cancer-fighting foods to the community. The Seed Library offers a variety of fruit, vegetable and legume seeds that can help fight cancer cells and stop them right in their tracks. Look for the cancer-fighting foods logo:
Dakota County Soil & Water Conservation District
Creating a beautiful garden to improve water quality, benefit pollinators, or protect your shoreline is what the Landscaping for Clean Water program is all about! Residency is not required to participate in the classes and workshops.
Community Garden Plots
Community garden plots are available in various locations around Rochester. Click on the following links for more information:
In addition, RNeighbors has more information on community food garden resources. Check with your neighborhood association to see if additional garden plot options are available right in your neighborhood.