ABOUT US
What is the All Pueblo Grows seed lending library?
The mission and purpose of the All Pueblo Grows Seed Lending Library is to provide community outreach and education about the time honored tradition of preserving seed.
The project is a partnership of the Colorado Master Gardeners of Pueblo County, CSU-Extension — Pueblo County, and Pueblo City-County Library District
HOW DO I USE THE SEED LENDING LIBRARY
1. Select Seeds
Seeds are grouped into categories, then alphabetized by variety. Seed packets are color coded according to how difficult it is to harvest the seeds. If you are new to saving seed start with the green, or easy seeds. Yellow seeds are for more experienced seed savers, and red are for the advanced.
Example: Zinnia seeds are color-coded green because it is easy to harvest the dried seeds from a spent flower. Broccoli seeds are color-coded red because specific instructions need to be followed to harvest viable seeds.
Remember, different species of plants may require different growing directions to produce consistent, viable seed and easy-to-grow does not always mean easy-to-harvest seeds.
2. Check out seeds.
Check out a maximum of six seed packets, just like you would check out any other library material. There is no due date, but you will be expected to collect seeds at the end of the growing period and turn them back into the seed library for the following year.
3. Grow seeds!
Information about how to grow or germinate seeds may be found from one of the following sources:
§ Library Books and other materials.
§ Vegetable planting Guide (PDF)
§ Growing plants From Seed (PDF)
4. Harvest Seeds
Information about how to harvest, collect and save seeds can be found from the following sources:
§ Library Books and other materials.CSU Extension website.
§ Storing Vegetable and Flower Seeds (PDF)
§ Vegetable Seed Saving Handbook
5. Bring Seeds back to the library
Return seeds in an envelope with the following information included: Name, contact phone or email, species, variety, date, and optionally how hard to save and quantity. Seed envelopes without complete information cannot be added to the library. Place labeled envelopes in the drop box located on top of the seed lending library.
HOW CAN I LEARN MORE?
CSU-Extension — Pueblo County offers gardening classes year round, with several of them taking place at PCCLD locations. For the latest schedule of classes log on to http://pueblo.colostate.edu or http://pueblolibrary.org.
Experts are also available to answer questions. Contact CSU Extension–Pueblo County by calling (719) 583-6566 or by emailing caffeys@pueblocounty.us.