Buckhorn Seed Library

Seed Library

The Buckhorn branch is launching a new Seed Library this year! Come to the library and take some vegetable, herb, or flower seeds to grow. If possible, bring labeled seeds you saved from last year and take some new ones to grow this year! This will allow us to continue to offer this program every year. Did you buy too many seeds this year? Please consider donating them to our seed library.

If you have extra food from the harvest, please consider donating it to the Trent Lakes Outreach Centre Food Bank to help others in our community.

Seeds are available while quantities last.

Seeding 101

Containers

Sterilize your pots with a mild bleach solution before using them; this kills bacteria and prevents the transfer of diseases.
Recycle yogurt and pudding cups or other household containers by punching holes in the bottom.
Make sure to use drip trays. You can use kitchen plates, saucers, serving platters and other containers as drip trays that can catch overflow and facilitate bottom-up watering.
Choose sizes that work well for you. Tiny pots will work, but it can be a lot of work to re-pot plants into larger containers when they get bigger; you may prefer to start large so that the plant can just keep growing until it’s time to transfer it outside.

Soil

You can use a soilless, pre-mixed growing medium, if you have ready access to it; however, as long as you keep your pots moist (by covering them with saranwrap at the beginning and watering routinely once seeds have germinated), potting soil works just as well.
In a pinch you can use soil from outside. This is not the best option: it may be too dense (like clay) or too sandy, it may come with tiny eggs or diseases, or it may be buried under two feet of snow!

Location

Find a sunny spot in your house; if your seedlings don’t get enough light they’ll become leggy and prone to snapping.
Most seeds will germinate at temperatures between 18-22°C. If you’re able to get your hands on a grow-light, this is a great option.

Quantity and Timing

When choosing how many seedlings to start, keep in mind the amount of indoor space you have to work with, the size of your outdoor growing area, and the possibility that some plants might not thrive. In time, you’ll learn what you like to grow and eat best, what gets left in the garden, and what doesn’t do well in your soil.
Resist the urge to start seeds earlier than you should – this will result in leggy plants prone to breaking when they are moved outside. Refer to seed-specific planting instructions to figure out when you should plant each variety of seed.

Watering

Damp soil and plants can lead to disease. It’s important to avoid drowning your seedlings.
Make sure that your pots have good drainage holes, and once they have germinated, it’s a good idea to water from the bottom up by filling the drip trays and allowing the soil/plant to suck the water up into the pot. You can keep stems dry at the base by adding a thin layer or sand or perlite to the surface to absorb excess moisture.
Let the soil dry out completely between waterings (once seeds have germinated). Don’t crowd your pots with too many plants; thin them if too many come up.

Moving Plants Outside

On mild days, move your plants outside, gradually leaving them out for longer periods of time.
After a week or so of this, if nighttime temperatures are above freezing and you’re past the last frost date (in Barrie this is May 11-20), your plants should be ready for a permanent move.
If a severe drop in the temperature catches you by surprise, cover your plants with a blanket or some straw.

Harvesting and Donating Seeds

We welcome donations throughout the year. When you harvest your plants, please save some seeds to donate back to the library. Before you donate seeds, please label the envelope with the seed type, the date the seed was harvested or purchased, and your contact information.

Plant-by-Plant Guide

You've got some seeds from our Seed Library to get your garden started - now what? It's time to get planting!

Follow the guidelines below to get that garden growing with specific instructions for some of the more common types of seed we offer.*

Learn how to test your seeds for viability.

*Subject to availability

Beans

Method

Direct sow in the late spring to mid-summer.

Growing Conditions

Soil that drains well. Find a sunny spot for beans.

Days to Sprout

7-14

Seed Depth

1 inch

Plant Spacing

3-5 inches

Row Spacing

12-24 inches

Other

Be prepared to stake climbing varieties of beans - these will grow like vines and need something to cling to.

Beets

Method

Direct sow in the spring.

Growing Conditions

Soil that drains well. Find a sunny spot for beets.

Days to Sprout

10-12

Seed Depth

1/2 inch

Plan Spacing

Once beets come up, you'll need to thin them so that there is one plant every three inches.

Row Spacing

12 inches

Carrot

Method

Direct sow in the spring

Growing Conditions

While carrots may tolerate less than ideal conditions, aim for well drained soil - free from rocks so your carrots don't grow curvy - and an area that gets as much sun as possible.

Days to Sprout

14-21

Seed Depth

1/4 inch

Plant Spacing

Thin to 2 inches

Row Spacing

12 inches

Other

Try succession planting your carrots so that you can harvest a bunch each week later in the season.

Cucumber

Method

Start cucumbers indoors 2-4 weeks before the last frost or direct sow them two weeks after last frost.

Growing Conditions

Cucumbers will tolerate less than ideal conditions, but aim for well drained, fertile soil and an area that gets as much sun as possible.

Days to Sprout

5-7

Seed Depth

1 inch

Plant Spacing

18 inches

Row Spacing

18-36 inches

Other

Some plants do very well when planted next to cucumbers - possibly because their vines provide a lot of shade, keeping the roots of neighbouring plants cooler.

Kale

Method

Sow kale directly in garden once the last frost date has passed.

Growing Conditions

Kale can tolerate a fair bit of cold and some even say it tastes better if the leaves have gone through a fall frost. Plant kale in a sunny or partly shady part of your garden.

Days to Sprout

5-8

Seed Depth

1/2 inch

Plant Spacing

16 inches

Row Spacing

36 inches

Other

Cover your kale to protect your plants from insects. Kale freezes well, so extra leaves can be harvested and frozen for winter smoothies!

Lettuce

Method

Sow lettuce directly in garden once the last frost date has passed.

Growing Conditions

Plant your lettuce in a sunny or partly shady location.

Days to Sprout

7-14

Seed Depth

1/4 inch

Plant Spacing

12 inches

Row Spacing

24 inches

Other

Try succession planting for a constant harvest of fresh leaves.

Parsley

Method

Start indoors at least 8-10 weeks before the last frost. Parsley can get off to a slow start - be patient!

Growing Conditions

Parsley thrives in a sunny location.

Days to Sprout

Seed Depth

1/4 inch

Plant Spacing

Thin to 6 inches

Row spacing

12 inches

Peas

Method

Sow directly into the soil in the spring.

Growing conditions

Soil that drains well. Find a sunny spot for peas.

Days to Sprout

7-14

Seed Depth

1 inch

Plant Spacing

3 inches

Row Spacing

12 inches

Other

Peas are climbers - they will need some kind of support as they grow. Pease tolerate lower temperatures well.

Peppers

Method

Start peppers inside 8-10 weeks before the last frost.

Growing Conditions

Peppers need a lot of sun and fertile soil.

Days to Sprout

7-21

Seed Depth

1/4 inch

Plant Spacing

18-24 inches

Row Spacing

24 inches

Other

Don't transplant peppers outside until the soil has warmed up - often that isn't until early June in Trent Lakes.

Radishes

Method

Direct sow radishes in the early spring or late summer.

Growing Conditions

Plant radishes in a sunny place.

Days to Sprout

5-7

Seed Depth

1/4 inch

Plant Spacing

Thin to 4 inches

Row Spacing

12-18 inches

Other

Some say smaller radishes are sweeter, and radishes left in the ground too long become a bit bitter.

Rutabaga

Method

Sow directly in your garden in early to mid summer

Growing Conditions

Plant in a sunny location

Days to Sprout

4-7

Seed Depth

1/2 inch

Plant Spacing

Thin to 8 inches

Row Spacing

14-18 inches

Other

Like Kale, rutabaga can be left in the garden when the occasional frost hits in the fall - this is said to improve the flavour.

Spinach

Method

Sow directly in your garden during the spring

Growing Conditions

Spinach will grow in full sun or part shade

Days to Sprout

7-14

Seed Depth

Thin to 3 inches

Plant Spacing

12-18 inches

Row Spacing

12-18 inches

Other

When the weather heats up, you'll notice your spinach doesn't do as well; spinach thrives when it is cooler.

Squash

Method

Start indoors 2-4 weeks before last frost or plant directly in the garden once the last frost date has passed.

Growing Conditions

Plant in a sunny spot. Squash plants spread out - make sure you give them space!

Days to Sprout

7-14

Seed Depth

1 inch

Plant Spacing

24 inches

Row Spacing

36-48 inches

Swiss Chard

Method

Sow Swiss chard directly in the garden once the last frost date has passed

Growing Conditions

Plant in a sunny spot

Days to Sprout

7-14

Seed Depth

1/2 inch

Plant Spacing

Thin to 6-8 inches

Row Spacing

18 inches

Tomatoes

Method

Start your tomatoes inside 6-8 weeks before last frost. Resist the urge to begin earlier as this will lead to leggy plants prone to snapping and breaking.

Growing Conditions

Tomatoes are a heavy feeder - amend your soil with compost or manure, or fertilize plants once a week. Make sure your tomatoes are planted in a location that gets lots of sun, with well drained soil.

Days to Sprout

5-10

Seed Depth

1/4 inch

Plant Spacing

24-36 inches

Row Spacing

36 inches

Average Days to Harvest

50-80 or more

Other

Protect young tomato plants by placing inverted yogurt cups around the stems. Learn to "sucker" your plants to prevent unwanted growth that drains energy that should go into growing fruit. If you find it hard to grow full-sized tomatoes, try a variety of cherry tomato!

Seed Library

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