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Grow Your Gradening Skills

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The Seed Library

Pick up free seeds to start your vegetable, herb, or flower garden free! The Indianapolis Public Library Seed Library is available at all our locations during regular branch hours from late March through September.  One packet of each type of seed per household. In addition to free seeds, check out resources and attend workshops about growing and using plants from your seeds. We provide materials and programs to make gardening in Indianapolis a doable goal for beginners.

Tune in online for a a Gardening Storytime – a great way to read up on beginning gardening projects for kids. For kids, gardening offers a way to get messy and watch the payoff for their hard work, in the form of growing veggies and beautiful flowers. You can say, “Hey! I grew the thing! Look at the thing that I grew! Isn’t it pretty?” Imagine the Instagram fun!

Programs

Gloved hands planting a garden.
  • Event: Seed Library Support – Haughville
  • Date & Time: Tuesday, January 21, 5:30pm
  • Location: Haughville Branch
  • Description: Work with fellow volunteers to pack seeds for our 2025 Seed Library! Join in on some literal bean counting, use your finger to measure out teensy oregano bits, and use scoops of different sizes to measure out flower seeds.  
  • Register Here
  • Event: Seed Library Support – West Perry
  • Date & Time: Wednesday, January 22, 2:30pm
  • Location: West Perry Branch
  • Description: Work with fellow volunteers to pack seeds for our 2025 Seed Library! Join in on some literal bean counting, use your finger to measure out teensy oregano bits, and use scoops of different sizes to measure out flower seeds.  
  • Register Here
  • Event: Seed Library Support – College Avenue
  • Date & Time: Thursday, January 23, 10:00am
  • Location: College Avenue Branch
  • Description: Work with fellow volunteers to pack seeds for our 2025 Seed Library! Join in on some literal bean counting, use your finger to measure out teensy oregano bits, and use scoops of different sizes to measure out flower seeds.  
  • Register Here
  • Event: Seed Library Support – Fort Ben
  • Date & Time: Saturday, January 25, 10:00am
  • Location: Fort Ben Branch
  • Description: Work with fellow volunteers to pack seeds for our 2025 Seed Library! Join in on some literal bean counting, use your finger to measure out teensy oregano bits, and use scoops of different sizes to measure out flower seeds.  
  • Register Here
  • Event: Seed Library Support – Spades Park
  • Date & Time: Saturday, January 25, 10:30am
  • Location: Spades Park Branch
  • Description: Work with fellow volunteers to pack seeds for our 2025 Seed Library! Join in on some literal bean counting, use your finger to measure out teensy oregano bits, and use scoops of different sizes to measure out flower seeds.  
  • Register Here

View on Demand

Learn on Demand Video: Seed Saving
Join Anika Williams from the Pike Branch of The Indianapolis Public Library as she harvests milkweed seeds on site and discusses the Seed Library available there.

Reading Recommendations from our Staff

Browse these featured staff book lists to help improve your gardening in Indianapolis skills. See all our gardening book lists here.

Gardening in Indianapolis Resources

Follow Purdue Extension, one of the best ways to learn about gardening in Indiana. Browse their recommended online resources:

Gardening for Kids

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