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
- Event: Get Dirty with Solful Gardens (Small Space Gardening: Containers, Porches & Patios)
- Date & Time: Tuesday, July 07, 10:30am
- Location: Irvington Branch
- Description: Join Dr. Jarrod Dortch of Solful Gardens to get ready to “play” in your garden! Today’s main topic is Small Space Gardening: Containers, Porches & Patios.
- Register Here
- Event: Native Garden Vision Boards & Plans
- Date & Time: Tuesday, July 07, 6:30pm
- Location: Decatur Branch
- Description: Planning your native plants is a great pre-fall task. In this workshop you will have the opportunity to create your native plant vision board while planning what you want to have. Make plans, get personalized advice, and leave with a vision board (and some native seeds to sow in the fall).
- Register Here
- Event: Seed Library Support at Wayne
- Date & Time: Wednesday, July 08, 2:00pm
- Location: Wayne Branch
- Description: Work with fellow volunteers to pack seeds for our 2026 Seed Library! Measure out bulk seeds into envelopes that community members can take home and grow.
- Register Here
- Event: Get Dirty with Solful Gardens (Ask-A-Gardener: Summer Garden Care)
- Date & Time: Saturday, July 11, 10:30am
- Location: East Washington Branch
- Description: Join Dr. Jarrod Dortch of Solful Gardens to get ready to “play” in your garden! Today’s main topic is an open Q&A format covering watering, heat stress, pruning, harvesting, tomato care, herbs, and common summer problems.
- Register Here
- Event: Weeds, Pests, and Hot Weather, Oh My!
- Date & Time: Monday, July 13, 6:00pm
- Location: Glendale Branch
- Description: Weeds, bugs and plant diseases start showing up in the heat. We’ll talk about the most common garden pests and what to do to keep them from destroying your garden.
- Register Here
- Event: Cover Crops – Improving Your Soil’s Garden Health
- Date & Time: Monday, July 20, 6:00pm
- Location: Southport Branch
- Description: Planting cover crops in your garden is a very easy way to improve your soil’s health. Join Kevin Allison to learn about soil health and cover crops – and grab your cover crop seeds from the Seed Library if you haven’t already!
- 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.
Gardening in Indianapolis Resources
Follow Purdue Extension, one of the best ways to learn about gardening in Indiana. Browse their recommended online resources:
- Free Gardening Docs from Purdue Extension Purdue also has a fine YouTube channel with informative videos. As always, the Extension’s information is tailored specifically for Hoosier gardeners.
Gardening for Kids
- Gardening Storytime Online
- Plants for Kids Book List – Experiments and Activities for Backyard Botanists
Email Newsletter
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Need help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch, and listen on a PC, tablet, or phone.