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Grow Your Gradening Skills

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tomatoes

The IndyPL Seed Library

Pick up free seeds to start your vegetable, herb, or flower garden free! The IndyPL 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: Late Season Gardening
  • Date & Time: Monday, September 16, 6:30pm
  • Location: Glendale Branch
  • Description: As the gardening season moves into Fall, what can you do? We’ll talk about the basics of cover crops, and crop rotation. We’ll also talk about canning guidelines for tomatoes and freezing beans and corn. This is a time to celebrate your victories and dream a little for next year.
  • Register Here
  • Event: West Perry Gardening Group
  • Date & Time: Friday, September 20, 10:15am
  • Location: West Perry Branch
  • Description: Gardens are essentially a place of sharing and gardeners know that we learn a lot from each other–whether you’re just starting or experienced. Sessions will feature seasonal discussions with a local Master Gardener, resources–like our Seed Library–and connections with other gardeners.
  • No Registration Required.
  • Event: Seed Swap
  • Date & Time: Saturday, September 28, 1:00pm
  • Location: College Avenue Branch
  • Description: Have you been collecting seeds from your fruitful garden – and now have more than you will ever use? Bring your extras to our College Avenue Branch Seed Swap – and share! Get different seeds from other successful gardeners!
  • No Registration Required.
  • Event: Basics of Hydroponics
  • Date & Time: Monday, October 07, 6:30pm
  • Location: Glendale Branch
  • Description: Grow your own lettuce, inside, without soil! With an investment in lights and some supplies your farm to table distance can be measured in feet, not miles! Hydroponics is a wonderful way to keep learning about gardening.
  • Register Here
  • Event: How to Become a Pollinator Sanctuary
  • Date & Time: Saturday, October 12, 10:30am
  • Location: Spades Park Branch
  • Description: Join Brooke Alford to hear about ways you can turn your space into a sanctuary for pollinators! Attendees will have the chance to take home special seeds from a variety of native plants just in time to plan for their winter sowing!
  • 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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