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Seed Library

Thank You for visiting the WeHa Grows Seed Lending Library

Our Mission

The WeHa Grows Seed Library strives to provide seeds to the community while connecting gardeners to one another and to nature, helping to facilitate a sense of community while growing our own food.

Why Save Seeds?

 When we grow and save our own seeds, we …

 

  • develop seed stock that is well suited to our climate
  • save money
  • lessen our dependence on agribusiness

 

Best of all, when we participate in the seed library, we help create a culture of sharing and abundance.

How to use WeHa Grows

 

  • On your first visit, please fill out a membership form and file it under the first letter of your last name using the A-Z tabs at the back of the black binder.
  • Choose your seeds. The seeds you borrow from WeHa Grows are lent to you at no financial cost, and they are priceless. A commitment to growing plants from seed is a gift to yourself.
  • Record your seed choices on your Member’s Seed Record form. Fill in as much information as you can about the seeds you have chosen, so that there will be an accurate account of what seeds you grew.
  • Grow your plants! If you have any questions during the growing season, take a look at the many references listed on the back of the Introduction to Seed Saving brochure.
  • Harvest your seeds. Be sure to dry them thoroughly and store them in a cool, dry, dark place until you bring them back to the library.
  • Return Unused Seeds. First, read the WeHa Grows Library brochure, How to Save Seeds. Return your seeds to the library in a sealed paper envelope with your name and the plant name, variety, and year of harvest written on it.

Donating Seeds

 

  • Donations of seeds grown locally are what sustains the seed library. Thank you for donating!
  • After allowing a portion of your plants to go to seed, place the seeds in a sealed paper envelope with your name and the plant name, variety, and year of harvest written on it.
  • Try to return more seeds than you borrow and return only the seeds that you are confident were not cross-pollinated.
  • Please do not return any seeds produced from anything grown from hybrid seeds.

About the WeHa Grows Seed Cabinet:

 

  • The seeds are arranged alphabetically by the common name of the plant.
  • The top drawers are stocked with edible fruits and vegetables seeds.
  • The next drawers are herb seeds
  • The next drawers contain ornamental flower seeds
  • Hybrid seeds are in the bottom drawer.

Easiest-to-Save Seeds

 

The following seeds are the easiest to harvest and prepare for donations.

 

Daisy, or Sunflower Family:

artichoke, cardoon, endive, Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, salsify, shungiku, sunflower

 

Pea, Bean, Legume or Pulse Family: bean, lentil, pea, peanut, soybean

Nightshade Family: cape gooseberry, eggplant, ground cherry, pepper, potato, tomatillo, tomato

(allow fruits to ripen fully)

Easy-to-Save Seeds

 

These seeds require a little more effort to harvest and prepare. Allow only one variety in each species to flower at a time To ensure pollination, let multiple plants of one variety flower.

Onion Family: chives, garlic, leeks, onions

These are biennial, which means they won’t flower until the second year, after winter.

Amaranth Family: amaranth, beet, chard, lamb’s quarters, orach, quinoa, spinach

Beet and Chard are the same species, so let only one variety flower at the same time.

Parsley Family: carrot, celery, caraway, chervil, cilantro (coriander), dill, fennel, parsley, parsnip.

Carrot will cross with Queen Anne’s Lace, so don’t save carrot seeds if Queen Anne’s Lace grows nearby.

Advanced Seeds

 

The following seeds are recommended for experienced seed harvesters. These families will readily cross with unseen nearby plants and may create odd and possibly inedible varieties in one generation.

 

Brassicaceae Mustard Family: Asian greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, turnip

 

Cucurbitaceae Gourd Family: cucumbers, gourds, luffa, melons, pumpkin, summer squash (ex. zucchini), winter squash (ex. acorn)

 

Poaceae Grass Family: barley, corn, kamut, millet, oats, sorghum, wheat

For more Information about Harvesting Seeds, visit:

Home Guides Basics of Planting Seeds:  https://homeguides.sfgate.com/basics-planting-seeds-64807.html

Gardener’s Supply Company:  https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/how-to-start-seeds/5062.html

Understanding Seeds and Seedling Biology: https://extension.psu.edu/understanding-seeds-and-seedling-biology

Thank You, Donors & Partners!

We would not be able to do this without you!

  • Seed Savers Exchange
  • Bay Area Seed Interchange Library (BASIL)
  • John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds
  • West Hartford residents who have already donated!

A special Thank You to our model, Richmond Grows Seed Library of Richmond, CA, for making all their materials free and available, and allowing others across the country to create seed libraries.

Thank you for supporting WeHa Grows!