As spring makes its way to the Lowcountry, local libraries are encouraging residents to exercise their green thumbs through seed library programs which allow residents to “check out” seed packets for fruits, veggies and flowers to grow in their own garden.
While the seed packets don’t need to be returned like books do, some libraries encourage patrons to donate harvested seeds from the plants they grow with the library seeds.
In Berkeley County, the seed library has been a hit with residents. Laurie O’Tool, an official with the Berkeley County Library System, said that over 1,300 seed packets were checked out last year, with 315 of them ordered in April alone.
BCLS offers the ability to place an order for seeds online by filling out the form at berkeleylibrarysc.libwizard.com/f/Seed_Library. Residents must have a BCLS adult library card and can only check out two packets every week two weeks.
O’Tool said she enjoys gardening and has taken home a couple seed packets each year for her spring and fall gardens since the seed library started in 2020. From them, she’s gotten pumpkins, spinach and tomatoes, among other plants.
This purple basil started as a seed packet from the Berkeley County Library System’s Seed Library, which allows patrons to check out seeds for fruits, vegetables, and flowers for their gardens.
Berkeley County Library System/Provided
Library patrons have shared photos with her of various crops, herbs and flowers — from short purple basil sprouts to towering sunflowers — that all got their start from the library’s seed packets.
She said the goal of the seed library is to “provide free resources for people to grow food in their own home.”
The library system’s director, Gene Brunson, said that seed libraries and gardening offer many benefits, such as saving money by growing your own food, encouraging sustainability and improving mental health by reducing stress through gardening.
Seed libraries have grown more prevalent in recent years as an affordable way for people to start their own gardens. Several counties around the state, including Dorchester, Charleston and Pickens, have had, or currently have, a seed library program.
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