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Seed Packs

JCPL Seed Library

Garden with JCPL's Seed Library from our Library of Things. You can choose from 44 different types of vegetable, flower and herb seeds to plant in your home garden.

Our Seed Library is easy to use! It is self-serve so no checkout or library card is required. Just stop by one of our Library Branches and pick out your seeds. What kind of seeds do we have?

See below!

2024 Sunflower Contest, three sunflowers in the grass

Sunflower Contest

Can you grow the tallest sunflower in Johnson County? Enter your sunflower and you could win a prize basket. Submit your photo online here by Oct 14. And don’t forget to brag about your big sunflower -- post your pic to social media and tag us #JCPLGrows!

Enter the Contest

2024 Seed List

Herbs

Basil - Italian Large Leaf
Catnip
Chamomile - German
Chives
Cilantro - Slow Bolt
Dill - Mammoth - Long Island
Oregano
Parsley - Dark Green Italian Flat
Sage

Flowers

Calendula - Pacific Beauty
Cosmos - Sensation Mix
Daisy - Shasta Daisy
Echinacea - Purple Coneflower
Indiana Blend - Native Wildflower Mix
Marigolds - Crackerjack Mix
Nasturtium - Jewel Mix
Rudbeckia - Indian Summer
Sunflower - Autumn Beauty
Sunflower - Mammoth Grey Stripe
Sunflower - Sun Spot
Zinnia - Dahlia Flowered Mix

Vegetables

Arugula - Slow Bolt
Beans - Blue Lake
Beets - Bull's Blood
Cabbage - Copenhagen Market
Cantaloupe - Hales Best Jumbo
Carrots - Danvers 126
Cucumber - Boston Pickling
Cucumber - Straight Eight
Eggplant - Black Beauty
Kale - Black Tuscan
Lettuce - Black Seeded Simpson
Lettuce - Little Gem
Peas - Sugar Snap
Peppers - California Wonder Bell
Pumpkin - Sugar Pie Pumpkin
Radish - Cherry Belle
Spinach - Giant Nobel
Summer Squash - Zucchini - Black Beauty
Tomato - Celebrity Plus Hybrid
Tomato - Giant Red Beefsteak
Tomato - San Marzano
Tomato - Sweetie Cherry
Watermelon - Crimson Sweet

Thanks to True Leaf Market and Urban Farmer for supplying the seeds.

Thank you to the Johnson County Master Gardeners Club for their seed donations.

True Leaf Market Logo
Urban Farmer logo
Garden Tool Bag

Gardening Tool Bag

Find everything you’ll need to prep and maintain your garden plot with the Gardening Tool Bag. Each bag contains a hand shovel, hand cultivator, weeder tool, clippers and two pairs of gloves.

Seed Library FAQ

Q: Why don’t you have [name of seed variety]?

A: Our supplier may not have had that variety at the time we were ordering or it may be hard to purchase that variety in large quantities.

Q: I have a bunch of seeds at home. Can I donate them to you?

A: Unfortunately, we cannot accept donations to add to the Seed Library. Our permit with the Indiana State Seed Lab tells us we must purchase seed ourselves to distribute to patrons. This is to ensure that what we are not distributing patented or non-viable seeds to patrons. This policy includes packets of seeds that are still sealed.

Q: What does the phrase “A Germination and Purity Test has not been completed” on all the boxes mean?

A: That statement means that the packets you take from the seed library do not have germination or seed purity information listed on the individual packet. All seeds JCPL purchased do have a high germination rate and do not contain any noxious weed seeds in any variety. This is in compliance with the Indiana State Seed Lab’s requirements to distribute seed.

Q: Can I eat the seeds I get today or use them in cooking?

A: No! Seeds from the Seed Library are not acceptable for human consumption and should not be eaten. Shaf, debris, and dirt from the seed cleaning process may still be left over and mixed in with your seed. Since seeds are not food grade they should not be consumed and may even make you sick. However, if someone grows, for example, cilantro or sunflowers it is safe to harvest the seeds from plants they grow themselves. Seeds from the Seed Library are not listed for human consumption.

Q: Are all the seeds Non-GMO?

A: Yes.

Q: How do I grow this type of seed?

A: Basic directions are listed on each seed packet for the variety. Please check with a reference staff member to find additional instructions or provide access to some gardening resources.

Q: How long will the seed library be here?

A: The seed library will be available while supplies last.