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Niagara Falls Public Library

Seed to Seed

Seed to Seed offers vegetable and herb seeds to the community of Niagara Falls. The collection runs annually from the beginning of February to the end of September while supplies last.

What is Seed to Seed?

Borrow, grow and return! Our Seed Library offers a great selection of seeds that can be borrowed free of charge. Customers are encouraged to plant the seeds in their gardens, nurture the plants as they grow, and once mature, harvest the seeds and return them to the library for restocking.

To borrow, visit any NFPL location, browse our Seed to Seed collection, and select up to 5 varieties of seeds.

As your plant reaches maturity at the end of its growing season, collect the seeds, dry them out, place them in a labelled envelope (tell us the common name, variety, and year), and return them to any NFPL location. This will help restock the Seed to Seed collection for the following season.

To learn more about our seed collection and how to harvet seeds, please check out our Seed to Seed Magazine below.

We offer seasonal seed types in early spring on a first-come, first-served basis. Browse our seed collection below and learn how to plant, care for, and harvest your plants at the end of the growing season.


Available Seeds

Fresh, green, oval-shaped basil leaves.

Basil

This aromatic herb adds a hint of sweetness to any dish — toss it in your favourite summer pasta or make a delicious pesto!

How to grow: plant seeds ½ “ deep, 12" apart, cover lightly with soil; sunny sheltered site; thrive in rich, moist, well-drained soil; sow directly in garden beds or containers.

How to harvest: 75 days to harvest; trim full stems of basil from the top of the plant down using your fingers or a small pair of scissors; for continued, prolonged growth, pinch off flowers.

Freshly picked rich red beets with long red stems and green leaves.

Beets

Beets are not only colourful and flavorful but are also packed with antioxidants, folic acid, potassium, and fibre.  Whether roasted or raw, this red root vegetable is delicious in salads or as a side dish.

How to grow: for a continuous supply, sow every 2 weeks from early April to mid-July; plant ½ - ¾” deep in rows, 12-14” apart; keep well watered in dry weather; full sun.

How to harvest: 50 - 65 days to harvest; if you can see an inch or two of the beet sticking out above the soil, it's a safe bet that they are ready for pulling!

One cantaloupe is sliced open arranged with wedges, revealing the vibrant orange flesh, while the others are left whole.

Cantaloupe

This popular summer fruit offers great flavour and fruit quality — a delicious and colourful addition to your summer fruit salad!

How to grow: for best results sow indoors in early spring in peat pots spacing 2 - 3 seeds ½” deep, gently transfer outdoors late May to early June in rows 6’ apart; full sun; require 1”- 2” of water per week; pollinating bees & beetles help produce large, evenly-shaped, delicious melons.


How to harvest: 85 - 100 days to harvest; pick when the fruit is fragrant, somewhat soft, and no longer green but golden; a ripe cantaloupe will easily slip from the vine with little help, no tugging required.

Bunch of bright orange carrots with feathery green stems

Carrots

Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which functions as an antioxidant and provides dietary fibre — not to mention they’re bright orange and crunchy!

How to grow:  sow seeds about ¼ - ½ ″ deep in rows spaced 18- 24″ apart; keep evenly moist during the 2-week germination period; full sun. 

How to harvest:  60 - 80 days to harvest; when carrots have lush green tops that measure around 10 to 12” tall and the carrot root has developed a medium orange colour, measuring about ¾ to 1” in diameter — that’s a good sign that it’s time to harvest your carrots. 

Feathery cilantro hanging from the stem of the plant.

Cilantro

Cilantro is a flavourful, fragrant herb widely used in curries, soups, and stews.  It has a bold presence which tends to make people either love it or hate it! 

How to grow: sow seeds ¼ “ deep directly in the garden in late spring or early summer about 6 - 8” apart; plant in rich, organic-based soil; full sun to light shade.

How to harvest: 45 days to harvest; using scissors, cut full stems up to a third of the plant; harvest the oldest, outside stems.

A pile of fresh grown green cucumbers.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers have been a favourite vegetable in many home gardens for years!  High in purified water, they contain numerous minerals, particularly magnesium and phosphorus, and vitamins A & C. Best grown on a fence or trellis. These plants are prolific and dependable.

How to grow: 68 days to harvest; plant ½ " deep, 8" apart, cover lightly with soil; keep soil moist but well-drained; full sun.

How to harvest: pick slicing cucumbers when they reach 6 - 8” long; pickling types at 3 - 5”. Picking cucumbers when they are ready encourages a longer yield.

The feathery green leaves of the dill plant.

Dill

The feathery green leaves of the dill plant have a bright, sweet flavour — somewhere between anise, parsley, and celery. A delicious addition when pickling.

How to grow: for best results sow outdoors, ¼” deep, cover lightly with soil; full sun.

How to harvest: 7 - 8 weeks to harvest, mature plants average 3 - 4 ft; to allow new growth for continuous harvest, cut a quarter to a third of the leaves; leaves, seeds, and flowers are all edible.

Three ripe dark purple eggplants hanging from the vine.

Eggplant

Eggplant is a glossy, dark purple vegetable that has white flesh and a meaty texture. Each plant should bear an average of 4 fruits. If you like zucchini or yellow summer squash, you'll like eggplant since their flavours are very similar.

How to grow: start seeds indoors 6 – 8 weeks before the last spring frost, plant seeds ¼” deep, cover lightly with soil and keep warm; after seeds germinate (7 - 10 days), move containers to a bright sunny location; transplant seedlings 4 - 5 weeks later in garden pots or directly in your garden — staking plants is advised; full sun.

How to harvest:  65 to 80 days after transplanting to harvest. A glossy coating on the fruit is a sign of readiness. Dull coatings or seeds that have turned brown indicate overripe fruits. Because the stem is woody, cut, do not pull, the fruit from the plant.

Long, green kale leaves with ruffled edges on rich, red stems.

Kale

Kale is considered a superfood as it is nutrient-dense and contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates and fibre. It is used in a variety of dishes as it can be boiled, steamed, blended, sauteed or eaten raw.

How to grow: kale seeds germinate quickly in warm soil and should sprout up within five to eight days; cover the seeds with about  ½” of soil, and keep the growing medium moist; transplant your seedlings from indoors after the danger of frost has passed; full sun but will tolerate partial shade.

How to harvest: 50 - 55 days to harvest; kale is ready when it’s about 12” tall and the leaves are the size of your hand or bigger; with pruning shears, make a clean cut at the base of the stem.

Vibrant shades of tooth leaved, green mint.

Mint

Mint is an aromatic perennial and is used extensively in salads, desserts, main courses, soups, drinks and more! The herb is a fast and invasive grower, so planting it in a container on your deck is a convenient option.

How to grow: sow seeds indoors for later transplanting or after the last predicted frost date outdoors in the ground or planters; moisten the soil, press the seed gently into the soil about ⅛ deep, do not cover; full sun to partial shade.

How to harvest: 7 - 8 weeks to harvest; stocks should be cut a few inches above the root when the plant breaks into bloom and the bottom leaves begin to yellow; use fresh leaves as desired or tie the stems loosely into bunches and hang to dry.

Green, flat and curly parsley leaves.

Parsley

Parsley is often used as a condiment and is frequently sprinkled on the top of dishes for an extra punch of fresh, herby flavour.

How to grow: seeds can be sowed indoors in April and transplanted outdoors in June or sowed directly outdoors from May - July, every two weeks for a fresh supply till the snow flies; plant seeds in rows 15” apart ¼” deep; will succeed in loamy soil (sand, silt, and clay soil), parsley seed takes up to 5 or 6 weeks to sprout; full sun but can tolerate light shade.

How to harvest: 60 - 70 days to harvest; gather the outer leaves permitting the heart of the plant to produce more leaves; use fresh or spread them out to dry.

Pea pods split open showing fresh, green peas.

Peas

High in protein and full of vitamins, cased in pods holding up to 8 peas.  Great addition to soups, stews, casseroles, rice and pasta dishes!

How to grow:  sow seeds 4 - 6 weeks before the last spring frost; 1” deep and 2” apart; full sun; support with trellises, chicken wire or strings.


How to harvest: 60 - 70 days to harvest; once flowers bloom, hold the vine with one hand and pull the pods off with the other; if pods are hardened or turned a dull colour, you may have missed your window.

Freshly washed sweet red pepper with long green stem.

Peppers

The Jalapeño M is considered a hot pepper but you won’t need a fire extinguisher. Peppers start as dark emerald green and become bright glossy red when they mature.

How to grow: plant ¼" deep, 12 - 24” apart, lightly cover with soil, full sun.

How to harvest:  70 days to harvest; peppers should be 3 - 5” in length, firm to the touch, and have a deep green or red (more mature, hotter) colour — many people prefer to pick jalapenos before they turn red

The Sweet California Wonder Pepper is a mild bell pepper that produces large, stuffing-sized peppers with a crisp and crunchy texture.

How to grow: plant ¼" deep, 12 - 24” apart, lightly cover with soil, full sun.

How to harvest: 70 days to harvest; mature peppers should be firm and shiny, 4 - 5” long — continuous harvesting encourages fruit production up until first frost.

Multiple soft orange fall pumpkins with long stems.

Pumpkin

Pumpkins are a great source of potassium. They are often carved for Halloween and used to make delicious pies.

How to grow: start indoors from late April or sow outdoors after last frost; plant seeds ½ - 1 “ deep and outdoors, 4 - 8’ apart; full sun; 1” of water a week ensures good growth.

How to harvest: 90 - 100 days to harvest; should be picked before a hard frost after the pumpkin has turned bright orange; use garden shears or a knife to cut the vine at least 1” or 2” from the pumpkin. 

Soft green and purple shades of rosemary sprigs.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a fragrant seasoning used in a variety of dishes, such as soups, casseroles, salads, and stews. Medicinally, rosemary is said to help with memory.

How to grow:  for best results sow indoors in late April to early May, sprinkle three to four seeds on top of seed-starting mix, cover lightly with the mix; place in a warm, sunny location; mist the seeds using a water bottle; once seedlings are three to six inches tall, transplant outdoors in an area with good drainage or, if you want to bring the plants inside during cold winters, a pot.

How to harvest: rosemary is a perennial and can take years to reach full growth in a garden but hopefully in the first season your plant will grow to be 12”; summer is the best time to harvest, and sprigs should be at least 8” long - cut a few inches off the top for use, cutting will regenerate more growth; use fresh or hang bundles to dry for 10 days, strip off dry rosemary and store.

Green, oval shaped spinach leaves with stems.

Spinach

Spinach is a nutritious leafy green used in salads, egg dishes, and smoothies — the possibilities are endless.  Spinach also supplies a host of antioxidants to help build and strengthen your immune system.

How to grow: sow outdoors in early spring, seeds like cooler soil, ½ “ deep, 6” apart;  fertile, moist, well-drained soil; full to partial sun.

How to harvest: 40 - 45 days to harvest; cut about ⅓ of the leaves from the centre; new leaves will regrow within days.

An abundance of fragrant green and yellow thyme.

Thyme

Thyme is robust and hardy and will proliferate in your garden during growing months or in an indoor planter year-round. Thyme is used to season all kinds of dishes, fresh or dried.

How to grow: sow seeds indoors late winter to mid-spring, outdoors in early June in sandy well-drained soil 8-12” apart; full sun.


How to harvest:  just before the plant flowers, cut off the top five to six inches of growth; clip a sprig or two for use in cooking anytime during the growing season, flowers are white and do not impede flavour but pinching them off will help produce more leaves;  dried thyme, like most dried herbs, imparts the same flavour but not as bold

Dewy red tomatoes hanging from the vine.

Tomatoes

Not only are tomatoes a good source of nutrition, but they’re also a versatile food for cooking savoury dishes, sauces and more!

How to grow: sow indoors March - April; before you transplant outdoors, transplant into a larger container for at least four weeks to help develop the root system, when they are  3 - 4” tall and have 3 or more sets of leaves, transplant outside and stake. 

How to harvest: 65 days to harvest;  tomatoes can be harvested anytime they start to show colour; carefully hand pick by using a lift, twist and pull technique.