Seed Library Tips

The main Seed Library Tip is: We have a Seed Library!

see more tips below

As of Fall 2024, you can drop into Big Guys Coffee Shop, donate seeds from your garden (more info below) and pick up some new seed packets for your garden.

Our Seed Library Location
The Big Guy’s (@bigguycoffee556)

2861 Lake Shore Blvd W, Etobicoke, ON M8V 1H8 (Just east of 5th street)
Open
Monday-Saturday 8am-5pm
Sunday 9am-2pm

As you walk into the coffee shop, you will see it on your left, in the Used Book Store Section

How to Participate in our Seed Library

1. Everyone can donate seeds
2. Everyone can pick up packaged seeds

To Donate Seeds:

1. Donate completely dried seeds. You can leave them in a bulk bag.
2. Label your seeds: Name, Common. Latin name, if known. Date harvested.
   Optional: best location to grow (sun/shade, clay, loam, sand)
3. Leave the donated seeds in the lowest open cubbies of our seed library or leave with Big Guy at the Coffee Shop Counter

To Pick Up Seeds:

1. Pick up any packet you see useful for your garden.
2. Try to only take 1-2 of any variety so everyone can benefit.
3. If you are taking the last packet of any seed variety, please send us an email at: legsetobicoke@gmail.com

You will see different varieties of seeds every month as we update it and more donations come in. We pick up the bulk packages and package them for easy pick up.

Here’s an example of what’s available in the seed library this summer is:

Seed Library Tips & User Guide

• Save the Best for SEEDS! You must resist picking the Best Flowers and picking the nicest looking Fruit in your garden. Leave those specimens for collecting the seeds and stones
• Upside down Daisy (& lettuce, kale, yarrow…) Collecting Small seeds is easiest by cutting the mature plant stocks with seeds and hanging them upside down inside brown bags, in a dry hall or storage room. The seeds will fall out and can be shaken loose easily without a mess
• If you need to stratify your seeds ( a great resource on this is here: Prairie Nursery)
• Plant Wisely: Limit yourself to picking up a maximum of 5 seed packets at any one time and especially during the growing season.
• Master your Resources: to make the most of every seed packet, research how to start seeds successfully. Start here at Seeds of Diversity
• Recycle: Save your mini silica packets from Ramen soups or other packages and throw one in your glass jars to keep them extra dry.