Have abundant spring rains left you with more tomatoes than okra growing in your garden? Then bring your extras to the “Plant Swap,” April 29, 1-3 p.m. at Kendall-Whittier Library, 21 S. Lewis, and exchange with other local gardeners. It is also a good opportunity to share gardening tips and get advice from other urban green thumbs. You can even check out seed packets from the library while you’re there.
Tulsa City-County Library began the Seed Library in 2014 to encourage healthier lifestyles. Customers can check out up to five packets of vegetable, herb or flower seeds per season that are best adapted for our area. If the plants are successful, growers are encouraged to let the best plants go to seed. Then they can the collect, dry, label and return the seeds to the library so the cycle will continue the following year.
Seed Library locations include five Tulsa City-County Libraries as well as the Bookmobile:
· Central Library, Fifth Street and Denver Avenue
· Glenpool Library, 730 E. 141st St.
· Nathan Hale Library, 6038 E. 23rd St.
· Suburban Acres Library, 4606 N. Garrison
· Zarrow Regional Library, 2224 W. 51st
Librarians have prepared helpful information on the process of growing and storing seeds, guides.tulsalibrary.org/tulsaseedlibrary. This webpage features a comprehensive listing of all seeds ready for check out, along with planting instructions, seed saving basics and care. You can even check out a packet online and have it delivered to your community library.
The Seed Library is divided into three levels of saving difficulty.
· Easy: Beans, peas, lettuce, eggplant, and tomato. These seeds generally self-pollinate, and are easiest to harvest.
· Medium: Arugula, basil, cilantro, chives, nasturtium and peppers. These may self-pollinate or cross-pollinate and should be separated from other varieties by distance.
· Advanced: Broccoli, cabbage, corn, carrot, kale, okra, squash and Swiss chard. These plants are insect or wind-pollinated and cross with other varieties. To get true seeds separate varieties by time, distance or physical barriers.
With names like Cherokee Purple Tomatoes, Rattlesnake Green Beans and Cosmic Purple Carrots, all ages will enjoy watching these edible wonders reach for the sun. It’s also a fun activity for families to observe the daily changes in their garden, especially as vegetables ripen and become the next healthy snack.
For more information on Tulsa City-County Library programs and services, call the AskUs Hotline, 918-549-7323, or visit the library’s Web site, www.tulsalibrary.org
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