Want to save costs on starting your garden? Spartanburg County Public Libraries offers free seeds year-round to help you grow your own food or flowers! These seed libraries make it easy to plant something new, introduce kids to gardening, and grow together as a family. Read on to learn about seed libraries, where to find one, and how to start planting at home!
Seed libraries are growing (no pun intended!) in popularity in Upstate South Carolina, and with lots of benefits! They promote food security, self-sufficiency, and a greater connection to our environment.
Quick Summary: Spartanburg County Seed Libraries 🌱
Get free seeds year-round to grow your own garden!
🍅 Free seeds for food & flowers
👨👩👧👦 Perfect for experienced gardeners, beginners, and families
📚 Includes planting & growing guides
📆 Open year-round, with seed starter kits each spring
📍 Available at multiple Spartanburg County Libraries
Ready, set, grow! Start your home garden today! 🏡
What Is a Seed Library?
At first, the idea of a seed library sounds confusing. Aren’t libraries for borrowing? The great news is—there’s nothing to return. You get to keep the seeds and grow something amazing.
With a library card through Spartanburg County Public Libraries, you can pick up multiple free seed packets each week—plenty for getting a home garden started. Many branches also include planting guides, displays, or take-home instructions to help you along.
The Library also offers Seed Starter Kits each year, usually around late spring or early summer. These special kits include a biodegradable container, small bag of soil, and printed guide for starting seeds indoors and transplanting them later.
Find Seed Libraries Near You
Spartanburg County Public Libraries offers seed libraries at the following branches:
- Boiling Springs Library | 864.758.3665
871 Double Bridge Rd, Boiling Springs, SC 29316 - Cowpens Library | 864.463.0430
181 School St, Cowpens, SC 29330 - Cyrill-Westside Library | 864.574.6815
525 Oak Grove Rd, Spartanburg, SC 29301 - Headquarters Library | 864.596.3500
151 S Church St, Spartanburg, SC 29306 - Landrum Library | 864.457.2218
111 East Asbury Dr, Landrum, SC 29356 - Middle Tyger Library | 864.439.4759
170 Groce Rd, Lyman, SC 29365 - The Bookmobile | 864.596.3512
Check the Bookmobile’s calendar to find its next stop!
☎️ PRO-TIP: I highly recommend calling your local branch before visiting to confirm whether seeds are in stock, and if their location has any Seed Starter Kits still available!
These seed libraries are generally available year-round, but they are only restocked when it makes sense for planting. Each location may offer different seed varieties and may have limits on the number of packets you can receive at one time.
Seed libraries are also available through the Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, and Pickens County library systems across Upstate South Carolina!
Planting Seed Starters at Home
⏳ No rush to plant: When you get home with your new seeds, the first thing to know is that there is no hurry to start planting. These seeds do not expire—there’s a best time to plant for everything, but if you miss it, your seeds should be fine to use next year. And if you’re planting indoors or in a greenhouse, there’s really no bad time to do it!
📅 Find the right time: For outdoor gardens, definitely research the best time to plant. A quick internet search with what you’re planting + your city will usually give you the right answers, but I personally love this planting guide from Greenville County Public Libraries! Clemson Extension and The Old Farmer’s Almanac both have great growing guides specifically for vegetables, too.
☀️ Plan your supplies: Plants are at the bottom of the food chain, which means nature really provides just about everything they need! Most plants thrive when they get plenty of sun, plenty of water, and quality soil. Unless you’re already into composting, the soil will be the main thing you need to get from your local garden store.
🏠 Decide whether to start indoors: If you want to start seeds indoors, a cardboard egg carton will be your best friend. Each egg compartment is a mini-container, so fill it with soil and get planting! Once your seeds sprout, you can transfer the whole carton to your long-term garden—whether that’s in the ground, a raised bed, or just a bigger container. The egg carton biodegrades in soil, leaving your plants with a strong start in their new home!
🪴 Consider container gardens: You can plant most seeds straight into the ground, but I highly recommend container gardening for beginners. You can buy or build a fancy raised bed, use traditional pots or grow bags, or even just cut the top half off an empty gallon jug and use that! Containers eliminate a lot of unnecessary challenges like digging holes and weeding, and they make it much easier to separate your plants or relocate them as needed.
🌱 Research plant preferences: After you plant, remember to do an internet search or check your chosen growing guide for plant preferences! They’ll have tips on the positioning, sunlight, and water preferences of your particular plants. Reading up on this will help a lot in getting them to grow!
Why Families Love the Seed Library
Seed libraries are a great low-cost, low-risk way for novice gardeners to try their hand at growing food or flowers with just a library card. They also make great science projects for homeschoolers and other students: Your kids will gain hands-on experience and learn personal responsibility as they strive to help their gardens grow!
Whether you’ve got a backyard, a balcony, or just a sunny window, Spartanburg County’s seed libraries are a simple way to get started—and a wonderful excuse to spend time in the sunshine together! With no pressure to return anything, this community resource just gives you the chance to learn and grow as a family.
For more inspiration and advice on your gardening journey, check out these tips from an experienced mom about planting a garden with your kids!
