MADISON, Wis. — Thanks to a partnership with Dane County Land & Water Resources, 2,000 native Wisconsin seeds are now available for free in Madison libraries.
The libraries are also hosting workshops to show people how to prepare and plant the seeds properly.
The seed library has been around for ten years, but this is the first year for the Wisconsin native collection.
The seeds include five different species of plant: Back eyed Susan, Blue Vervain, Rattlesnake Master, Wild Bergamot and Yellow Coneflower.
The idea started with north side naturalist Alex Singer, a volunteer at the library who hosts the demonstrations.
“I thought that since the seed libraries had set up a system for distributing vegetable seeds and some regular garden seeds, we should take advantage of the system they set up and distribute native seeds, which are planted at a different time of year,” Singer said.
Native Wisconsin seeds are best planted in the fall and left to grow in the winter.
Planting these seeds is a way for people to support Wisconsin’s ecosystem as well as feed wildlife locally.
“It’s a great hobby to get out there, you see what comes up,” Singer said. “It depends how controlling you are, but even if you’re not much of a gardener, you can do this.”
The libraries encourage those who are interested to get involved with Dane County Land & Water Resources to help collect and distribute the seeds.
“Take [the seeds] home and sow them in your lawn or garden now, and you’ll have seedlings come spring,” Lakeview Library community engagement librarian Hannah Majeska said.
For more information on the seeds and library demonstration, click or tap here.
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