Getting started with seeds

The Napa County Seed Library operates a network of seed library annexes. We rely on you to uphold the honor system we use so everyone can have access to seeds. If you borrow seeds, here’s how to learn, plan for, and grow seeds to return seeds to the annexes.

Learn | Watch DIY Seeds Educational Films

Below are selected educational films about seeds to support your journey with planting them. These beautiful and inspiring films produced by DIYseeds.org help you learn the basics of Botany and pollination, as well as what a seed is and how to choose some to plant. These beautiful, inspiring films demonstrate everything you need to know about growing and saving seed for fun and preservation. Browse the catalog on our Save Seeds page for more information.

Featured

Botanical Classification

Anyone who wants to produce seeds should have a general understanding of botany, the science of plants. Plants are at present classified according to the anatomy of their flowers, their reproductive organs and their fruit. They are classified by their Latin names.

What is a Seed?

A seed is the result of the transformation of the ovule fertilized through pollination. The appearance of seeds can greatly differ, their shape, size, color and texture changes according to the plant. From these seeds healthy and vigorous plants will spring forth which will in their turn produce new seeds, thus perpetuating the cycle of life.

What is Pollination?

Pollination is the way in which a large number of plants reproduce. The word “reproduce” is in fact not really exact because by using this process the plant will not produce an identical copy of itself. The male and female genetic elements will mix and potentially create a different plant.

How to Choose Seeds for Seed Production

The selection process enables you to gradually adapt the plant to the environment, to your needs and wishes. It is important to pay particular attention to plants grown for their seeds, as they will produce the future generations of vegetables and fruits. It is therefore necessary to choose them well and to observe them throughout their development.

Plan | Monthly Seeds to Sow

You might be new at starting plants from seed, so we’ve created lists of seeds that grow best in Napa County each month. In our growing zone (9b) we can plant many kinds of vegetable, herb, flower, cover crop, and ornamental seeds. Your success depends on: (1) the microclimate in your growing area, (2) the time you choose to plant seeds, (3) the seed’s ability to grow to full maturity, and (4) your experience. Start here to find out which seeds are great to plant each month in Napa County. Click on the images below to get the lists and tips from our Instagram. To receive them by email, Subscribe to our SEED TAPE newsletter on Substack!

Grow | Planting With Seed Quick Guides

We created quick guides for growing the most common categories of plants you can borrow from our seed library annexes. These quick guides help you navigate the first steps of growing plants from seed in your garden with basic planting instructions. You can find these guides (and more) on our How to Grow page, so visit there also for details about starting seeds indoors, germination testing, and where you can grow plants in a community garden in Napa County.

BEANS

PLANTING GUIDE
Plant bean seeds directly into the soil (not indoors) in full sun after the last spring frost (April 15 in Zone 9b for Napa County). Plant seeds 1 inch deep, spaced 2 inches apart (for bush type) or 3 inches apart along a trellis (for pole type). Beans sprout in 4-10 days. Eat whole bean pods fresh when they are tender and crisp about 50 to 60 days after planting. Remove beans from the dry pod and eat them cooked when they turn brown, crisp, and dry. Allow them to fully dry to save the seeds. To save bean seeds WATCH How to Save Bean Seeds andEasy Seed Saving: Beans
HERBS

PLANTING GUIDE
To save herb seeds WATCH Easy Seed Saving: Cilantro or Easy Seed Saving: Dill.
PEAS

PLANTING GUIDE
To save pea seeds WATCH Easy Seed Saving: Peas. Part 1 & Part 2.
FLOWERS

PLANTING GUIDE
To save flower seeds WATCH How to Save Seeds from Flowers and How to Collect Seeds from Flowers and Pods.
LEAFY GREENS

PLANTING GUIDE
To save lettuce seeds WATCH Easy Seed Saving: Lettuce and the DIY Seeds film on how to save seeds from lettuce.
BRASSICAS

PLANTING GUIDE
To save seeds from the Brassica plant family WATCH the DIY Seeds film on how to save seeds from Kale, Broccoli, Cabbage, Brussels Sprout, Cauliflower, and Chard.
ROOTS

PLANTING GUIDE
To save root seeds WATCH the DIY Seeds films on how to save seeds from carrot. beet, and parsnip.
TOMATOES

PLANTING GUIDE
To save tomato seeds WATCH Easy Seed Saving: Tomato. Part 1 & Part 2 and the DIY Seeds film on how to save seeds from tomato.
SQUASH

PLANTING GUIDE
To save seeds from squash WATCH How to Hand Pollinate Squash Part 1 & Part 2; and the DIY Seeds film on zucchini, squash, and manual pollination of Cucurbitaceae.