Seed Returns/Donation Guidelines

The Nelson Seed Library is currently accepting all types of seed, however it is important that seeds meet the following requirements.
  1. The seed must be healthy - the best plants make the best seed
  2. The seed must be ripe - often this is later than you would pick it for eating
  3. The seed must be clean - separated from the rest of the plant, free from insects
  4. The seed must be dry - this puts the seed into hibernation 
  5. The seed must be labelled - with as much information as you can
For more information on how to save the seeds please look at our seed saving pages.
The seed saving aspect of Nelson Seed Library is what ensures a successful, regionally-adapted, and genetically diverse seed collection that is self-sustaining!

​Best seed saving practices should be followed where possible. We encourage all our members to learn more about how to save seeds and hope that you will be able to join us for one of our seed saving workshops. Here are some additional things to consider when saving seeds.
  • Keep your plants labelled, from seed to seed
  • You can save seed from any heirloom (H) or open pollinated (OP) seed
  • Consider how the plant was pollinated, does it self pollinate or does it out-cross
  • What other plants in the same species are being grown nearby
  • Save seeds from as large a number of plants as practical, not all from the same one

Please try to collect as much seed as you can manage. This allows us to share the seed widely. The quantity will hopefully be of sufficient to provide seed to a minimum of 10 gardeners,  depending on the type of plant this may be anywhere from 30 seeds upwards (considering a single lettuce plant may produce 30,000 seeds this is not normally a problem. If you can, please return enough seed to fill a jar!
What about hybrids?

Hybrid seeds that have been purchased from a seed supplier can be dropped off to the seed library e.g half used packets. However seeds saved from hybrid plants should not be returned. To learn more, read our Hybrid information page.

How to donate 
Drop your seeds in to the Library. 

Outside the Research Room there is a silver drum, this is where returns and donations are to be dropped off.
or, post your seed to our mailing address:

​Nelson Seed Library,
c/- 170 Nile Street, Maitai 
​Nelson 7010

Seed labelling
When labeling seed for donation to the Nelson Seed Library please include as much information as possible. This helps to keep track of varieties and of the stories attached to each seed line. Although not required, if you know the botanical/Latin name for your seed then please include it.   
Name: 
Variety:
Year:
Grower:
Notes:
Tomato
Black Krim
2015
Burrell Park Community Gardens
Plants from Tai Chi Society, did well in the garden, almost purple in color. Inderterminate. Seed saved from 10+ plants
Name: 
Variety:
Year:
Grower:
Notes:
Spinach
Perpetual
2015
B.Nevin
5th Year grown in Nelson, plants get pretty big and keep producing for months. Seed originally from Watkins Seeds
If you don't know what the details are or suspect that the plant may not be true-to-type then either leave the variety blank or put "unknown" and put any further information in the Notes area e.g. "Self seeded random brassica, large leafs and crunchy stem, similar to Pak Choi" or "Sweet yellow pear shaped tomatoes, saved from Steve's garden in Motueka"