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ABOUT THE PLOT
MISSION
The Plot is a learning laboratory for Library patrons to sow, grow, and share using sustainable gardening practices. Each gardener is the author of their own plot, fostering life in a dense urban area.
RULES OF OPERATION
During the growing season, The Plot is a community garden open to all patrons of the library from sunrise to sunset. The garden is tended by member-patrons that applied via lottery to have a free plot. The window to apply for a plot in 2024 will be open from February 1–22. Everyone is allowed to enjoy the garden space respectfully and watch it grow.
SEEd LIBRARY
Visit any of the branch locations during open hours and you can participate in the seed-lending program for free, year-round! Find locally and commercially grown seeds packed in envelopes and organized alphabetically for your garden. You can view the online seed inventoryhere.
MAP / LOCATION
The Plot is located on the north side of the Main Library. There are two entrances to the garden: one on the northwest corner, the other on the southeast side.
The Garden is open daily during normal Library hours.
ABOUT THE PLOT
MISSION
The Plot is a learning laboratory for Library patrons to sow, grow, and share using sustainable gardening practices. Each gardener is the author of their own plot, fostering life in a dense urban area.
RULES OF OPERATION
During the growing season, The Plot is a community garden open to all patrons of the library from sunrise to sunset. The garden is tended by member-patrons that applied via lottery to have a free plot. The window to apply for a plot in 2024 will be open from February 1–22. Everyone is allowed to enjoy the garden space respectfully and watch it grow.
SEEd LIBRARY
Visit any of the branch locations during open hours and you can participate in the seed-lending program for free, year-round! Find locally and commercially grown seeds packed in envelopes and organized alphabetically for your garden. You can view the online seed inventory here.
The Seed Library exists to encourage growth of local plant varieties, and cultivate a community of sharing.
Everyone is invited to participate in the Seed Library, even if you want to casually try your hand at growing a garden and need some seed in order to do so. The goal is to get people growing!
To check out seeds
1. Peruse the Online Seed Catalog and pick out as many seed varieties as you want, with the expectation that you only request what you will actually grow.
2. Fill out the Seed Library Request Form below. After you submit the form, we will contact you to go over details and seed availability before the order is completed. All orders will need to be picked up at the Main Library.
Please note that: You become a member of our seed library automatically when you check out seeds to plant! We operate on the honor system and encourage all members to learn basic seed saving techniques.
• Promote biodiversity: Large seed companies often have a limited variety of hybrid seeds that do not produce viable offspring. Saving and sharing seed promotes a more diverse network of seed that is viable and can be used to breed your own varieties. Some unique plants only exist in the possession of one or two gardeners. Seed sharing helps save some seeds that are in danger of disappearing.
• Preserve characteristics: By saving your own seeds you can hand pick seed from your best plants based off of taste, color, smell, and productivity. Preserving these characteristics helps broaden the genetic diversity within garden plant varieties.
• Local adaptation: By saving and distributing seed locally, we increase the vitality and resilience of our plants. Collecting seed and replanting it results in increasing resistance to local disease and insects. It also encourages our plants to become more well adapted to local climates and soil conditions.
• Connect with your garden and community: Participating in local seed-saving efforts gives you a deeper connection with your garden because of the connection you have with the gardeners that produced that seed. It also deepens your connection with your community when you save and share seeds of your own with others, broadening your influence on sustainable gardening practices.
• Protect Pollinators: Allowing some of your garden plants to mature and flower supports pollinators by providing a source of food, and in return they pollinate your plants allowing you to harvest seeds for the following year.
• Save money: Saving and sharing seed is far less expensive than purchasing new seed every growing season. By saving seed year to year you can essentially eliminate costs associated with purchasing new seed.
To Check Out Seeds
The Seed Library Order Request Form above includes a link to our seed catalog. Select your preferred seeds, include your mailing address, and we'll send them to you. On average, patrons will wait about a week to receive their seeds in the mail.
Sometimes we're out of stock of a particular variety by the time we fulfill your order. Instead of omitting your selection, we like to give you something else that might suit your needs. We hope that you can appreciate the substitutes just as much, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Note that the online ordering system is only in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally, the Seed Library is on display near the Welcome Desk on Level 1 of the Main Library. The self-serve Seed Library will return as soon as the Library reopens and we will no longer offer mail-order service.
To Donate or Return Seeds
We are now accepting seed returns at our outdoor bookdrops at all locations. Seeds should be sealed in a sturdy envelope or small packet and labeled with your name, contact information, and helpful information such as variety, year grown, and source. Otherwise we will not be able to provide other Seed Library users with details about growing conditions, germination rate, or flavor profile.
Seeds are generally accepted regardless of whether we supplied the original seeds or not. Note that the Seed Library does not accept Genetically Modified (GMO) seeds. We do accept “hybrid” seeds, but they must be labeled so that patrons know that seeds saved from these will not grow true-to-type.
How Do I Grow the Seeds I Received?
We've compiled a few resources to help you successfully grow the seeds you've planted:
La Biblioteca de semillas se ha creado para promover el cultivo de variedades locales de distintas plantas y cultivar el espíritu de una comunidad que comparte.
Todas las personas están invitadas a participar en la Biblioteca de semillas, incluso quienes solo quieren cultivar una huerta sencilla y necesitan semillas para hacerlo. El objetivo que tenemos es que la gente comience a cultivar.
Cómo pedir las semillas
1. Visite el catálogo virtual de semillas y seleccione todas las variedades que desee, teniendo siempre presente que esperamos que se pidan semillas que realmente se cultivarán.
2. Complete el Formulario de solicitud de la Biblioteca de semillas que se encuentra abajo. Una vez enviado el formulario, nos comunicaremos con usted para revisar los detalles y la disponibilidad de semillas antes de finalizar el pedido. Todos los pedidos se retiran en la Biblioteca principal.
Tenga en cuenta lo siguiente: En el momento en que pide semillas a la biblioteca de semillas, se convierte automáticamente en miembro. Funcionamos según el sistema de honor y recomendamos a todos nuestros miembros que aprendan técnicas básicas de almacenamiento de semillas.
• Para promover la biodiversidad: las grandes empresas de semillas en general cuentan con una variedad limitada de semillas híbridas que no producen retoños viables. Guardar y compartir las semillas promueve una red de semillas con mayor diversidad que son viables y pueden utilizarse para crear variedades propias. Algunas plantas peculiares son propiedad exclusiva de uno o dos jardineros. Compartir las semillas permite preservar algunas semillas que están en peligro de desaparecer.
• Para conservar las características: al guardar sus propias semillas, puede seleccionar aquellas de las mejores plantas según el sabor, el color, el olor y la productividad. Cuando se conservan estas características, se amplía la diversidad genética dentro de las variedades de plantas de la huerta.
• Para la adaptación local: cuando guardamos y distribuimos las semillas de manera local, aumentamos la vitalidad y resiliencia de nuestras plantas. Recolectar las semillas y replantarlas produce una mayor resistencia a los insectos y las enfermedades locales. Además, es una manera de que nuestras plantas estén mejor adaptadas a los climas y las condiciones del suelo locales.
• Para conectarse con la huerta y la comunidad: ser parte de los esfuerzos locales para guardar semillas le permite conectarse de manera más completa con la huerta debido a la relación que tiene con los jardineros que produjeron esa semilla. También profundiza la relación con la comunidad en la que guarda y comparte sus propias semillas, ampliando así su influencia en las prácticas de jardinería sustentables.
• Para proteger a los polinizadores: al permitir que algunas de las plantas que tiene maduren y florezcan, ayuda a los polinizadores al proporcionarles una fuente de alimento, y recibe a cambio la polinización de las plantas, que le permitirá cosechar semillas al año siguiente.
• Para ahorrar dinero: guardar y compartir semillas es mucho más económico que comprar semillas nuevas cada temporada de siembra. Al guardar las semillas de un año para el otro, elimina los costos asociados a la adquisición de semillas nuevas.
Cómo pedir semillas
El formulario de solicitud de pedidos de la Biblioteca de semillas, que aparece arriba, incluye un enlace a nuestro catálogo de semillas. Seleccione las que quiere, incluya su dirección postal y se las enviaremos. En promedio, los clientes deben aguardar una semana para recibir las semillas por correo postal.
Puede ocurrir que no tengamos semillas de una variedad en particular cuando empaquetemos su pedido. En este caso, le enviaremos otras semillas que podrían ser de utilidad. Esperamos que el reemplazo sea tan de su agrado como las semillas que pidió originalmente, y le pedimos disculpas de antemano por el inconveniente.
Tenga en cuenta que el sistema de pedidos en línea solo funciona durante la pandemia de la COVID-19. Por lo general, la Biblioteca de semillas se exhibe cerca del mostrador de bienvenida en el piso 1 de la Biblioteca principal. La Biblioteca de semillas por autoservicio regresará tan pronto como la Biblioteca reabra las puertas, y ya no ofreceremos el servicio de pedido por correo.
Donación o devolución de semillas
En la actualidad, aceptamos devoluciones de semillas en todos nuestras sucursales. Las semillas deben estar en un sobre o paquete pequeño sellado y resistente, con su nombre, información de contacto y otra información útil, como variedad, año de cultivo y origen de las semillas. Si no contamos con esta información, no podremos brindarles a otros usuarios de la biblioteca de semillas los datos sobre las condiciones de cultivo, la tasa de germinación o el perfil de sabor.
En general, aceptamos todas las semillas, ya sea que hayamos suministrado las semillas originales o no. Tenga en cuenta que la Biblioteca no acepta semillas transgénicas (genéticamente modificadas, GM). Aceptamos semillas "híbridas", pero deben estar etiquetadas como tales para que los clientes sepan que las semillas que guarden de estas no crecerán exactamente iguales a la variedad.
¿Cómo cultivo las semillas que recibo?
Hemos compilado algunos recursos para que pueda cultivar con éxito las semillas que ha plantado:
The Seed Library exists to encourage growth of local plant varieties, and cultivate a community of sharing.
Everyone is invited to participate in the Seed Library, even if you want to casually try your hand at growing a garden and need some seed in order to do so. The goal is to get people growing!
To check out seeds
1. Peruse the Online Seed Catalog and pick out as many seed varieties as you want, with the expectation that you only request what you will actually grow.
2. Fill out the Seed Library Request Form below. After you submit the form, we will contact you to go over details and seed availability before the order is completed. All orders will need to be picked up at the Main Library.
Please note that: You become a member of our seed library automatically when you check out seeds to plant! We operate on the honor system and encourage all members to learn basic seed saving techniques.
La Biblioteca de semillas se ha creado para promover el cultivo de variedades locales de distintas plantas y cultivar el espíritu de una comunidad que comparte.
Todas las personas están invitadas a participar en la Biblioteca de semillas, incluso quienes solo quieren cultivar una huerta sencilla y necesitan semillas para hacerlo. El objetivo que tenemos es que la gente comience a cultivar.
Cómo pedir las semillas
1. Visite el catálogo virtual de semillas y seleccione todas las variedades que desee, teniendo siempre presente que esperamos que se pidan semillas que realmente se cultivarán.
2. Complete el Formulario de solicitud de la Biblioteca de semillas que se encuentra abajo. Una vez enviado el formulario, nos comunicaremos con usted para revisar los detalles y la disponibilidad de semillas antes de finalizar el pedido. Todos los pedidos se retiran en la Biblioteca principal.
Tenga en cuenta lo siguiente: En el momento en que pide semillas a la biblioteca de semillas, se convierte automáticamente en miembro. Funcionamos según el sistema de honor y recomendamos a todos nuestros miembros que aprendan técnicas básicas de almacenamiento de semillas.
The Plot consists of 12 raised 8' x 4' garden beds. Plots are assigned to applicants who are selected based on availabilty, enthusiasm, and need.
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HOW TO PARTICIPATE
The Plot consists of 18 raised 8' x 4' garden beds. Plots are assigned by lottery. The application is open from January 5 through February 15 each year and will be available here.
To be considered for this lottery, you must be over 18 years of age and live between North Temple and 900 South and between 600 West and 700 East. Only one garden plot per household is permitted. Gardeners will be informed of their allotment on or before March 1.
Gardeners who fulfill policy requirements — including plot maintenance, meeting attendance and community behavior expectations — may reapply for the same plot each year.
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If accepted as a gardener you must have the time to cultivate your garden. Below is an estimate of the time you should plan on allotting to The Plot per week:
GARDEN TASK
SPRING
SUMMER
FALL
Weeding/Bed Preparation
2 hours
2 hours
1 hour
Watering
1 hour
.5 hour
0 hour
Planting
1.5 hours
.5 hour
.5 hour
Harvesting
.5 hour
1 hour
1.5 hour
TOTAL hours per week
5 hours
4 hours
3 hours
If you are not able to commit to authoring a plot for a whole season you can still participate! See the Composting and Classes at The Plot sections to the right or come to a volunteer session every 2nd Saturday of the month from 8:30–10:30am between May and October. Volunteers will be thanked with produce or seeds upon availability.
PARTNERS
Wasatch Community Gardens
The City Library is a member of the Wasatch Community Gardens Garden Leadership Network. The garden receives seedling donations from the Wasatch Community Gardens plant sale and collaborates on garden education programs.
The Geraldine E. King Women's Resource Center
The Geraldine E. King Women's Resource Center provides emergency shelter to women experiencing homelessness in the Salt Lake Valley. In the growing season, Volunteers harvest The Plot's excess produce on a weekly basis and redistribute it to the Women's Resource Center Kitchen.
True Leaf Market
True Leaf Market is an independent, non-GMO seed company that provides thousands of free seeds to circulate through the seed-lending program.
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MAP / LOCATION
The Plot is located on the north side of the Main Library. There are two entrances to the garden: one on the northwest corner, the other on the southeast side.
The Garden is open daily during normal Library hours.
Subscribe to our quarterly Plot Garden email newsletter
Contribute compostable materials (like apple cores and orange peels) to our compost system! There are instructions on-site at the compost bin, which is located on the east side of the garden.
The museum path is located along the Bonneville Shoreline trail that runs adjacent to the Museum.
The paths opened in the spring of 2019.
PARTNERS
Wasatch Community Gardens
The City Library is a member of the Wasatch Community Gardens Garden Leadership Network. The garden receives seedling donations from the Wasatch Community Gardens plant sale and collaborates on garden education programs.
The Geraldine E. King Women's Resource Center
The Geraldine E. King Women's Resource Center provides emergency shelter to women experiencing homelessness in the Salt Lake Valley. In the growing season, Volunteers harvest The Plot's excess produce on a weekly basis and redistribute it to the Women's Resource Center Kitchen.
True Leaf Market
True Leaf Market is an independent, non-GMO seed company that provides thousands of free seeds to circulate through the seed-lending program.