Seeds of ideas for spring today at Fellows Riverside Gardens

By LINDA M. LINONIS

linonis@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The weather may be wintry but many people, especially gardeners, look forward to spring.

Two activities that begin today at Fellows Riverside Gardens at Mill Creek MetroParks are sure to plant seeds of ideas for spring gardens.

The Seed Library and the Twice-Loved Book Sale are planned in the Maxcine Antonucci Horticulture Library at the D.D. and Velma Davis Education Visitor Center.

Keith S. Kaiser, horticulture director, said the Seed Library “is a new service.”

Volunteers at the gardens packaged seeds obtained from plants in the park and their own gardens. “It’s a way of sharing and exchanging what we have in our gardens,” Kaiser said.

Visitors at the horticulture library can “check out” packs of seeds that they will plant in their gardens, Kaiser said. The return comes when those gardeners collect seeds from the plants during the fall harvest and bring them to the park for packaging. That will “restock” the Seed Library for spring distribution next year.

Kaiser said seeds for vegetables, annuals and herbs are available. There are marigolds, chives, peas, beans, morning glories and annual vines to name a few.

Some 1,200 seed packs are available and will be distributed until they are gone.

Kaiser cautioned eager gardeners not to plant too early. In Mahoning County, the frost-free date is about May 20. To grow plants from seed, they can be directly sown in the garden or started indoors then transplanted outside.

Kaiser said the Seed Library also is offered by Akron Public Library and Licking County Public Library. He’s hoping the idea takes off at the Antonuuci library at the park and becomes an annual activity.

And if you need help learning how to collect seeds from plants, the park’s book sale and library has the information. A variety of books and magazines on gardening, nature, herbs, crafts, nature photography, landscaping and cooking will be sold.

The book sale is today through Feb. 23. Hours for the Davis Center are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Kaiser said some of the books for sale come from “weeding out” the park’s library and others are donations from volunteers. Proceeds from the book sale benefit the Antonucci library.

For information on the seed library or book sale, call 330-740-7116.