Seed Shortage 2021

Where have all the seeds gone?

While it may still be deep winter in many parts of Canada (and we did get a healthy dump of snow in Victoria last weekend) now is the time to start thinking about our backyard gardens.

Last spring, gardening seemed to become everyone’s number one hobby (for reasons of which we are all too well aware of). As folks began spending more time at home and less time with friends and family, many turned to planting seeds for solace and something to do. Of course, we loved to see this–one of our main tenets is to encourage our community to connect with the land. 

Through caring for our gardens and growing our own food, we develop a renewed appreciation for not only the ground we live, walk, and thrive on but also how our local and global food supply system works. Both very valuable things to learn about and appreciate! 

However, a combination of demand and supply chain issues have created a possible seed shortage for the upcoming planting season. More people are looking for seeds and there is a good chance less seeds will become available. Now is a good time to start planning ahead (and planting ahead) in order to make sure that you have ample seeds for your garden.

The Victoria Seed Library

Lucky for locals in Greater Victoria, we have our very own Seed Library! Stocked with local seeds saved by gardeners past, the Victoria Seed Library is *free* to use. All you have to do is become a lifetime member by attending one of our Seed Library orientations.

At the orientation, you’ll learn all about the Victoria Seed Library and seed saving. We call this a Seed Saving 101! And if you’re already a member but would like a refresher course, please join us. Especially in these times, we love to see familiar faces (even if it is over a Zoom call). 

Seed swaps are held bi-weekly during the Spring and Summer at the GVPL’s Central branch in downtown Victoria. Take a peek at our Seed Catalogue (available for download here) to see what seeds we have in stock. 

If you’d like to be notified about upcoming orientations or events, sign up for our newsletter!

Happy planting 🙂