Richland County, South Carolina

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Seed Sanctuary: Re-Seeding Richland

The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District's (RSWCD's) Seed Sanctuary provides vegetable, herb, and wildflower seeds to Richland County residents to promote home gardening, food security, and pollinator conservation. Beginning February 1, 2023, residents can access seeds in four ways:

In person at Richland Library Eastover during the Library's operating hours (608 Main St, Eastover, SC 29044)
In person outside the RSWCD office at the Richland County Administration Building during business hours (2020 Hampton St., Room 3063A, Columbia, SC 29204)
By mail (complete and submit a seed request form)
In person at Pop-Up Seed Sanctuary events at community festivals, farmers markets, and other gatherings throughout Richland County (follow RSWCD's Facebook or Instagram accounts, or subscribe to RSWCD's monthly e-newsletter, for Pop-Up event announcements). Event coordinators may contact RSWCD at soilandwater@richlandcountysc.gov to request a Pop-Up Seed Sanctuary appearance. Pop-Ups are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are limited by staff availability.

Funding for the Richland County Seed Sanctuary has been provided by:

2022 and 2023 Dominion Energy Environmental Education and Stewardship Grants
2020 Friends of NACD (National Association of Conservation Districts) Grants Program
Donations from individuals and businesses through the Friends of RSWCD

Questions? Contact us at soilandwater@richlandcountysc.gov or connect with us on Facebook or Instagram.

Volunteer Opportunities

Click here to learn how you can support the Seed Sanctuary as a volunteer seed-packer.

Available Seed Types

Species	Planting Dates (Central SC)	Fact Sheet
Vegetables
Tomato	Spring: Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost date. Transplant Mar. 25-Apr. 10. Fall: Jul. 25-30	Clemson HGIC - Tomato
Watermelon	Spring: Apr. 1-30 Fall: Jun. 15-30	Clemson HGIC - Watermelon
Eggplant	Spring: Apr. 10-25 Fall: Jul. 20-30	Clemson HGIC - Eggplant
Cucumber	Spring: Apr. 1-15 Fall: Aug. 1-10	Clemson HGIC - Cucumber
Cantaloupe	Spring: Apr. 1-15	Clemson HGIC - Cantaloupe
Pumpkin (Jack-o-Lantern)	Summer: June 15-30	Clemson HGIC - Pumpkin
Mustard Tendergreen	Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the desired planting date. Spring transplants: Feb. 1-Jun. 15 Fall transplants: Aug. 1-Oct. 30	Clemson HGIC - Arugula, Kale, Mesclun, Mustard, Swiss Chard
Swiss Chard	Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the desired planting date. Spring transplants: Feb. 1-Jun. 15 Fall transplants: Aug. 1-Oct. 30	Clemson HGIC - Arugula, Kale, Mesclun, Mustard, Swiss Chard
Summer squash	Spring: Apr. 1-20 Fall: Aug. 1-15	Clemson HGIC - Summer Squash
Zucchini	Spring: Apr. 1-20 Fall: Aug. 1-15	Clemson HGIC - Summer Squash (incl. Zucchini)
Okra	Spring: Apr. 10-Jun. 30 Fall: Aug. 1-30	Clemson HGIC - Okra
Kale	Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the desired planting date. Spring transplants: Feb. 1-Jun. 15 Fall transplants: Aug. 1-Oct. 30	Clemson HGIC - Arugula, Kale, Mesclun, Mustard, Swiss Chard
Carrot	Spring: Mar. 1-15 Fall: Jun. 15-30	Clemson HGIC - Carrot
Spinach	Spring: Feb. 15-Mar. 15 Fall: Sep. 15-30	Clemson HGIC - Spinach
Radish	Spring: Feb. 15-Mar. 15 Fall: Sep. 1-30	Clemson HGIC - Radish
Cauliflower	Spring: Mar. 1-15 Fall: Jul. 1-15	Clemson HGIC - Cauliflower
Broccoli	Spring: Mar. 1-15 Fall: Jul. 1-30	Clemson HGIC - Broccoli
Beets	Spring: Feb. 1-28 Fall: Aug. 1-20	Clemson HGIC - Beets
Turnips	Spring: Feb. 1-Mar. 10 Fall: Aug. 1-Oct. 1	Clemson HGIC - Turnips
Kohlrabi	Spring: Mar. 15-Apr. 15 Fall: Aug. 15-Sep. 15	Harvest to Table - Kohlrabi
Arugula	Spring: Mar. 15-Apr. 15 Fall: Sep. 1-30	Gardener's Path - Arugula
Lettuce	Spring: Feb. 1-28 Fall: Aug. 15-25	Clemson HGIC - Lettuce
Herbs
Basil	Seeds sown indoors 4-6 week ahead of out door planting time. Transplant outdoors when daytime temperature is consistently in the 70s and nighttime temperatures are above 50°F.	Clemson HGIC - Basil
Parsley	Start seeds indoors six weeks before average date of last frost. Transplant outdoors two to three weeks before average date of last frost.	Clemson HGIC - Herbs
Cilantro	This cool-season herb may be planted in fall or early spring. It prefers temperatures between 50°F and 85°F. It will bolt when temperatures exceed 85°F.	Clemson HGIC - Herbs
Flowers
Sunflower	Start indoors 3–4 weeks before last frost at temperatures of 65–75°F or direct sow after frost.
Blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata)	Start seeds early indoors 4-6 weeks before the last spring frost, transplanting to the garden when the weather has warmed. In warm-winter areas, sow seeds directly in late fall or very early spring.	Clemson HGIC - Growing Perennials
Black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta)	Plant black-eyed Susans when the soil temperature has reached 70°F for best seed germination. In many parts of North America, the planting period is March to May. Germination takes 7 to 30 days.	Clemson HGIC - Rudbeckia
Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)	Sow seed indoors in an area with an air temperature of 65 to 70 °F. Cover seeds lightly with potting soil to prevent light from inhibiting germination. Keep the seed bed misted until germination occurs 10 to 20 days later. Seedlings should be ready to transplant 20 to 28 days after sowing. Seeds can also be started outdoors in the spring or summer, up to 2 months before frost.	Clemson HGIC - Echinacea
Scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea)	Start seed indoors 6-8 weeks before the average last frost. Sow seeds shallowly, as they require light to germinate. It takes 2-3 weeks for the seeds to germinate. Transplant outdoors.	Clemson HGIC - Salvia
Zinnia	Zinnias are sensitive to frost, so do not seed until the last frost has passed. Zinnias will grow in a minimum daytime temperature of about 60°F, though a range of 74–84°F is preferred.
Wildflower Mix	TBA	TBA