Comments regarding Fedco Seeds

My first order with these guys. I ordered seeds and books, two separate orders. Both orders came promptly, were complete, and the notices in my inbox let me track the shipment so I knew when to go to the mailbox for them. No problems. I may order plants from them next year. A+

This is one of my main vegetable seed companies because of good selection, old varieties, good descriptions, easy website & reasonable shipping (plus good fall sale).

Also best catalogs with art & lots to read besides descriptions! They seem friendly & a little 'hippy' and I do too.

Everything reasonable & as expected.

Have ordered from their organic growers supply & recently made a big order to the trees department, too.

Ordered on a Saturday and shipped on a Monday! Not our first garden with Fedco Seeds and we have always been pleased.

Posted on January 13, 2018, updated January 29, 2018
I will be continually updating this review. I will also be writing a comprehensive article this spring reviewing many seed companies and will post information online for everyone. I will cover prices, seed quantities, shipping costs, time from order to delivery, germination rates, cost per seed vs cost per plant (based on seed cost, and germination), customer service, and more.

This first review is regarding shipping.

Shipping is REASONABLE

Fedco sent an email when they shipped. They shipped on the same day as the majority of the companies and it arrived on the same day as most.
Their prices are very reasonable or even great or the cheapest in some cases for specific varieties. They have a decent selection of both heirloom and hybrid varieties.
Their website is functional but can be confusing as the seeds, bulbs and tree sections each use totally separate cart systems and you can not combined orders or shipping.

Shipping costs are high if you are ordering less than $30 worth of seeds BUT if you are ordering more than $30 worth you can not beat FREE SHIPPING. I would strongly suggest to gardeners ordering $15 or more to just buy a few extra things and make the most of the money you spend.

Customer service I have not reviewed yet.

I ordered many of my 2017 seeds from Fedco. Their catalog and website is very informative and contains very relevant information on growing their plants in New England. Prices were great. Many heirloom varieties offered. They are very transparent about their seed sourcing and offer many organic and small-farm sources seeds. Fedco's prices are very low. Germination rates so far have been very good.

Have ordered from Fedco many times over the years. Always happy with the results. They offer a generous amount of seed for a very good price. Shipping is free if order is greater than $30. Good information on the web site, many choices, fun to browse and dream.

Great quality seed, great catalog, great prices. Especially good for seeds grown in the upper Midwest and colder climates.

My order was filled properly and received in California in 11 days, a little longer than two other orders I placed about the same time. Good pricing, good selection. I'd order again without hesitation.

Posted on February 12, 2016, updated February 19, 2016
I am new to gardening and this was my first time purchasing seeds through the mail for my own garden. I spent last summer requesting seed catalogs from just about any company who would send me one, and one of those companies was FEDCO. Theirs was one of the first 2016 catalogs I received this past December and after seeing their prices, selection, and that shipping on seed orders of $30 or more was free, I placed an order through their website on December 4, 2015.
The FEDCO website stated that they would not begin shipping seeds until the first week or so of January, so I was very pleased when I received an email on December 31 saying my order had been shipped along with a tracking number. After checking their back order page during December, it was evident I would have six back orders. My package arrived on January 4 via the USPS in good shape with no problems, though it turned out I had seven back orders instead of six.
My original plan for my seeds this year was to start them indoors under lights, but sometime during January I decided to switch to winter sowing. The only problem was it looked like one of my back orders should probably be winter sown before the seeds made it to me (which, judging by the FEDCO website would most likely have been sometime in March). I was keeping an eye on their back order list and it looked as though only three of my seven packs were not in yet, so I emailed FEDCO to see if they could substitute the three packs to get the order in the mail sooner.
My email received a quick reply from a kind lady who said they did not have substitutes for two of the packs, but she could cancel the remaining back orders and get the others in the mail. I agreed to have one pack substituted and the other two packs canceled. All of this happened over a couple of emails that came back to me so fast I might as well have been on the phone with her. She said the seeds would go out in the mail that day, February 8.
I did not get a confirmation email or a tracking number for this shipment, but sure enough the seeds arrived safe and sound on February 11. Looking at the shipment I realized I received the wrong tomatoes and that my refund check seemed larger than it should be. I emailed the lady again and within an hour or so she replied explaining the mix up, thanked me for my honesty, told me to keep the extra, and said a pack of the correct tomatoes was going out in the mail that day. I offered to accept the tomatoes I'd received as substitutions for the ones I ordered and to send back the check. Her reply? “That's OK...Enjoy your tomatoes!”
It does look as though several of my seed packets may have been held over from previous years, but I would have to confirm that with FEDCO. As of right now I am not terribly concerned about this and don't intend to be unless my FEDCO seeds have noticeably lower germination rates than the seeds of other brands I will be growing this coming season.
Overall, I am very pleased with my dealings with FEDCO. The prices and selection are wonderful, I love the free shipping, their online ordering form is pleasantly easy to use, and obviously my experience with their customer service has been excellent. I am looking forward to receiving their bulb catalog this summer and I wouldn't be surprised if I ordered seeds from them again for next year.

I can't say enough good things about Fedco Seeds and it's subsidiaries. I've ordered seeds, trees, and supplies there for several years and the quality is always outstanding and the orders without error.

Posted on January 5, 2012, updated February 17, 2016
Last year I ordered from four companies. I can speak for service, germination, and price. I had no problems ordering from Fedco (seeds) online, and my seeds came quickly enough (ordered end of march, remember it taking about a week or two to get the seeds, all at once and completely accurate for about thirty items, not bad for peak of spring season). So that was a better experience than two out of the four, and about the same as the third (which I ordered in October, so not apples-to-apples on the time). In regards to germination, I was a little surprised at the germination rates published on the packets, some of which were under 90%, but they must have been doing some kind of worst-case testing scenario, because I would say that I had close to 100% germination on all the seeds. Can't do much better than that. As far as price, I think anyone who does a comparison variety to variety will find that Fedco is about the best around. Overall, I was very pleased with them and happily plan to send them another order this year (despite the political commentary in their catalog).

If you can overlook the political rambling buried in the catalog, they sell decent seed at a very reasonable price. A lot of open-pollinated and heirloom seed, and a limited selection of hybrids. Don't expect an immediate response to emails or phone calls, they operate on a shoestring. My experience has been that germination is a bit lower than other suppliers. They source their seed from all over, including a lot of smaller growers so this may be part of the reason for it, but I'm actually glad they are supporting smaller farms. Besides, given the price they sell seed for, you still come out way ahead. I place an order with them almost every year.

Great customer service, good seed quality and quantity. This is my second time ordering from them, and I am pleased.
I ordered two more items at the last minute, and they were filled, no problem.

I've bought from them for several years. I have nothing but good things to say about theif service and products. I also like the fact that they are in Maine which is close to my state, and I love their catalog descriptions.

I have ordered several times from this company. They really have the best prices. I have always received my seeds promptly and have had excellent germination.

Ordered in February and it was a bit slow (~3 weeks). Will order sooner next year but otherwise no complaints and great quality for the price.

This is the best company I've ordered from bar none. I constantly recommend them to people. Superior quality of seeds/tubers/trees and the catalog itself is to die for. Two thumbs up.

I've ordered seeds from this coop several times. Communication has been good, I've received what I've ordered, and the quality has been excellent.

Their catalog goes far beyond what is usual, in offering helpful and instructive (and entertaining) information. I'm impressed by these people's integrity in their support of regional, small-scale agriculture. I also find their selection and performance reviews extra useful because I'm gardening in the same region, and these things vary with location.

Fedco is a great organization. Yes, it has it's quirks, but the seeds, tubers, trees and organic supplies are of high quality and fairly priced. Remember this is a coop. You give a little to get a little. The catalogs are great, providing a tremendous amount of information and well as a dose of wisdom and humor. If you want pampering, Fedco is not for you. If you want honest to goodness folks interested in providing great seeds and other products in a reasonable manner, Fedco is for you. I have purchased many items from Fedco over the years without a problem. When asked, they have always give good advice. Remember there isn't any shipping charge for seed orders over $30. That is a lot of seed from Fedco. I recommend Fedco without reservation

I received Fedco's catalog today and read through some of it during lunch. I have ordered pepper and tomato seeds over the last two years and they performed as advertised. I intend to order from them again because I was happy with the results and would recommend this company.

I have ordered many seeds from Fedco. I prefer them over all other seed companies. Reasonable prices. Best seed catalog anywhere. Responsive customer service. I am very hesitant to say this about any company, but I have no reservations about saying that you cannot go wrong with Fedco.

This was my first order from Fedco, I support them because of their fight against the evil Monsanto and GM seeds, and I believe in supporting small local businesses and not the big seed companies who have questionable and expensive products.

I ordered online and it was easy, got my order about an week or so later, I wasn't paying attention because I ordered fairly early. I was gobsmacked at the amount of seed you get for the money - VALUE FOR MONEY, PEOPLE!! Even Johnny's, who I love, is getting on the pricey side for OG seed, and you get very few. I have substantial quantities with the Fedco seeds, and I like their varieties, I tried a few new ones. Highly recommend, and support this company in their efforts to keep our food supply safe.

Posted on April 9, 2012, updated March 12, 2013
Posted on February 20, 2011, updated April 9, 2012
I just hate when you have an issue with a company or representative and send an email so they will be informed and then no one emails back. I called for customer service on a Friday afternoon for info on drip irrigation and was told, 'too bad, you shouldn't have called on a Friday.' So I realize this is a small company and I went ahead and placed my seed order but will not order a drip irrigation system from them.
They are cheap and have a good selection, just be aware of the strange setup they have going when ordering. Seeds, potatoes and supplies must all be ordered separately. And the shipping is slow. They also do not take phone orders (or reply to emails!)

Though this company does not ship to Canada and for our local garden groups and market garden/organic farming groups this is a sad reality, I have to say I am very pleased with packaging, information and quality of seeds.
Not shipping seeds to Canada is odd for a company based in Maine when you consider that most companies do as there are no more special considerations to shipping seed to canada then elsewhere, but since we had a US address and relative that could bring the seeds over to us, it worked out for us.
The prices cannot be beat for small market gardeners. Lots of variety too. The enveloppes close back on themselves which I love. And they have lots of clear information on each variety , not just a repeat of the same information for each variety. Loved reading the catalogue! I wanted one of each! ( almost did get one of each -oopsy!got a bit carried away, but that's okay because they offer wonderful DISCOUNTS the more you buy!!!!) Also I think the package size is very clear, and it gives an idea of in 1 oz= app. so many seeds and so forth I think that's fabulous. Shipping was cost. And very reasonnable.
The order process is a whole other ballgame however. Not userfriendly in the slightest. Very discouraging , very upsetting. I printed the pdf catalogue because they wouldn't send a printed version to Canada.
But I am still going to order a few items that I ned this year from them.... Very happy , don't hesitate!

this is my go-to source for seeds; they have the best prices and excellent selection. They also provide valuable information about my growing area and different plant varieties.

Placed my first order with Fedco Seeds this spring. Nice selection and generous seed count. My order came fairly quickly, and germination was excellent. Plus I really like that it's a co-op. I'll definitely order again next year.

Not for the 'needy' or those in a hurry, but the best selection, prices, quantity and germination rate around. The seeds arrived in nice packaging, sprouted quickly into healthy plants, and were generous with their quantities.
Definately a good choice for seed orders...just be patient!

A true hidden gem. I had never heard of Fedco before this year. I placed an order for about 15 varieties of flowers and veggies. The order was received quickly. Seed packs and labeled nicely and filled as expected. Germination rates so far are great. I will definitely be using Fedco again!!

Fedco Seeds has excellent prices. Some companies are now charging $2.99 to $4.95 for a packet of seeds. You can still buy a pack of wonderful, unique, open-pollinated, healthy seeds for $1.10 to $1.50 at Fedco Seeds.

Their seeds have an excellent germination rate and produce strong, healthy, vigorous and productive plants. Thank you, Fedco Seeds!

I've been ordering from Fedco for several years now. Love that you can order smaller or larger packets of seeds - depending on how much you need. Prices can't be beat and germination rates for me have been close to 100%. Volume discounts are much appreciated - I saved 15.00 off my $150.00 order.

The fruit tree nursery stock & ornamental bare root shrubs that I received from Fedco have been really rugged and performed very well in the landscape. This year I received my seed order promptly and marveled at the large quantity of seeds sent at a modest price; very competitive. I have been experiencing "sticker shock" this year from so many mail order seed & nursery stock companies but thankfully this has not been the case with Fedco.

I ordered a large variety of seeds from Fedco last year. I'm very pleased with the variety, price, and quality of their seeds. I ordered both flower and veg seeds. They probably aren't the fastest shipping of companies I ordered from, but all the seeds arrived in plenty of time for planting and grew very well for me. I plan to order again this season-looking forward to it, in fact!

I've ordered from Fedco Seeds at least twice. Each time, my order was filled correctly, sent in a timely manner, and packaged well. One thing I really like about Fedco Seeds is that the germination test results are on every package of seed.

Ordered a ton of seed from Fedco this year. Shipping and packaging was wonderful, and although I expected a "wait", seeds were here in no time!! Will definitely order again.

This has been my 11th year using Fedco seeds and as always my order arrived promptly and without hassle. Fedco has a very good selection of organic and locally produced seeds suitable for the northeast at reasonable prices with free shipping (a big plus for me). My only caveat is that orders must be placed very early as certain varieties seem to sell out rather quickly some years.

I have been ordering most of my vegetable seeds from Fedco for the past two years. Very pleased with the seed quality and service.

This was my first year ordering from Fedco, but it won't be my last. Shipment was very prompt and the germination rate on the few tomato seeds I planted was 100%. The peppers were only about 67%, but that was in line with other pepper seeds from other companies. Would definitely recommend not only for their quick service, good seeds, but GREAT prices.

After going through their catalog I ordered the bulk of my seeds for this year from Fedco. I placed my order on February 26 and received it March 8. All the packets where well packed in a box. While there were 4 out-of-stocks out of 114 items ordered they where seeds that showed in the catalog as order early. The back ordered seeds(2) where on back order when I ordered them. The only negative I experienced was that I had to reenter my CC information and in the process it reset the box for allowing substitutions to no instead of what yes as I had marked it. -Doug

Prompt service, reasonable prices, free shipping and a very entertaining and informative catalog cleverly written--not the usual boring garden talk! Moreover Fedco Seeds includes some really exciting selections: Piracicaba, Argentata Chard,
Italienischer Lettuce to name a few. Piracicaba, as Barbara Damrosch said in the Washington Post, "It's Broccoli, but Even Better."