| Rating | Author | Content |
| Positive | drdutra
Pittsfield, MA
(1 review)
February 23, 2021 | This was my first year ordering from Baker Creek and it was a good experience. I intended to just fill in a couple of varieties I couldn't find elsewhere, but ended up adding a couple of additional interesting looking vegetables. The website said it could take up to 30 days for them to process and deliver the order because of Covid-related issues, but I'm in New England and my seeds arrived 8 days after I ordered them. Good service. |
| Positive | ColetteA
Chapmansboro, TN
(1 review)
February 17, 2021 | I have ordered seeds from Baker Creek for many years and never had any issues. This year, they made one small mistake on my order. I sent off a quick email with the seed packet I was missing. Due to COVID, it took them a little bit longer to get back to me. I expected this. Once they did, they said it will be taken care of. I got my missed seeds today. I can't wait to take my kids and visit their farm in Missouri one day soon.
Great company, great customer service, great products. |
| Positive | bclarke550
Schenectady, NY
(1 review)
February 14, 2021 | This is the second year that I have ordered from Baker creek and I am very pleased. They have the seeds we needed, plus a few new ones we decided to try this year and the shipping was expedient. We received our order within a week. Their website is top notch, the You Tube videos are great as is the mail order catalog.
Baker Creek is our first and only go to seed company. |
| Positive | Maccor77
Wichita, KS
(1 review)
February 10, 2021 | Love the selection and variety of seeds, as a novice gardener I especially like that each seed variety had a complete description including ease of growing, yield and customer ratings. It was really hard to limit myself choosing seeds! My order arrived quickly despite current USPS shipping delays and it was well packaged (and included a free seed packet, mine was Tomato). Will definitely be ordering again! |
| Positive | Pratyangira
Kimballton, IA
(1 review)
February 8, 2021 | I have ordered from Baker Creek a few times and have had much success with their seeds. I really like the variety offered. Their catalog is gorgeous! Free shipping and free seed packs keep me coming back. Thanks to seed companies like Baker Creek I have a wonderful garden sanctuary and no lawn! |
| Positive | Aardwolf
Appomattox, VA
(1 review)
February 4, 2021 | I have had two great experiences with Baker Creek Heirloom Seed company. I originially came across them while searching for sweet banana peppers, and found they also carry many kinds of really interesting seeds. There is Kalugeritsa pepper from Macedonia and Thousandhead Kale from England. Their seeds are beautifully packaged and usually arrive before expected. Orders include a free packet of seeds that seem to complement the seeds in your order, seeds that you will actually want to plant. So what's not to like? I will order from them every year! |
| Positive | AnneJaspurr
Kendallville, IN
(1 review)
January 30, 2021 | I placed my 2021 seed order, understanding that there might be a delay in shipping due to all the postal slowdowns and other things going on. To my utter surprise, my order arrived just 4 days later! And they included a free package of Kale seeds. This was the first time I've ordered from Baker Creek, but it won't be the last. I really appreciate that they have free shipping. |
| Positive | mmercedes
(Zone 5a)
(13 reviews)
January 29, 2021 | Posted on March 7, 2018, updated January 29, 2021
I order from various seed companies each year. I start thousands of vegetable and flower seedlings under lights each year. I placed three orders this year with Baker Creek. I called and talked to their customer service on one occasion recently. They couldn't have been more pleasant. All my orders arrived within a couple of weeks.
I want to say it is disgusting to read the rude, vicious, and almost hysterical comments some people make when leaving negative reviews.
First of all, people with complaints should CALL THE COMPANY FIRST. Don't rely only on emails. If you are still unhappy and without a resolution, THEN they should post the facts here and their rating. NO ONE should jump to wild conclusions and accuse a company of being a cheater, liar, or deliberately fraudulent.
All companies post their shipping costs and no one is twisting your arm to force you to buy from a company whose shipping costs you don't like. If you don't like it, then don't order.
On January 29th, 2021, mmercedes added the following:
Here it is 2021, and this company is still keeping pace with the explosion of pandemic gardeners. STILL outstanding in every way. I see the nitpickers, whiners, and complainers are still at it. There is someone here actually complaining about their FREE shipping policy. Really a sign of our looneytunes times. People: please stick to the service and quality of the seeds in your comments and ratings here. Keep your judgemental political "cancel culture" comments to yourself. GREAT company with wonderful fresh seeds, a gorgeous catalog, and fast and free shipping! If you want more information on a plant, it is just a click away elsewhere. Most of the neutral and negative comments here seem to be from chronic serial complainers who write long tirades that are often unfair and off point. I am a many decades long veggie and flower gardener with vast experience ordering by mail. Still LOVE Baker Creek! |
| Positive | buelo569
Albion, ME
(1 review)
January 27, 2021 | We received our order very quickly. This was our first order with them and I am looking forward to seeing how the seeds grow. They have some very interesting varieties. |
| Positive | countrygirlgame
Sioux Falls, SD
(1 review)
January 23, 2021 | I was amazed how quick and efficient their service is! A wonderful job my seeds arrived promptly and are beautiful! Thank you so much!! |
| Positive | kat1959
Saint Johnsbury, VT
(5 reviews)
January 19, 2021 | Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds is a gem. They have an incredible offering of rare and heirloom vegetables as well as flowers and fruit. They are beyond committed to saving and sharing heirlooms and getting them in the hands of everyone. As a bonus, their catalogues are absolutely stunning and beyond inspiring. Though they may make it look easy, one cannot begin to imagine their commitment and dedication to preserving heirlooms in an environmentally friendly manner. Also, I have ordered seeds and plants numerous times and have never had a bad experience - always professional and timely. |
| Positive | CanuckleheadCG
Coloma, MI
(1 review)
January 19, 2021 | I've ordered from Baker Creek a few times now, and continue to be delighted with the selection, value, germination, and speed of delivery.
This year, I'm even teaching young gardeners how to start from seeds, and we plan to use Baker Creek's tomato varieties as a starting point.
Amazing variety. Good value (especially if you save seeds at all) and unique selections that I haven't been able to find anywhere else. Not only will I order again, but I'll keep them at the top of my list to suggest to others to order from as well. |
| Neutral | MyGardenLife
Ljubljana,
Slovenia
(1 review)
January 16, 2021 | In ordered several times from Baker Creek. The whole experience was positive - from order processing and delivery to seed quality. I value wide range of seeds they carry.
However I'm not excited with free shipping policy they offer for North America regardless of order value.
First, this ist reflected in price of a single pack, as they calcuted / included shipping & handling cost in the price of goods.
Second, it is not environmental friendly to ship so many orders and this policy clearly contributes to increased nr of orders being shipped out.
Third, it is clear that they struggle to manage increased Nr of shipments as they need do close down Web site for several days already several times.
This increased Nr of small value orders are a big burden for the environment and employees and I see no reason to encourage this trend of "one pack orders" by offering free shippment regardless of order value. |
| Positive | Muffindirt
San Pablo, CA
(1 review)
January 15, 2021 | I ordered seeds online. The seeds arrived in a week. I was delighted with my free seeds. This is the second year I've ordered from them and I will order again in t h e future. |
| Positive | MVIsland
MA, MA (Zone 7a)
(15 reviews)
November 27, 2020 | Posted on November 23, 2020, updated November 27, 2020
Baker Creek website has many "glitches" in it. Will not let me log in, does not send me an email to create a new password. I emailed the company 3 weeks ago, to either remove my account info, and I will create a new account, or perhaps fix what is wrong on their end. I have tried 3 times to place an order, and it will not go through. I tried using a different browser, same issues happened. I tried calling the company telephone number and got a useless recording, to send them an email, which they never replied to. I will not be ordering any seeds from Baker Creek....I am seeing comments from other customers, the same issues are happening to them also. A quick way for a business to down the tubes real fast.
On November 27th, 2020, MVIsland changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following:
Lisa at Baker Creek emailed me right back, and she reset my password on her end. Everything is working perfect to now log in....thank you Lisa
Company representative comment on November 24, 2020:
On Nov 24, 2020 12:04 PM, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. responded with:We're sorry to hear you've had trouble with our website! Our phones are currently down, as we have a large number of our customer care team working from home, so we do not have enough people on site to run the phones. We do have a large number of people working on responding to emails, it may be that we did not receive yours. If you will email [email protected] I will work on getting your issues dealt with as quickly as possible.
|
| Positive | RDCL
Ponte Vedra, FL
(1 review)
November 24, 2020 | I have placed several orders with Baker Creek in the last three months and have been very happy with their service and selection. My recent email was responded to the next day. My last order was placed on 11/12/20, through their website, with no issues.
I will definitely be doing business with them again in the future!! |
| Neutral | hsnelgrove
Ocala, FL
(1 review)
November 23, 2020 | I love Baker. Their catalog is wonderful. I look forward to purchasing the expanded catalog every year. I have always been pleased with their customer service and the quality of their seeds. This would be a great review, except for their website.
Their website is a point of great frustration every time I go onto the site, or try to. At first, I thought it was a chrome issue but it's an error in every browser I have tried. This is a big deal for a busy business and I am looking seriously for the first time for another go-to seed vendor.
Company representative comment on November 24, 2020:
On Nov 24, 2020 12:05 PM, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. responded with:We're sorry to hear you had trouble with our website! Please email us and let us know what the issues are, so we can have a tech look into them. Our email is [email protected] |
| Positive | agreed05
Bruceton Mills, WV
(1 review)
July 8, 2020 | Baker Creek is one of my favorite seed companies. The germination rates are wonderful, their selection is phenomenal, and every order comes with free shipping and at least one free pack of seeds. They will always be one of my go-to seed companies! |
| Positive | jadevinegarden
Philo, CA
(2 reviews)
June 21, 2020 | I love this company for rare finds, greens, beans and corn!! They give back so much to the global gardening community through their offerings, the heirloom expo and donating directly to groups/businesses promoting heirloom gardening. On June 10th, they donated all their sales to organizations ( and my order arrived FAST). A few years ago, they allowed me to load two trucks full of hundreds of pounds of winter squashes for our north country food bank after the heirloom expo. The rest went to the local Sonoma County food bank.
As a professional gardener and farmer for over 25 years, I have tried lots of seeds! My experience with Baker Creek for the past ten years has ranged from pleased to astounded.
|
| Positive | BrentonSims
Jacksonville, FL
(7 reviews)
June 18, 2020 | This is my go to place for seeds! |
| Positive | nngarden
Fort Atkinson, WI
(1 review)
June 8, 2020 | Overall I'm very satisfied. Even I got the warning before I placed my order that they are gonna be slow because of COVID, it only took 1 weeks for they to show up in my mail box. Germination rate is very high.
Ordered giant spinach, cylinder beets, blue tomatoes, four o'clock, Chinese radishes( I'm so excited to find those in Bakercreek, I'm from China and my grandma had the exact same kind radishes when I was little) , sweet alyssum, Okra, west indian burr gherkin cucumber, lemon basil and salpiglossis.
Radishes, sweet alyssum, blue tomatoes, four o'clock, salpiglossis, west indian cucumber, basil sweet alyssum and okra germination rate is almost 100%. I directly sowed giant spinach and cylinder beets in the garden. Germination rate is average, I think this is my garden soils and caring problem.
My seedlings are still growing, shared some seedlings with my neighbor. We are waiting for the surprise!!
Overall, I'm very happy with baker creek. |
| Positive | DrTW
Conroe, TX
(4 reviews)
May 11, 2020 | I placed my first order this year. I received it promptly even while others were suffering unannounced shipping delays. First set of seeds are starting to sprout. So far, very pleased with my first order. |
| Negative | Lorenzo99
Winchester, KY
(7 reviews)
May 10, 2020 | I've ordered seed multiple times from this company, with mixed results. The heirloom varieties tend to be interesting, but in some cases they're over-hyped and do not perform as well as claimed in the catalog copy. Baker Creek has also cut back on some of its vegetable lines, including eggplant.
More disturbingly, Baker Creek has tried to give a platform to people with dubious agendas. They've invited Cliven Bundy and RFK Jr. to speak at their spring festival. RFK Jr. has compared vaccination to the Holocaust and is prominent in antivax circles. Apparently his fervent and misguided opposition to GMOs was enough for Baker Creek to overlook his dangerous antivaccine advocacy, and Bundy's actions were approved of (or ignored) because he grows heirloom melons (!).
There are plenty of other sources of heirloom seed (like J.L. Hudson Seeds) that I will be using in the future instead of Baker Creek.
Company representative comment on May 11, 2020:
On May 11, 2020 7:51 AM, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. responded with:We're sorry to hear you feel that way. We always germ test our seeds before offering them for sale, and we offer a 2 year satisfaction guaranteed on all of our products. We did offer a bit of a smaller variety of seeds this year for several reasons, including eggplant, though we do still carry 24 varieties. As for speakers invited to speak at our events, we try to look for information that would help our customers with gardening, and that is what we ask them to speak on. |
| Positive | Sunnymead
Windsor,
Canada
(1 review)
May 2, 2020 | I have ordered 3 times from Baker Heirloom and have been thoroughly impressed each time. Great variety of interesting heirloom seeds with speedy delivery! |
| Positive | Gerkhin
Davison, MI
(1 review)
April 27, 2020 | Most of my garden seed was ordered back in January, but, I forgot a few things, figuring that I’d pick them up at my local garden supply. Now that we are deep into the Covid19 pandemic that isn’t a choice for me. Six days ago I placed a seed order from Baker Creek, expecting it to arrive too late for spring planting. Low and behold my spinach and snap peas came today and included a pack of free cosmos. Under extremely difficult circumstances Baker Creek came through with flying colors! Thank you |
| Positive | larkandmet
(1 review)
March 26, 2020 | Baker Creek was the first seed specialty company I ever bought from 9 years ago. Normally it was Wal-Mart. I was at first upset because there wasn't many seeds for the price I paid in my opinion. I grumbled and planted like I normally would, several seeds per hole. Not long after I was shocked. Almost every single seed sprouted. I had 5 or more corn stalks coming out of every spot! They were gingerly spread out and most survived but it was like that through my whole garden! I saved seeds from everything that grew. The only things that didn't was from my own ignorance of the growing needs. I haven't ordered in a couple years and decided I wanted to add to my varieties this year. Right before corona was here I placed my order. Kept waiting, was getting garden itchy waiting to get my hands on shiny new seed packs. Then learned they were down on staffing, too. Ok, I can wait. Got them today! And because of the wonderful, committed to customer service company they are, they sent me several packs of free seeds! For MY inconvenience. It didn't inconvenience me at all. So, thank you for the beautiful extra seeds, and thank you for your commitment to heirloom varieties, that's how you got me the first time. Would highly encourage everyone to buy from them
|
| Positive | BinaryHoneymoon
Madrid,
Spain
(1 review)
March 13, 2020 | I've bought quite a big variety of Baker Creek's seeds. I have to say it's truly amazing. Quality, speed, customer service... You can't go wrong buying heirloom seeds from them; from tomates to beans it all meets the expected standard.
I strongly recommend going though their extensive and rich catalogue, you'll be amazed. |
| Positive | boettler
Virginia Beach, VA
(1 review)
March 2, 2020 | Fast delivery. Great germination rates. Wide variety of unusual plants. Amount of seeds (and consequently the overall price) is less than some other seed categories -- which makes it a good source for buying seeds to test and to give as presents. |
| Positive | jessewoodson2
Stroudsburg, PA (Zone 5b)
(7 reviews)
February 10, 2020 | Woo Hoo! Seeds came today! This is only my second year ordering from them, but most did well last year & those that didn't did do well for a friend I shared with, so I think I may not have planted them in the best location-my mistake! Haven't planted the seeds that I saved from last year yet, so I can't comment on that yet. Love the catalog-My camera fed me for a few years & I know you're not buying pretty pictures, but I love the pics of the veggies. Someone has a good eye! Free shipping-Thank You! I wanted to place my major spring order, but I know I'll need something later & won't hesitate to place another order since I won't have to spend $4 shipping for a $3 package of seeds! Customer service-I asked for gift certificates for the holidays & receieved WAY more than my garden can grow in one season (such a problem-right?) so I called to see if they are good for more than a year (answer-yes!) I spoke to a very helpful person. Trying really different stuff this year-we're experimenting with more oriental veggies. So far a positive experience! |
| Positive | duschdr
Walkerton, IN
(1 review)
February 6, 2020 | I was very impressed with the amazing variety of seeds in The Whole Seed Catalog which my wife gave me for Christmas. I always like trying something different in my garden and found many interesting new seeds to order and am looking forward to ordering others in the future. I've been buying all my garden seeds at a farm store for years and have only ordered any seeds once before (sweet corn from a company that shall remain nameless) and was very disappointed that it took a month for the seeds to arrive, putting me 2 weeks behind in planting. I was extremely pleased that my seeds from Baker Creek arrived less than a week after I ordered! Not only that, but the prices are lower than the other company I ordered from, there is no charge for shipping, they came in attractive packets with descriptions and instructions on the back, and I received a few packets of free seeds as a thank-you! I am anxious to see how the seeds will grow. I am starting a couple types inside, but the rest I'll have to wait about 3 months when I plant them directly in the garden to find out. |
| Neutral | Momofseven
Saint Charles, MO
(1 review)
January 29, 2020 | I recently read that although this company makes grandiose claims of working with small farmers all around the world, it is fair to assume that most of their seed is sourced from China. I read this on a blog, the blogger stating that she called Baker Creek and this statement was made by a representative of the company.
Does anyone else seem to think that is misleading, based on how they market their seed?
Company representative comment on February 7, 2020:
On Feb 7, 2020 4:53 PM, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. responded with:We're sorry to hear that someone said this, as it is completely untrue. There are a couple of reputable companies in China that we deal with, but we also deal with companies all over the world. We do have a network of small growers that we contract to grow seed for us, and we get a great number of our varieties from them. |
| Positive | alazon183
New Haven, VT
(1 review)
January 27, 2020 | There is a wonderful selection of uncommon seeds as well as standard offerings, fair prices, more than fair shipping costs (free), free seeds included with every order, and fast answer time if one writes with a question or problem. Seed selection does change over time. Seeds from Baker Creek have a good germination rate, even after a few years, and the plants grow well in my zone 5 garden. Give these people a try if you have not done so already. |
| Positive | jpjones76
(4 reviews)
January 20, 2020 | I've ordered from them at least 10 times in the last 8 years, nearly all seeds but a few starts and slips. Shipping is fast, seed is productive, everything is high-quality. I've had only one dead seed packet in that time, and it was a real fluke (ordered 3 seed packets of a Peruvian chili; 2 had 75% germination; 1 had 0%). The only "negative" I can say about this company is that they describe everything they sell in very positive terms, and some of their descriptions turn out to be overly optimistic...some seeds are rare for a good reason. |
| Positive | JacksonPC
Waxahachie, TX
(1 review)
January 17, 2020 | My go to source for everything as long as they have it. I have spent hundreds on their seeds and have no complaints. They have great customer service, as you will see if you look at any negative reviews they get, they fix it.
I've rarely had issue with anything from them, and the one thing that didn't grow well was a difficult to germinate plant that I didn't baby enough. They also send out tones of freebies. In my most recent order they sent me more than they even listed, I was supposed to get 3 varieties and they sent 5!
Great company. |
| Positive | ColinWright
Roseburg,
United States
(6 reviews)
January 12, 2020 | I only started ordering from Baker Creek this winter, but they are fast becoming my favorite. 1. Their seeds seem to germinate faster and more completely than whatever else is starting alongside them. 2. The seed counts always seem to be ample.
3. Free shipping! Realize you forgot something? No problem -- even one packet ships free. |
| Positive | PogosAunt
Mayflower, AR
(1 review)
December 30, 2019 | This is my first experience with Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, but I am so ready to start them, both inside and also for direct sowing in the spring. Unfortunately, I will have to wait a month or two to do that. I asked for and received them as gifts from Santa. Since I have not had a chance to plant yet, I cannot give a review of germination and if the plants live up to their promise.
I am surprised at the prices of the seeds - very reasonable - and they arrived quickly and well-packaged in a beautiful padded bag.
Room for improvement: One thing was both a positive and a neutral: on the one hand, I received TWO free packets of seeds, which was a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, one of the packets was a duplicate of one in my order. I'm thrilled to try the free dark purple opal basil, but since I ordered cilantro, the free cilantro pack is a mixed blessing, especially since it requires cool conditions and I live in a hotter climate with brutal summer temperatures. It was free, so I can't really complain, but something different (like the basil) would have multiplied the excitement factor. If the free seeds are selected randomly, it's the luck of the draw; if they are chosen by someone filling the order, more care could be taken when including a free packet. Again, it is free, and I appreciate it. I will share with a friend. Also, I wish there were more information in the catalog and on the seed packages. This is not a huge deal because I can research planting specifics on the Internet. If most of the company's customers are experienced gardeners who already know this, I see why they might want to spend the limited space allotted to describe each plant, building up the wow factor.
If I have a good germination rate and at least 50% of my plants live and produce, I will be happy and a repeat customer. I am so excited about this purchase, it is all I can do to keep from ordering the 25 packet heirloom seed collection on page 145. I would have ordered it already but am afraid it might contain duplicates of the twelve packages I just received. The product description does not provide a list. Maybe the list is random or varies depending upon seeds in stock, so the selection varies?
I will not bore you by mentioning everything I ordered, but the SAXA 2 radishes (page 78) mature in 18 days! That is amazing. If all these heirloom seeds live up to their reputation, I will be asking for them for every birthday, anniversary, Christmas, and any other holiday that can conceivably elicit a gift from now until I am no longer able to tend a garden.
I almost forgot to mention: I totally appreciate that Baker Creek offers free shipping. That is value added to my already awesome purchase. That is the equivalent of another package of free seeds! Thank you Baker Creek.
|
| Positive | Ams329
Sebastian, FL (Zone 10a)
(3 reviews)
December 9, 2019 | My only complaint about Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com) is that their catalog is too tempting. Every year I say I have enough and then I look in the catalog and I'm lost... So many new and unusual things to try. I can't just buy one, it's worse than Lay's potato chips.
Really no complaints here. Ease of ordering, shipping, communication are all good. Really wish I could get to one of the fairs they advertise. |
| Positive | MooDoo
Dunnellon, FL
(1 review)
November 11, 2019 | I do not place a lot of orders, as my garden is small and I save my own seed from year to year, but when I do get new seed Baker Creek is my first go-to. Great variety, very prompt service, and with free shipping they are competitive with better seed offered at retail garden shops. Their seeds have generally performed well, with robust plants and good harvest. Had poor germination once and e-mailed them about it with the thought they might like to check out the seed lot, not really expecting anything back, but lo and behold, they sent along with their apologies a duplicate order with a pack of free seeds to boot. That second lot exceeded all expectations. I also like their company story and progressive attitude. |
| Positive | Dopingle
Elmont, NY
(1 review)
August 31, 2019 | Very good seeds that grow into beautiful plants. Shipping and delivery is very prompt and typically earlier than estimated. They also include a free seed pack with every order, adding more the more seeds you buy. Affordable seeds that are great for sustainable farming/gardening because they're all open pollinated and the seeds are savable. |
| Positive | DenaKotka
Golden Valley, AZ
(1 review)
August 11, 2019 | Fast shipping A+++++ |
|
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. is a 
Positive
Neutral
Negative