Reviewing NE Seed’s 2026 Catalog

Ahead of the 2025 gardening season, one of my first posts on the blog was titled “Where to Buy Garden Seeds.” There was a heavy emphasis on the seed catalogs we requested, what we liked about each one, and the ones we purchased seeds from. This year, I’m doing things a bit differently by dedicating a post to each seed catalog. In each post, I’ll review the catalog, go over the things I like and dislike about it, and score the catalog. Here’s how I’m scoring all the catalogs.

Scoring Criteria

I’m going to be looking at the following areas and applying them to each catalog we receive:

Number of pages – 1 point per page over 100 pages; minus-1 point per page under 100 pages.
New varieties – 1/2 (.50) point for each new variety for 2026.
Total number of seeds – 1/4 (.25) point per seed.
Selection of “Specialty Seeds” – By “Specialty Seeds,” I mean any specially designated seeds that are separated from the other seeds. Examples are All-American Selections, Italian Gourmet, and Indigenous Royalties. – 1 point will be awarded for each specialty category.
Images – 1 point if there is an image for every seed; 1/2 (.50) point if fewer.
Non-Seed Offerings – 1 point for each category (fertilizers, seed-starting items, merchandise, weed control, pesticides, garden gear, etc.)
How Is it Organized/Ordered? – 1 point if its order is a positive; minus-1 point if it’s a negative.
Beauty – This is completely subjective, but it’s my way of determining if it’s aesthetically pleasing to look at. Does it include original artwork? Are the images crisp and clean? Is the text easy to read? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.
What Sets it Apart or Makes it Unique? – This is another subjective category. What about a catalog makes it stand out from the others? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.

Links to Other Reviews

Pages – -13 Points

The 2026 NE Seed catalog is 87 pages, which makes it the smallest catalog that I’ve looked at this year.

New Varieties – 4 Points

The catalog lists 8 new varieties for the 2026 gardening season, all of which are listed at the beginning of the catalog.

Total Number of Seeds – 217 Points

The catalog and company are selling 621 vegetable, 179 flower, and 68 herb varieties for a total of 868.

Specialty Seeds – 2 Points

NE Seed sells specialty seeds in the following areas: All-American Selection and Italian Gourmet Collection.

Images – .5 Points

The catalog doesn’t include an image for each seed listed, so it only gets a half-point.

Beauty – 6 Points

The NE Seed catalog is a bit different from the others I’ve reviewed in that it’s more commercially focused. Not all of their seeds are sold in typical retail packets, and you can buy nearly all their seeds in bulk. It also lists commercial gardening tools. And if you spend over $1,000, you get 10% off, but that total is unlikely to be reached by a typical home gardener. That being said, the catalog is still beautiful to look at. The images are crisp and clear, and the company is clearly dedicated to transparency.

Non-Seed Offerings – 4 Points

NE Seed offers inoculants, seed-starting supplies, planters, and what they call hard goods.

Unique Quality – 3 Points

Because the catalog is partially focused on commercial growers, it’s less unique than the other catalogs I’ve reviewed. If 5 is the score I’d give an average catalog, the NE Seed catalog has to be scored slightly below average for uniqueness. It is everything you’d expect from a seed catalog in that it lists a large variety of seeds and features clear descriptions. There are also a few recipes sprinkled in, but it doesn’t really go beyond that.

How Is It Ordered/Organized? – 1 Point

The catalog is categorized into vegetables, herbs, and flowers and then each category is alphabetized.

Review

It’s difficult to compare this catalog to the others because I think it’s intended for a different audience and serves a different purpose. It has a commercial focus but still applies to the average home gardener, but you have to know that not all seeds are available in packets. There’s still a large variety of seeds sold in packets, but it can be frustrating to read a seed’s description only to learn that it’s unavailable in a packet. In general, NE Seed sells a large variety of vegetables, including a selection of heirloom seeds. They also pledge the same Safe Seed Promise as the other companies, indicating their dedication to seed saving practices. Also, because they sell commercially, their prices are excellent on a per-seed basis, but you may need to make sacrifices to find varieties sold in smaller quantities. Overall, I would recommend checking out NE Seed and their catalog. They’re a good company, but it’s wise to have the proper expectations.

Score: 224.5 Points

January 27, 2026 8

Reviewing Territorial Seeds’ 2026 Catalog

Scoring Criteria

I’m going to be looking at the following areas and applying them to each catalog we receive:

Number of pages – 1 point per page over 100 pages; minus-1 point per page under 100 pages.
New varieties – 1/2 (.50) point for each new variety for 2026.
Total number of seeds – 1/4 (.25) point per seed.
Selection of “Specialty Seeds” – By “Specialty Seeds,” I mean any specially designated seeds that are separated from the other seeds. Examples are All-American Selections, Italian Gourmet, and Indigenous Royalties. – 1 point will be awarded for each specialty category.
Images – 1 point if there is an image for every seed; 1/2 (.50) point if fewer.
Non-Seed Offerings – 1 point for each category (fertilizers, seed-starting items, merchandise, weed control, pesticides, garden gear, etc.)
How Is it Organized/Ordered? – 1 point if its order is a positive; minus-1 point if it’s a negative.
Beauty – This is completely subjective, but it’s my way of determining if it’s aesthetically pleasing to look at. Does it include original artwork? Are the images crisp and clean? Is the text easy to read? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.
What Sets it Apart or Makes it Unique? – This is another subjective category. What about a catalog makes it stand out from the others? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.

Links to Other Reviews

Pages – 58 Points

Territorial Seeds’ 2026 catalog is 158 pages.

New Varieties – 46 Points

Territorial is offering 92 new varieties for 2026: 23 vegetable, 64 flowers, and 5 herb seeds.

Total Number of Seeds – 278 Points

They are selling 698 vegetable, 325 flower, and 89 herb seeds for a total of 1,112.

Specialty Seeds – 2 Points

Territorial offers two specialty seeds: All-American Selections and seeds that are part of the Territorial Select Maintenance Breeding Program.

Images – 1 Point

There is one image for each item offered.

Beauty – 8 Points

The catalog is lovely to look at. It features beautiful images and is very easy to read.

Non-Seed Offerings – 18 Points

Territorial offers non-seed items in the following categories: potting, containers, seed starting, irrigation, trellising, soil testing, season extenders & mulches, row covers, labeling, fertilizers & amendments, insect & pest control, beneficial insects, bees & bee supplies, tools, books, composting, greenhouse, and storage.

Unique Quality – 5 Points

Territorial’s catalog is wonderful and offers everything that you would expect from a seed catalog; however, it isn’t overly unique. It features everything you want but doesn’t stand out from any of the others.

How Is it Ordered/Organized? – 1 Point

The catalog is categorized by vegetables, flowers, and herbs and then each section is alphabetized.

Review

Time to be honest: We received Territorial’s catalog last year and didn’t enjoy it, but that wasn’t the company’s fault. We used to watch a YouTube channel and the people were big fans of Territorial. However, as the channel’s direction and the people’s approach to life changed, it put a sour taste in my mouth about Territorial. It’s unfair, but it’s the truth. I didn’t request their 2026 catalog, but it arrived in the mail one day, and I was fully prepared to not have an interest in it. But I flipped through it and was excited about how beautiful it was as well as how many unique varieties it featured. It reminded me why I requested their catalog in the first place.

The 2026 catalog is as beautiful as the previous ones have been. The cover artwork is gorgeous and features, insects, bees, and a butterfly. They offer bean and tomato varieties that I haven’t seen anywhere else. It’s a great catalog with competitive pricing that will result in us buying from them this year.

Score – 417 Points

January 9, 2026 9

Reviewing Fedco Seeds’ 2026 Seed Catalog

Scoring Criteria

I’m going to be looking at the following areas and applying them to each catalog we receive:

Number of pages – 1 point per page over 100 pages; minus-1 point per page under 100 pages.
New varieties – 1/2 (.50) point for each new variety for 2026.
Total number of seeds – 1/4 (.25) point per seed.
Selection of “Specialty Seeds” – By “Specialty Seeds,” I mean any specially designated seeds that are separated from the other seeds. Examples are All-American Selections, Italian Gourmet, and Indigenous Royalties. – 1 point will be awarded for each specialty category.
Images – 1 point if there is an image for every seed; 1/2 (.50) point if fewer.
Non-Seed Offerings – 1 point for each category (fertilizers, seed-starting items, merchandise, weed control, pesticides, garden gear, etc.)
How Is it Organized/Ordered? – 1 point if its order is a positive; minus-1 point if it’s a negative.
Beauty – This is completely subjective, but it’s my way of determining if it’s aesthetically pleasing to look at. Does it include original artwork? Are the images crisp and clean? Is the text easy to read? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.
What Sets it Apart or Makes it Unique? – This is another subjective category. What about a catalog makes it stand out from the others? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.

Links to Other Reviews

Pages – 75 Points

Fedco’s 2026 catalog is 175 pages.

New Varieties – 16 Points

They are offering 32 new varieties for 2026.

Total Number of Seeds – 415.75 Points

Fedco is offering 965 vegetable, 120 herb, and 578 flower seeds for a total of 1,663 varieties. That is the most seeds offered by any company this year, which shocked me. I expected Baker Creek to offer the most.

Specialty Seeds – 5 Points

Fedco sells seeds that include Indigenous Royalties, Black Benefit Sharing, Breeder Royalties, Independent Plant Breeders, and A Seed Without a Price. Fedco is dedicated to seed/plant freedom and independence, and they are open about which seeds include royalties going back to the breeder, farmer, or people group that developed the variety.

Images – .5 Points

Fedco doesn’t have any real images; however, they do have artwork that depicts the vegetable, but not every seed has a piece of art.

Beauty – 6 Points

The catalog has beautiful artwork, but there are no images, as mentioned above. Plus, the artwork is all in black and white, which makes it tough to know what the vegetables look like. I love the artwork, and we’ve used color pencils to colorize past catalogs, but the lack of colored images does make it more difficult to pick seeds.

Non-Seed Offerings – 14 Points

Fedco features non-seed offerings in the following categories: inoculants & probiotics, soil amendments & fertilizers, Fedco’s fertilizer mixes, compost & potting soil, mulches, fencing & netting, floating row covers, plant protection & plant control, seed starting, garden tools, orchard tools, drip irrigation, garden garb, and books.

Unique Quality – 10 Points

I think Fedco produces the most unique and interesting catalog of any company we buy from. It is printed on paper that feels like a newspaper, and the entire catalog looks like a mail order catalog that was sent out in the 1800s. If you’ve played Red Dead Redemption 2, envision the catalogs you buy things from in the stores. All the artwork is fun and stunning.

How Is it Ordered/Organized? – 1 Point

Fedco’s catalog is categorized by vegetables, herbs, and flowers with the varieties being alphabetized. Then, they go further and break down each seed variety in subcategories. For example, beans are broken down into bush (green, Roma, purple, wax), Bush haricots verts, shell and dry, pole, miscellaneous, lima, and soybeans.

Review

Fedco’s 2026 seed catalog lives up to expectations. It’s always one of the most beautiful catalogs that we receive, and it’s one we look forward to each year. It was not free, but at only $3, which also includes a $3 coupon that can be used when you place an order, it’s still a bargain. The seed artwork is as beautiful as it always is, and Fedco’s transparency about its stances on seed independence, breeder royalties, and more is always welcome. We love companies that care about gardeners and the preservation of seeds, which is certainly Fedco.

Score – 543.25 Points

January 5, 2026 9

Reviewing Baker Creek’s 2026 Seed Catalog

Scoring Criteria

I’m going to be looking at the following areas and applying them to each catalog we receive:

Number of pages – 1 point per page over 100 pages; minus-1 point per page under 100 pages.
New varieties – 1/2 (.50) point for each new variety for 2026.
Total number of seeds – 1/4 (.25) point per seed.
Selection of “Specialty Seeds” – By “Specialty Seeds,” I mean any specially designated seeds that are separated from the other seeds. Examples are All-American Selections, Italian Gourmet, and Indigenous Royalties. – 1 point will be awarded for each specialty category.
Images – 1 point if there is an image for every seed; 1/2 (.50) point if fewer.
Non-Seed Offerings – 1 point for each category (fertilizers, seed-starting items, merchandise, weed control, pesticides, garden gear, etc.)
How Is it Organized/Ordered? – 1 point if its order is a positive; minus-1 point if it’s a negative.
Beauty – This is completely subjective, but it’s my way of determining if it’s aesthetically pleasing to look at. Does it include original artwork? Are the images crisp and clean? Is the text easy to read? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.
What Sets it Apart or Makes it Unique? – This is another subjective category. What about a catalog makes it stand out from the others? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.

Links to Other Reviews

Pages – 63 Points

For the Baker Creek catalog, I’m referring to the free version that is 163 pages. There is also an expanded version that is more than 500 pages and costs $14.95 to order.

New Varieties – 5.5 Points

They are offering 11 new varieties for 2026.

Total Number of Seeds – 359.75 Points

Baker Creek offers 886 vegetable, 448 flower, and 105 herb varieties for a total of 1,439. To this point, this is by far the most seeds offered by a company. Not all of them are featured in the free catalog, however.

Specialty Seeds – 0 Points

All of Baker Creek’s seeds are heirlooms, which I don’t count as specialty since that’s all they sell.

Images – 1 Point

They include one image for every item sold in the catalog.

Beauty – 10 Points

I’m a big fan of Baker Creek’s catalogs. The images are beautiful, and most of the time, you see more than just the vegetable or flower. They often include images of how the item can be used in juices, salads, etc. There are also several pages dedicated to a single seed, essentially giving a full-page ad for one item.

Non-Seed Offerings – 5 Points

They offer non-seed items in the following categories: books, clothing, fertilizer, gardening tools, and sourdough starters.

Unique Quality – 7 Points

Baker Creek has fun with its catalogs. As mentioned above, they like to include images of how the item can be used, such as teas from edible flowers, juices from vegetables and fruit, and custards from pumpkins. If a variety is especially large, they’ll feature an image of someone holding the item to show how large it is. Baker Creek is owned and operated by an eclectic group of people, which comes across in the catalogs.

How Is it Ordered/Organized? – 0 Points

I actually don’t enjoy how Baker Creek organizes their free catalog. I haven’t looked at their larger catalogs, but I’m assuming it’s organized in a similar manner. While it’s alphabetized, which I appreciate, the seeds aren’t categorized by vegetable/flower/herbs, so it’s actually a bit difficult to find specific seed varieties.

Review

We have been fans of Baker Creek for probably six years now. The first mini garden we had together was grown from a lot of Baker Creek seeds. Their seeds are of the highest quality, and they have varieties that no other companies offer. They are a company that is dedicated to seeds and helping people live self-sustaining lives. They host several homesteading events each year at their headquarters in Missouri, and gardening plays a key role in those events. Their catalog conveys the care and dedication they have for gardening and seed preservation.

Score: 451.25 Points

December 30, 2025 9

Reviewing Seed Savers Exchange 2026 Seed Catalog

Scoring Criteria

I’m going to be looking at the following areas and applying them to each catalog we receive:

Number of pages – 1 point per page over 100 pages; minus-1 point per page under 100 pages.
New varieties – 1/2 (.50) point for each new variety for 2026.
Total number of seeds – 1/4 (.25) point per seed.
Selection of “Specialty Seeds” – By “Specialty Seeds,” I mean any specially designated seeds that are separated from the other seeds. Examples are All-American Selections, Italian Gourmet, and Indigenous Royalties. – 1 point will be awarded for each specialty category.
Images – 1 point if there is an image for every seed; 1/2 (.50) point if fewer.
Non-Seed Offerings – 1 point for each category (fertilizers, seed-starting items, merchandise, weed control, pesticides, garden gear, etc.)
How Is it Organized/Ordered? – 1 point if its order is a positive; minus-1 point if it’s a negative.
Beauty – This is completely subjective, but it’s my way of determining if it’s aesthetically pleasing to look at. Does it include original artwork? Are the images crisp and clean? Is the text easy to read? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.
What Sets it Apart or Makes it Unique? – This is another subjective category. What about a catalog makes it stand out from the others? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.

Links to Other Reviews

Pages – 55 Points

Seed Savers Exchange’s (SSE) 2026 catalog has 155 pages.

New Varieties – 8.5 Points

SSE is offering 17 new seed varieties for 2026.

Total Number of Seeds – 158.25 Points

SSE is selling 475 vegetable, 120 flower, and 38 herb varieties for a total of 633.

Specialty Seeds – 1 Point

Seed Savers features one type of specialty seed. They’re called the “From the Collection” seeds, which are varieties that are featured by the company on an annual basis. To quote the catalog, these seeds “were entrusted to SSE for preservation in our seed bank to ensure they are protected and available both today and for generations to come.” They are designated in the catalog with a copper badge.

Images – 1 Point

There is one image for every item sold.

Beauty – 10 Points

The SSE catalog features beautiful, clear images that highlight the differences between the different varieties. The font is large and easy to read. I also love the non-seed images. It’s a lovely catalog to look at.

Non-Seed Offerings – 5 Points

Seed Savers has non-seed offerings in the categories of apparel, books, garden tools, kitchen gifts, and seed saving tools.

Unique Quality – 9 Points

As a seed catalog, it’s pretty standard. It does everything you would expect without missing anything. However, it’s the non-seed content where the catalog really shines. There are numerous stories, growing tips, recipes, and more. SSE is a non-profit that is devoted to preserving seeds and helping gardeners to best use the vegetables they grow. This dedication shows in the catalog.

How Is it Ordered/Organized? – 0 Points

The seeds are categorized into vegetables, herbs, and flowers, with each category being alphabetized. That is a positive. However, the tomatoes are organized by color rather than “type,” which makes it a bit difficult to find specific varieties. That’s a negative.

Review

We received Seed Savers Exchange’s 2025 catalog, which was our first experience with the company. However, we didn’t purchase any seeds from them last year and weren’t expecting to receive a catalog for 2026. But since we did receive one, we are giving it a very detailed look through and have found so many seeds that we’re interested in. We also love the company and everything they stand for. If you’re dedicated to the preservation of seeds and food cultures, SSE is a seed company that you’ll love.

Score: 247.75 Points

December 29, 2025 9

Reviewing High Mowing Organic Seeds’ 2026 Seed Catalog

Scoring Criteria

I’m going to be looking at the following areas and applying them to each catalog we receive:

Number of pages – 1 point per page over 100 pages; minus-1 point per page under 100 pages.
New varieties – 1/2 (.50) point for each new variety for 2026.
Total number of seeds – 1/4 (.25) point per seed.
Selection of “Specialty Seeds” – By “Specialty Seeds,” I mean any specially designated seeds that are separated from the other seeds. Examples are All-American Selections, Italian Gourmet, and Indigenous Royalties. – 1 point will be awarded for each specialty category.
Images – 1 point if there is an image for every seed; 1/2 (.50) point if fewer.
Non-Seed Offerings – 1 point for each category (fertilizers, seed-starting items, merchandise, weed control, pesticides, garden gear, etc.)
How Is it Organized/Ordered? – 1 point if its order is a positive; minus-1 point if it’s a negative.
Beauty – This is completely subjective, but it’s my way of determining if it’s aesthetically pleasing to look at. Does it include original artwork? Are the images crisp and clean? Is the text easy to read? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.
What Sets it Apart or Makes it Unique? – This is another subjective category. What about a catalog makes it stand out from the others? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.

Links to Other Reviews

Pages – 21 Points

The 2026 High Mowing Organic Seeds catalog has 121 pages.

New Varieties – 24 Points

The company is offering 48 new varieties this year, which are conveniently featured on the first page of the catalog.

Total Number of Seeds – 227.5 Points

High Mowing is selling 775 vegetable, 87 flower, and 48 herb varieties for a total of 910.

Specialty Seeds – 1 Point

The only specialty seeds offered are the Galaxy Suite Tomatoes, which are tomatoes bred at Cornell University. High Mowing is the only producer of these tomatoes.

Images – 1 Point

There is one image for each seed and item listed in the catalog.

Beauty – 10 Points

The catalog is full of stunning, high-quality images that allow you to clearly see the color differences between varieties. I also love that they place the images beside each other (rather than always beside the seed listing) so that you can compare vegetable sizes and qualities.

Non-Seed Offerings – 9 Points

High Mowing sells non-seed items in the following categories: Seeds and Pots, Potting Soil, Heat Mats, Seeding, Labels, Inoculants, Clips, Harvesting, and Merch.

Unique Quality – 9 Points

High Mowing only offers organic seeds, which is unique in its own right, but that’s not specifically related to the catalog. Their catalog also has thumb tabs that make it quick to find the different vegetables, which other catalogs have. However, what makes their tabs unique is the addition of seed images on these tabs. I don’t know of another catalog that does this. Another unique aspect is the presence of stories through the catalog. These include stories about the farms and co-ops they work with, projects they support, and individuals who are making a difference in fighting food insecurity.

How Is it Ordered/Organized? – 1 Point

The catalog is categorized into vegetables, flowers, and herbs, and each category is alphabetized. The pricing system is very clear and easy to read.

Review

High Mowing is yet another seed company whose catalog we received for the first time last year. I learned about the company through a Google search, and I think we’re both very thankful that we did. Everything about High Mowing conveys how much they care about providing gardeners and farmers with the best seeds possible. But they take it further with their clear mission of helping to educate and provide food security to those in at-risk communities. That is something Magz and I are passionate about, so it’s fitting that we have found seed companies that also care. Their catalog reflects everything they are about: the vegetables take center stage with quality images and detailed descriptions. The pricing tables are also easy to understand, and I love reading stories about farmers, partners, and those who are helping give back.

Score: 303.5 Points

December 19, 2025 9