Johnny Seeds (Johnny’s Selected Seeds) has been a cornerstone of American gardening since 1973. Based in Maine as a 100% employee-owned company, it provides high-quality vegetable, herb, and flower seeds – many of which are heirloom or certified-organic. Each seed variety is rigorously trialed by Johnny’s research team, ensuring only the best performers are offered to home growers and farmers. With a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on all products and a commitment to organic practices, Johnny Seeds empowers gardeners to grow fresh, healthy food year after year.
Why Johnny Seeds is a Gardener’s Favorite
Johnny Seeds has built trust by focusing on innovation and service. Its mission is “helping families, friends, and communities to feed one another by providing superior seeds, tools, information, and service”. Key reasons gardeners choose Johnny Seeds include:
- Field-Tested Quality: Thousands of vegetable, flower, and herb seed varieties are planted and evaluated each year; only a fraction meet Johnny’s strict standards.
- Wide Variety: The Johnny Seeds catalog includes hundreds of crops – from classic heirloom tomatoes to exotic flowers – all described with practical growing advice.
- Organic & Heirloom Selection: Many offerings carry organic certification. Johnny’s founder was an early champion of heirloom seeds, so gardeners can find rare vintage varieties whose seed “does not break down” over generations.
- Gardening Tools & Supplies: Johnny’s designs and curates tools and supplies with the small-farm grower in mind. The line includes ergonomic hand tools, seeders, trellises, and even high-tunnel kits, many developed by Johnny’s staff.
- Support & Guarantee: Every seed packet is backed by a “100% Satisfaction Guarantee”. Johnny’s customer service is known for being helpful, and the company stands behind its seeds (as founder Rob Johnston once noted after a seed error, “we’ll do practically anything… to maintain quality”).
These advantages make Johnny Seeds a favorite of home gardeners, school gardens, and small commercial growers alike. Gardeners can expect healthy germination, clear instructions, and ongoing support with every order.
Johnny Seeds Catalog and Online Shop
Johnny Seeds makes it easy to explore its offerings both on paper and online. Gardeners can request a free print catalog of Johnny’s latest products – a glossy booklet packed with colorful photos and planting tips. Alternatively, the JohnnySeeds.com website (launched in 1995) provides a full-featured online shop. The site’s search and filter tools let you browse by crop (vegetables, flowers, herbs, etc.) or growing method (greenhouse, organic, heirloom). There are even interactive calculators and planning guides – for example, a seed quantity calculator and transplant date scheduler – to help you order and plant just what you need.
- Free Catalog: Simply [request a free Johnny’s catalog] to see new and classic seed varieties at your leisure.
- Online Store: Shop 24/7 on JohnnySeeds.com, with easy navigation by category and secure checkout. Seasonal sales and “New for 202X” sections highlight the latest additions.
- Planning Tools: The site’s Grower’s Library includes planting guides, calculators, and hardiness zone maps to support both beginners and experts.
Whether you’re browsing the colorful pages of the print catalog or clicking through the online catalog, you’ll encounter the keyword-rich content (seed names, crops, and gardening terms) that gardeners value for SEO-friendly browsing.
Vegetables: Seeds & Plants for Every Garden
One of Johnny’s flagship categories is vegetable seeds. According to Johnny’s, its research team trials “thousands of vegetable seed varieties” each season. Only those with high germination, flavor, and disease resistance make the cut. As a result, the Johnny’s vegetable catalog offers everything from common staples to hard-to-find specialties. For example, popular crops like tomatoes, peppers, beans, carrots, and cucumbers top home gardeners’ lists, and Johnny’s carries top-performing varieties of each. You’ll also find greenhouse or hydroponic “easy choice” lines for indoor growing.
Some highlights from Johnny’s vegetable section include:
- Tomatoes & Peppers: Disease-resistant hybrids and juicy heirlooms for sauces, salsa, and salads. Varieties like Cherokee Purple tomato and Carmen pepper are crowd-pleasers.
- Leafy Greens: Many types of lettuce, spinach, kale, and Asian greens, including mixes for salad bowls. (Johnny’s lettuces range from crispy crisphead to loose-leaf Bibb.)
- Cucurbits: Cucumbers (slicing and pickling), summer squashes, zucchini, pumpkins, and melons. Several varieties are bred for heat tolerance and greenhouse performance.
- Brassicas & Roots: Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and of course colorful carrots and beets. Both spring greens and fall storage crops are available.
- Beans & Peas: Snap and shelling peas/beans that are reliable producers. These cover both home-garden and small-market quantities.
Each vegetable seed is non-GMO and 100% guaranteed. Gardeners report strong germination rates and robust plants when they follow Johnny’s growing directions. The catalog’s detailed descriptions (written by founder Johnston himself) cut through the hype, telling you exactly where and how to plant each crop.
Image: Cross-section of okra pods revealing seeds (vegetable seeds ready for planting).
Flowers: Blooms for Beauty and Bouquets
Brighten up the garden with Johnny Seeds’ flower seeds and bulbs. Johnny’s trials an “ever-growing assortment of flower seeds and flower bulbs” each year, especially for cut-flower performance. The selection includes annuals, perennials, edible flowers, and many heirloom classics. You’ll find trendy colors and unique varieties (like bi-color zinnias or scented calendula) alongside reliable workhorses such as:
- Cut Flowers: Zinnia, Cosmos, Sunflowers, Snapdragons – quick-bloom annuals great for bouquets. Johnny’s even offers bulk packs for florists and growers.
- Perennials: Coneflowers (Echinacea), Coreopsis, Rudbeckia, and Phlox that come back year after year. Perennials add value with recurring blooms and landscape interest.
- Heirloom Varieties: Old-fashioned marigolds, cornflowers, and bachelor buttons, preserving genetic diversity in the garden.
- Pollinator-Friendly: Many annual mixes and native perennials designed to attract bees and butterflies. (Look for Johnny’s “Bee’s Knees” and other pollinator-promoting mixes.)
- Bulbs & Specialty: Dahlia tubers, oriental lilies, and mixed bulb collections. In the online shop, bulbs are sold alongside seeds, often in customizable orders.
Most flower seeds at Johnny’s can be ordered as organic (OMRI-listed) seed, or as standard untreated. Packet sizes vary, and there are even bulk options for poppy or sunflower seeds. Whether you’re planting a cutting garden or a wildflower patch, the Johnny Seeds flower selection ensures vibrant blooms.
Herbs: Culinary and Medicinal Plants
For kitchen gardens and herb shops, Johnny Seeds offers a curated line of herb seeds. This includes classic culinary herbs (basil, cilantro/coriander, oregano, thyme, mint) in multiple varieties, as well as medicinal and fragrant herbs like lavender, chamomile, and calendula. Many herbs come in packet form, and staple herbs (like basil, chives, dill) are available in bulk seed packets for larger growers. Notable points:
- Culinary Herbs: Johnny’s has popular cooking herbs in both green and ornamental forms (e.g. purple basil, variegated thyme). They carry sweet basil (Genovese), lemon thyme, Greek oregano, and unusual types like African blue basil.
- Medicinal/Tea Herbs: Seeds for chamomile, echinacea (coneflower), steeping mint, and more. These are often grown for dried flower markets or herbal remedies.
- Heirloom & Rare: A selection of unique herbs (e.g. lemon verbena, savory, shiso) not found in every catalog. Some are heirloom varieties prized for flavor.
- Growing Conditions: Options for container gardening or greenhouse production are noted. For example, a “Grows Well in Containers” tag on the site helps patio gardeners. Each herb seed is trialed for flavor and hardiness.
Importantly, Johnny’s maintains a large selection of certified-organic herb seeds. Gardeners transitioning to organic farming can find nearly all common herbs with organic certification (USDA/NOP), as well as OMRI-approved soil amendments and pest controls. The herb department pages often list open-pollinated and hybrid choices side by side. Whether seasoning dinner or crafting herbal teas, growers trust Johnny’s for premium herb seed quality.
Organic & Heirloom Seed Collections
Johnny’s has long been known for organic and heirloom seeds. It is certified as an organic seed handler by MOFGA (the Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Assoc.), meaning all its “J-symbol” seeds meet USDA National Organic Program standards. The company continually expands its organic lineup – in 2025 alone Johnny’s introduced “over 30 new organic products”. All Johnny’s organic seeds are grown and processed to rigorous NOP standards, giving organic farmers confidence in compliance.
Many of Johnny’s heirloom varieties trace back to rare or native cultivars. The founder’s philosophy was that “the best seed grows from plants nurtured on organically enriched soil”, long before “organic” was a household word. Johnny’s catalogs preserve this heritage by offering heirloom favorites: tomatoes like ‘Brandywine’, beans like ‘Fortex’ green beans, and centuries-old flower varieties. These seeds remain true to type; as the history page notes, heirlooms “do not break down after one generation”. In sum, Johnny Seeds’ organic and heirloom sections give gardeners access to both sustainable practices and seed diversity.
Greenhouse Supplies and Garden Tools
Beyond seeds, Johnny’s provides tools and supplies to help your garden thrive. Their Greenhouse & Tunnel Supplies section offers everything for season-extension. As their site explains, whether you grow “from earliest spring to late fall or year-round,” Johnny’s supplies “provide the versatility and durability you need to protect your crops from the elements”. You can shop for high-tunnel kits (frame benders, greenhouse film, vent systems), row covers, and other hardware. For example, the Bobcat High Tunnel Kit and Quick Hoops benders let you build custom tunnels, and Johnny’s sells the heavy-duty greenhouse film and supports to fit them.
Johnny’s also trials and stocks a full line of garden hand tools and equipment. Their inventory includes shovels, hoes, rakes, transplanting tools, and harvest carts – all chosen with the small grower in mind. In fact, Johnny’s “field-tested” each tool on its own Albion, ME farm. Many designs are exclusive or “developed by Johnny’s”, such as ergonomic hori-hori knives, Weasel transplanters, and unique seedling trays. Even lab and measuring equipment (pH meters, scale) are available for precision farming. If you want organic-approved inputs, Johnny’s carries OMRI-listed fertilizers, composts, pest controls and row-cover fabrics.
- Season Extension: Kits for high tunnels and low tunnels, greenhouse film, anchors, and clips. Johnny’s offers planning calculators and manuals to help estimate materials and configure your greenhouse.
- Hand Tools & Prep: Garden clippers, knives, hoes, and lightweight shovels. (All marketed towards market gardeners and devoted hobbyists.)
- Growing Accessories: Irrigation drippers, raised beds, seed trays, and protective covers. OMRI-listed fertilizers and inoculants for soil health.
- Commercial Scale Gear: Heavy-duty carts, potting benches, and even small cultivators. Tools for “protected culture” help greenhouse growers maintain large stock.
By bundling seeds with related tools, Johnny Seeds aims to be a one-stop shop. Their garden tech and supplies are often linked directly from the seed pages (“Related Tools” suggestions), encouraging an integrated approach to gardening success.
Bulk Orders and Commercial Solutions
Johnny Seeds also caters to farms, schools, and gardening businesses. Their Bulk & Wholesale options make it easy to buy larger quantities. As the site advertises:
“Buy seeds in bulk — enjoy savings on a broad selection of seeds in quantities tailored to commercial production. We also offer an extensive line of tools… and supplies for certified-organic commercial farming.”
Bulk-seed offerings include vegetables, flowers, herbs, and cover crops. You can order many favorites by the pound or kilo (for example, bulk cucumber seed, summer squash, or lettuce mix). The “Bulk Vegetable Seeds” page lists categories like cucumbers, corn, eggplant, and peppers, each with images of large seed bags. Likewise, bulk packs of herbs (e.g. basil, cilantro, calendula) and flower seeds (e.g. marigold, sunflowers) are available for wholesale pricing.
- Wholesale Account: Large growers or retailers can apply for a wholesale account (annual purchase $5,000+). Benefits include special pricing, dedicated sales reps, and allocation of limited-stock varieties.
- Commercial Tools & Supplies: A separate catalog (“Small Farm Tools”) offers items like tractor seeders and irrigation kits. Bulk farming supplies (cover crop seeds, row cover rolls) are stocked too.
Even if you’re not a farm, small urban farms and community gardens can take advantage of bulk ordering. The customer support team at Johnny’s can assist with special orders and international shipping. In short, whether you’re planting 10 packets or 10,000, Johnny Seeds scales to your needs.
Customer Satisfaction & Community Trust
Johnny Seeds’ reputation is built on customer satisfaction. The company’s 100% Satisfaction Guarantee means any seed that fails to germinate can be replaced. Founder Rob Johnston’s commitment to quality still resonates today: “We just cannot sell anything here that isn’t going to do well… that customer isn’t going to come back,” he explained of a germination error in the early days. This honesty and quality control have won many loyal customers.
Gardeners often praise Johnny’s for seed vigor and service. In forums and reviews, users note that germination rates exceed expectations and that variety descriptions are accurate. (For example, the Dave’s Garden community forum has numerous positive anecdotes about Johnny’s seeds over many years.) Even Johnny’s own site highlights customer support and social media as extensions of its service. You can follow Johnny Seeds on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for growing tips and inspiration. They also offer email newsletters with seasonal advice.
In practice, this means you’re backed by a community. If issues arise, Johnny’s customer service (based in Maine) is known for being responsive. Whether a seed doesn’t meet expectations or you have a growing question, their team (and the growers-answering-growers “Ask a Grower” feature) is there to help.
FAQs
Q: What products does Johnny Seeds sell?
A: Johnny’s Selected Seeds is primarily known for seeds of all kinds – including hundreds of vegetable, flower, and herb varieties. They sell vegetable seeds (tomatoes, peppers, greens, root crops, etc.), flower seeds and bulbs (annuals, perennials, cut-flower mixes), and herb seeds (culinary, medicinal, container herbs). Johnny’s also offers certified-organic seeds in many categories. Beyond seeds, Johnny’s sells gardening tools, fertilizers, greenhouse films, row covers, and other supplies tailored to small farmers and home gardeners. In short, anything you need to start and maintain a productive garden can be found on the JohnnySeeds.com site.
Q: How can I get the Johnny Seeds catalog or order online?
A: To browse Johnny’s offerings at home, you can request a free printed catalog by mail (usually available by contacting customer service or through their website). The catalog arrives in late winter with full descriptions and growing charts. Alternatively, visit JohnnySeeds.com to shop online. The website features an interactive catalog with filtering by crop type, trait, or category. You can add seeds and supplies to your cart, and Johnny’s ships orders throughout the U.S. (and internationally) via UPS or USPS. The online store has been active since 1995, so it’s a mature e-commerce platform with easy browsing and secure checkout.
Q: Are Johnny Seeds products organic?
A: Yes. Johnny Seeds carries a large line of organic seeds and supplies. Many of the vegetables, flowers, and herbs are available in USDA-certified-organic or state-organic forms. In fact, Johnny’s itself is a certified organic handler (certified by MOFGA) and adheres to the USDA National Organic Program standards. In their catalogs and online, organic seeds are clearly marked with a “J” symbol. Johnny’s also certifies and verifies its own organic status, offering documentation if needed. So if you’re committed to organic gardening, you can trust that Johnny’s seeds meet strict organic guidelines.
Q: Can I place a bulk order or get wholesale pricing?
A: Absolutely. For gardeners planting on a large scale, Johnny’s offers bulk seed quantities. The website has a Bulk Seed section where you can buy many vegetables, flowers, and herbs by the pound or kilogram. These are the same quality seeds (non-GMO and often organic) but in larger packages for savings. To access wholesale pricing and bulk accounts, commercial growers can fill out the Wholesale Application on Johnny’s site. This is typically for buyers who spend $5,000 or more per year. Bulk customers also have access to commercial-only seed lines, cover crop seed, and small-farm equipment. In short, Johnny’s supports both home gardens and commercial growers with scale-appropriate options.
Q: What about reviews of Johnny Seeds?
A: Johnny Seeds generally has a strong reputation among gardening communities for quality and reliability. Customers often mention good germination and helpful service. (On review sites, opinions vary – some note higher shipping costs – but many long-time gardeners stick with Johnny’s for the seed quality.) Importantly, Johnny’s stands behind its seeds with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so if any packet fails to sprout, they’ll replace it. You can also find gardening blog posts and forum threads (e.g. on Dave’s Garden or Reddit) where hobbyists share their positive experiences with Johnny’s varieties. Overall, Johnny’s focuses on customer trust, as shown by its customer support and social media engagement.
Q: Where is Johnny Seeds located and how do I contact them?
A: Johnny’s Selected Seeds is headquartered in Winslow, Maine, on a site that includes offices, a test farm, and shipping facilities. Their research farm is in Albion, Maine. The catalog and website provide contact info, but generally, you can call their toll-free number (1-877-564-6697) or email with questions. The website’s Customer Support section answers common queries about shipping, returns, and crop selection. They also have live chat and extensive Q&A (the “Ask a Grower” feature) for personalized advice.
“We’re committed to helping gardeners succeed,” Johnny’s motto reminds us. With top-notch seeds, tools, and support, Johnny Seeds truly lives up to its name as a trusted source for garden success.
Engagement: Have you tried Johnny Seeds in your garden? Share your favorite varieties and tips in the comments below, and don’t forget to tag @JohnnySeeds on social media with your garden photos!
