955 Benton Avenue
Winslow, Maine 04901 (United States)
(207) 861-3900
1-800-437-4290

Notes

Johnny's Selected Seeds provides quality vegetable, herb and flower seeds and flower bulbs--as well as a full line of gardening/small-grower accessories--to home garden and commercial growers.

An independent company since 1973, Johnny's prides itself on its superior product, research, technical information, and service. All of Johnny's seeds and accessories are thoroughly tested at their 40-acre certified organic farm in Albion, Maine, and are backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Phone or fax orders received before noon weekdays are shipped that afternoon. Orders received after noon are shipped the next working day. Your call is initially answered by an automated attendant, however, it's easy to reach a real person. And, the staff is very knowledgeable about gardening.

Johnny's is proud to be a member of the Safe Seed Initiative, and we invite organizations, governments, businesses, and individuals to join us.

Johnny's Mission Statement: "To provide superior product, research, technical information, and service to critical home gardeners, and specialty and small commercial growers."

Johnny's donates a portion of profits to garden-related charities.

For more information, visit the company web site at Johnnyseeds.com

posted on July 3, 2002

Reviews:

positives
neutrals
negatives

Displaying the 50 most recent reviews

RatingContent
Positive
On Mar 26, 2024, SherryTomato (8 reviews)

This was my first year ordering from Johnny's Select Seeds. So far everything I have planted is growing nicely. We had to place a $200 order to get free shipping! Which seemed like a lot, but once you buy, they send you coupon codes so you can get a deal on your next order. We've already planted our spring wheat and field peas. Looking forward to see everything grow!

Negative
On Jan 16, 2023, WorkWithHands (1 reviews) from Zebulon, NC

Ordered Baron F1 Pepper (packet of 100 seeds) December 19, 2022. Packet said Germ rate of 90% on 04/22. After three weeks and with a heated pad I have Germ rate of 60%. I think they sent me old seeds. I buy a log of seeds from Johnny's and they have always been good. Really disappointed


Company representative comment on January 19, 2023:
On Jan 19, 2023 12:57 PM, Johnny\'s Selected Seeds responded with:

Hello!

We are sorry to hear about this experience. We are happy to work with you as we do stand by the quality of our seeds. Would you be willing to reach out to us at service@johnnyseeds.com so that we can help you with your order?

Negative
On Dec 8, 2022, TucsonTomato (6 reviews) from Fairfield, CA, CA (Zone 9b)

I feel very bad about having to make this review, but it is important for customers to know the truth. The seed quality of Johnny's used to be very high, but it has really gone down the last several years. Germination well below 75% has been much more common when I order large lots of seed and I have lost hundreds of dollars as a result. I called Johnny's and asked them if they have any better germination, but when I talked with someone in the customer service department, they say that they'll let them know about the bad seed lots, but they continue to sell the bad seed. This has occurred more than once with different seed. How can they knowingly sell poor quality seed? I really don't know what to say. It doesn't matter what incredible varieties or what incredible seed people advertise, if the quality is poor. Sorry Johnny's, but you've lost my trust for good.


Company representative comment on December 9, 2022:
On Dec 9, 2022 4:27 PM, Johnny\'s Selected Seeds responded with:

Hello, we are sorry to hear about the issues and poor germination you have experienced. We do stand behind our products. To ensure that every grower is successful, we test our seeds every five months to maintain our high standards, and our germination rates are higher than federal standards require. We would be happy to reach out if you would like to discuss the issues further.

Positive
On Apr 1, 2022, RKV (1 reviews) from Boones Mill, VA

Every time I've purchased from them I've been so happy with what I get. High germination rates, even if I leave the packet for a couple of years! I've done vegetables and flowers and never had a complaint to make about them.

Positive
On Mar 4, 2022, PhytoDoc (5 reviews) from Menomonie, WI

I garden for family and friends. I have ordered from Johnny's for years and have been pleasantly satisfied with the quality of seeds, service, and information.

Positive
On Feb 27, 2022, Delanson (2 reviews) from Delanson, NY

The majority of my garden seeds have been ordered from Johnny’s for the past two years. Delivery is prompt and germination rates high. The plants have almost all been productive. I also appreciate the growing information on their website, their webinars, and the chat function for gardening questions. The quality of my garden and my enjoyment of it has greatly increased over time, many thanks to Johnny’s.

Negative
On Feb 4, 2022, Jmo53 (1 reviews) from Paonia, CO

Just got off of Johnny’s seeds website. Thought I could order by phone but they were closed because of weather is what the recording said. So fine I’ll go online. The most frustrating lame website for ordering. I spent hours reading and going through the catalog and putting a list together I had 72 items to purchase most were not available. Carrots until April of 2023? Ridiculous! The website allows you to order multiple packets but it is cumbersome and unintuitive. You should be able to type in your list and if it’s not available fine tell me then. The shopping cart is insane if you make a mistake and need to delete and item good luck. Then I see they had a breach? I’ll move on. Time is my most valuable resource and they wasted it.


Company representative comment on February 7, 2022:
On Feb 7, 2022 9:34 AM, Johnny\\\'s Selected Seeds responded with:

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback! We are making updates to the website to create a more user friendly space. We appreciate your feedback so that we may better know how to provide service for our customers.


On Feb 7, 2022 10:39 AM, Johnny\'s Selected Seeds added:

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback! We are making updates to the website to create a more user friendly space. We appreciate your feedback so that we may better know how to provide service for our customers.

Negative
On Sep 28, 2021, dozer233 (1 reviews)

It feels like I don't get any of the care of a small business, or any of the convenience of large company. After my latest order I found out right after it was the wrong item. Emailed to have the order canceled with no response. Got the actual shipping notice three days later. Three hours after the shipping notice I finally received a response from support that the item had already shipped and there was nothing they could do. I would need to pay to ship it back and that there may be a 10% restocking fee. Any small company would have responded before it got to this point, and any large company would have something built-in/automatic.

Neutral
On Jul 28, 2021, karenmuse (12 reviews) from Jackson, MI

In early January I ordered two packages of seed (craspedia and cerinthe), which were shipped in a timely fashion. I planted the seed indoors several weeks ahead of time. The cerinthe came up with a 75% germination rate, which is not great but is okay. However the craspedia's germination rate was terrible- only 30%! I had to replant twice to get enough plants. I don't know what the problem was. I ordered flower seeds from Johnny's a few years ago and everything grew fine. So I am uncertain, but willing to give them a try again. For what it's worth, the craspedia and cerinthe are growing in my garden now and look beautiful.

Positive
On Jun 8, 2021, SPORTSMAN1 (12 reviews) from Hawley, MN (Zone 4a)

Ordered corn seeds. Late.....lots of varieties were out of stock. Both here and on other places. Found some to order. Received order in a few days. Now we will see about germination. So far so good.

Positive
On May 23, 2021, EverettRebecca (2 reviews) from Everett, WA

Their seeds consistently germinate very well, often near 100%. Even their columbine germinate at close to 100% without any need for stratification and even continued to do so when I planted the leftover seed a year later. (Competitor's columbine germinated at less than 50% even with stratification and when fresh.) The germination and growing instructions found on their website (especially the production tech sheets) are extremely useful and accurate. I reliably get excellent results. They have great prices on larger quantities of seed while still offering smaller quantities at more typical prices. I do wish they had a larger selection of flowers that make good garden plants even if they are not suitable as cut flowers. All of the tools and supplies I have purchased from them have been excellent. Shipping is ridiculously fast. The COVID gardening craze was a challenge for the entire industry, and I appreciated the way Johnny's handled it. Their customer service is always flawless. Johnny's has become my absolute favorite seed source by a mile!

Negative
On Feb 22, 2021, jimez (1 reviews) from Marblehead, MA

As a long time mini farm customer, I fear something is seriously amiss at Johnny's. Their founder retired last year, and they have effectively cut off the home gardener. Yes there is still Covid, but their shortages are severe unlike anyone else in the business....and yet, about every 2 weeks I receive yet another copy of their expensive full color catalogue. I hate to say it, they have been my #1 for years, but I will not be able to depend on them next year. I always order early, but was shut out of many varities. Yet, I was able to readily get them elsewhere. Does anyone have any inside info what is going on? Sorry, this is way more than COVID.

Neutral
On Feb 19, 2021, happyroots (4 reviews) from Averill Park, NY

Posted on December 1, 2020, updated February 19, 2021 I recently ordered two packets of seeds. The amount of seed for the price was very good so I decided to switch from my other vendor to Johnny's this year. That was a mistake. Johnny's no longer prints dates on their seed packets. That is critical with onion seeds. They could have sent me seeds that were supposed to be planted in the spring of 2020 or even 2019. Onion seeds must be planted asap from the time they are harvested. I have been down this path before with another company and the seeds had very poor germination. It should be mandatory that dates be printed on seeds and old seeds tossed out. That may be the problem with some of the negative reviews here. If they were sent old seeds, there is no wonder why germination was bad. I cannot afford to gamble with these seeds and will need to reorder from my previous tried-and-true seed vendor. (That prints dates on every packet.) Heck, even seeds I buy locally for 99 cents have dates!


On February 19th, 2021, happyroots changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following: Update 2/19/2021: I planted the onion seeds (indoors) about four weeks ago and the germination rate was 75%. While I like to get 85% germination, I'm okay with it because I planted all 1000 seeds (actually was 1062, and yes, I counted them) and will get enough of a crop. I had also contacted Johnny's to ask them why the seeds do not have dates on the package. Their response was that they do things differently than other companies. That is not a good answer. I changed my rating from poor to neutral because I was able to get 75% to germinate. However, in regards to printing dates, I would still give them negative rating. All other companies print dates on their packages because that is the right thing to do for the customer in regards to quality control.

Positive
On Feb 1, 2021, genghiskuhn (4 reviews) from Binghamton, NY

Have ordered from Johnnys for years and have always been satisfied. Great germination, good customer service, and they are employee-owned. This season, like last season, they are dealing with a huge surge of pandemic orders and have shut down non-commercial orders. This is annoying (I'm a backyard gardener), but I understand that they are stretched thin! And I'm glad more people are getting into the garden.....

Negative
On Jan 21, 2021, w08833 (9 reviews) from Lebanon, NJ

I went through the catalog and decided what I wanted. When I got to the website I was informed that they were only accepting orders on Tuesday and Wednesday. So I waited, and found out that half of what I wanted was not available. Then two days later I received an email that half of what I ordered was unavailable. These people don't have a clue about running a business.

Negative
On Jan 13, 2021, adammalofsky (1 reviews) from Loveland, OH

Adam Malofsky Placed an order on the 26th for onion seeds. USPS tracking shows it disappearing essentially January 3rd. Called customer service a day ago...you must wait 15 business days, blah blah blah then reship. That’s beyond stupid. First, no other seed company is having these issues. Don’t tell me about Covid. Your fears or staffing issues are not my problem. No one else’s problem. Second, do right by a multi decade customer or any other. Reship immediately. On my call. Priority mail. Third, there are planting dates to have a successful crop. Again, reship immediately. In the past no problem. Now, as a CEO myself over many years, when I see co-CEO, I get concerned. No such thing. It does not work. Authority removed from customer service? Worse. Do t start with me about operations costs, etc... it’s seeds. Little cost versus cost to acquire or lose customers. You eat it. When you can’t even track yourself USPS tracking to know when problems arise and not dedicate staff to that challenge, you watch your reputation go out the wi die fast and the cost to regain that blows away anything on seeds and postage. I read the backgrounds. I’m not impressed. Fix this. Now. Or give me a refund whether the seed arrives or not. Just an awful experience as this employee owned firm goes through a messy transition. I sense a focus on operations numbers will transcend the focus on customer experience.

Negative
On Sep 3, 2020, Peonyface (1 reviews) from Hendersonville, NC (Zone 7a)

My first time ordering from Johnny's Seeds and will be my last. I ordered a handful of seeds, some misc items and a 40# bag of Sluggo. They are not inexpensive, but with free shipping and a good price on 40# Sluggo, I went ahead and ordered some just to try them out ... was disappointed in the seed quantity for the money. Not nearly the value I get from other companies. My real disappointment came with the Sluggo. First, the company boasts "free shipping" with a min. order. I surpassed that min order, only to find out that the Sluggo had a surcharge of $40 shipping. Ok... it was still a decent price for that. It also noted it was "in stock" and their items ship within a few days. I placed the order and on the order it said shipping was now $51 with a $20 credit, so it came to $31. Don't really like companies with all these smoke n mirror shipping prices. After the order was placed I received shipping notification for everything except the Sluggo... that was coming from a "preferrred partner" and expected to ship a few days later 8/24/20. Well, that date came and went and nothing, so after 5 calls to the company, and JSS trying to email and get a response from their "preferred partner" as to when this product was going to ship, they got nothing either. Not much of a business relationship when a "preferred partner" vendor doesn't respond to their client. So after wasting about 2 weeks waiting for Sluggo, while all my kale, bok choy, beets, etc. were getting decimated by slugs, they agreed to cancel the order and I should be getting a refund. In the meantime, I've ordered the product from someone else, and it shipped the next day. On the positive side, I was able to get a hold of people in customer service easily and they were trying to help. I just don't appreciate items being represented on a website as "in stock" and then only to find out they are farming it out and it's out of their control and time sensitive items don't arrive in a timely manner.

Positive
On May 22, 2020, anasazirose (3 reviews) from Belle Vernon, PA

For 2 years in a row, I've ordered the Anne Raspberries from Johnny's. These plants arrive and put every other root to shame! The roots on them are so massive and amazing that I need to put most in 2 and 3 gallon pots unless I trim the roots. So far, I haven't ordered much from Johnny's except the Anne raspberries and ginseng seeds. The ginseng seeds didn't grow for me at their advertised 70% germination rate, closer to 10%, but that could be user error. I will order black raspberries next year and more ginseng seed this fall.

Negative
On May 7, 2020, KATOC (1 reviews) from Easthampton, MA

After having a decent experience with this company for many years I am disappointed to report that a sales representative I contacted misrepresented the durability of a row cover product to me, and recommended an inferior, non durable, and expensive product which I purchased a quantity of. They are now refusing to pay for the substantial shipping for me to return this lousy product (unused and still in it's original packaging) to receive a refund. Their customer service is terrible. They are happy to deceive customers and refuse to take responsibility for their ignorance of the lack of quality of their products. They do not care about the loss of time and money of their customers taking time away from growing to have to deal with and return shoddy products at their own expense.Their customer service representative was rude and dismissive. I'm sad to see a formerly good company's quality decline this way. Do not trust Johnny's advise about their products! They don't know or care whether they will work for you.

Negative
On May 3, 2020, Wolfeto (1 reviews) from Galena, IL

Disgraceful customer service. I Planted 144 “seeds” and only 2 germinated. I know what I’m doing. Contacted them and they ghosted me. Their “guarantee” of customer satisfaction or replace/refund is TOTAL BS. BUYER BEWARE!!! Avoid this company and buy locally.

Negative
On Apr 10, 2020, Zatoechi (1 reviews) from Washougal, WA

Ordered seed from this company 3/25/20 for the family garden. Called on 4/1 and was told the order would ship on 4/6/20, called on 4/6/20 and was told the order would ship by 4/10/20. I called on 4/10/20 and was told that the order might ship by 4/17/20. Refused to commit to shipping date! Refused to cancel my order! A company with questionable business practices. Buyer beware!!! I will be contacting my credit card company to attempt to get my money back

Neutral
On Jul 21, 2019, Tayman44 (5 reviews) from West Boxford, MA

This is almost a negative. I've been buying seed from Johnny's for 30 years. I'm in Massachusetts, they're in Maine, so it's a fit. I've always been satisfied. But, in the past 4 years, I'm beginning to wonder what's changed at Johnny's. I've had very poor germination of their snap peas (Super Sugar Snap), green beans (Provider), yellow wax beans (Monte Gusto) and, especially, their soy beans (Tohya and Karikachi). Also very poor germination with their spring green manure mix. Thought at first it was me. Had to double plant in hopes of getting some plants to grow. Even tried the old trick of sprouting the seed first, then planting. Still poor results. This year, after only 5 soybean plants came up (after 2 plantings), bought some soybean seed from the local Agi store. They were up and growing in a week. Bought some snap peas, Burpee of all things. They were up in 10 days even though the soil was warm. That tells me it isn't me (been gardening here for 40 years), it's Johnny's seeds. Next year I'll buy from another source. Too bad.


Company representative comment on July 22, 2019:
On Jul 22, 2019 4:55 PM, Johnny's Selected Seeds responded with:

Your satisfaction is very important to us! We want to make sure that our seeds are germinating properly. Please contact us at service@johnnyseeds.com with your order information, so we can make this right.

Neutral
On Jul 9, 2019, taufgardner (22 reviews) from American Fork, UT

Posted on May 17, 2019, updated July 9, 2019 Posted on July 21, 2011, updated May 17, 2019 Posted on March 23, 2004, updated July 21, 2011 Seeds came as ordered and quickly.


On July 21st, 2011, taufgardner changed the rating from positive to negative and added the following: It had been a few years since I had ordered from Johnny's and now I remember why. Last time, I ordered a unique variety of zucchini. This time I ordered a unique variety of pole bean (Fortex). In each order, I found the germination and performance to be less than my experience with other companies. When I opened the packet to plant the beans, about half were split and broken. The rest germinated at about 40%. I kept putting seeds in the appointed spots until I had germination at all but one of my poles. At any rate, I used Johnny's each time because they carried a desired variety I couldn't get anywhere else and are highly rated on Watchdog. I order from many sources and have terrific luck with my gardens, so I can confidently attribute the poor results to the supplier. Probably won't use again, unless they are the only suppliers for something I just gotta have. Then I will over-order and over-plant because I believe the seeds will perform poorly.
On May 17th, 2019, taufgardner changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following: It has been awhile since I have ordered from Johnny's, due to subpar past results, but I decided to give them a try again this year. Their ratings are generally positive, which I don't fully understand, and they carry products such as the monogerm beet (Moneta) that others don't. My luck with germination rates and seed quality (beans intact) was better this time and the prices were better than a lot of places, so I decided to upgrade my rating. Their customer service is fine, I'm just not fully convinced that their seed is the best. Time will tell.
On July 9th, 2019, taufgardner added the following: Now that the growing season is in full swing, I will say that the Moneta Beet is a good variety and very flavorful and sweet. Yes, I've already harvested some. However, I really didn't notice a difference between a monogerm beet and regular varieties as far as how the seeds sprout, etc. I still can't understand how they could not fulfill my order for Fortex Beans, which I readily sourced elsewhere, and why the wax beans I did get from Johnny's did not germinate at near the rate of the other beans. I'm a better than average gardener and beans are easy, but my experience with Johnny's (beans and zucchini) is subpar germination over a few different years of ordering. I remain neutral and will possibly use Johnny's again for varieties I want to try and cannot get elsewhere.
Company representative comment on July 22, 2019:
On Jul 22, 2019 4:56 PM, Johnny's Selected Seeds responded with:

Your satisfaction is very important to us! We want to make sure that our seeds are germinating properly. Please contact us at service@johnnyseeds.com with your order information, so we can make this right.

Positive
On Jun 7, 2019, brahmabantam (8 reviews) from Rimrock, WA (Zone 5b)

If I could give a higher rating than 'positive' for Johnnys, I would. In my experience, their seed has exceptional germination rates (and germination rates and test dates for each seed lot are printed on the seed packet), and even better, the crops perform as expected based on the seed catalog. I sincerely wish there were more companies that pay such attention to detail. I have purchased and grown all possible 'normal' veggie crops over the years from seed and increasingly find myself ordering exclusively from Johnnys. Other companies I have grown seed from include Pinetree, Baker Creek, Burpee, Irish Eyes, Jung, Park, Territorial, and a few oddball others. By now I don't think there is any seed of a normal crop I have not grown from Johnnys and exceptions are things like asparagus that are not normally grown from seed. I admit that I spend >$500 on veggie seeds each year, but I grow all the vegetables my husband and I (and chickens) eat year round in a fairly difficult climate in the snowy eastern WA Cascades. We are >1 hour from a grocery store in summer and in winter it becomes a more difficult trip. Also my garden space is limited to <1000 ft sq (on a mountainside - thankfully south-facing) and it is excruciating to find a variety or company that does not perform well, especially from August to May, when it is too late to start another crop. With Johnnys my success rate is high and we eat scrumptiously year round. Our fresh crops are as good (cauliflower, beets) or much better (carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, and broccoli) than any farmers market or grocery store crops. Without Johnnys I feel I would have given up on winter gardening, and difficult summer crops like melons. With Johnnys, we eat excellent year round - fresh mache, carrots, beets, broccoli, leeks, cabbage, brussel sprouts, chard, onion, kale in fall-winter-spring. And all those crops plus normal summer veggies in summer (cucumbers, melons, tomatoes, beans, eggplant, potatoes, corn). I have grown seeds of the same variety but from other companies alongside Johnny's, planted on the exact same date and Johnnys outperforms so consistently that I am now pretty much ordering all veggie seeds from Johnnys. This has happened for carrot, rutabaga, eggplant, cabbage, parsnip, and possibly other crops I can't think of right now. I see comments where people complain about the price of a seed packet at Johnnys. My two thoughts are (1) you pay for what you get, and Johnnys puts effort into their products and catalog (and paying quality employees costs money), and (2) sometimes if you order in the next highest quantity than a 'packet' the prices are more competitive (for example check the prices by the ounce, or by the thousand and then save any extra seed for next year). Cheaper prices for high quantities helps market gardeners more than home gardeners, but the quality of the Johnnys seed in my experience makes it worthwhile for me as a home gardener. This is especially true given I don't have the space or time (with a short growing season) to make an error. Perhaps I also have success with Johnnys because I read the seed catalog closely and make notes. I feel Johnny's catalog is relatively fair and they state pros and cons of their varieties more honestly than other seed catalogs. I get annoyed sometimes when other companies gush with praise for all their varieties, leaving a sensible customer wondering what they are omitting. I also will try a couple varieties for one crop until I find something that performs well in my garden. Most of my comments pertain to veggie seeds. I only started growing Johnnys flower seeds this year. So far I've been happy with the flowers, but I have much less experience with flower seed starting than veggie seed starting, which I've been doing for 20 years. For now, Johnnys will continue to be my number one top pick for veggie seeds, without hesitation over the price. I'm grateful that they are so reliable. I'd rather order once and get seeds that perform well than do a trail-and-error with other seed companies, only to find out too late (sometimes on the dinner table!) that my veggies are tough or woody or didn't germinate or any number of other problems. My only fear is that at some point Johnnys may change hands and the quality will go down. I hope that does not happen in my lifetime. I am willing to pay a higher price for honestly described seed that performs to the specs in the seed catalog. One last comment - I discovered Garden Watchdog only in the last year. Since then, I have benefited greatly from the reviewer comments for other companies. In the case of Johnny's I feel there is an exception. I'm very glad I was ordering from Johnnys before I read their reviews on Garden Watchdog. In my experience, the reviews on Garden Watchdog underestimate the value of this company.

Positive
On Apr 25, 2019, quarkuud (2 reviews) from Silver Spring, MD

Bought seeds for my vegetable garden here. Shipping was fast, and my tomato, celeriac, and pepper starts turned out amazing, hopefully the trend continues.

Negative
On Jan 4, 2019, redsteelie (1 reviews) from Dundee, IL

Used to love Johnny's - but my recent experiences with their website and lack of available customer support has lost my business. I made the mistake of entering the wrong coupon code after entering 45 line items. The website then promptly voided the code I intended to enter as well as another that I had been sent. Both were sent to me by Johnny's and were valid for another 3 weeks. I don't have time to deal with a company which plays "bait and switch" with coupon codes and provides no easy way to contact them other than by phone during normal working hours. There are equally good companies out there who actually care about customer services.

Positive
On Sep 23, 2018, FillingFarm (1 reviews) from Emmett, MI

To anyone looking for a good company to buy your seeds and potatoes and strawberries from, I recommend Johnny's Seeds. This was the first year I've bought from this company, and I am thoroughly impressed. I purchased a little over $500 worth of product, and I've never been more impressed. For starters, I don't think I've ever had beans produce as much as the ones I bought from there. While zucchinis are big producers, the ones that grew this year seemed to go beyond any other years. I've never had as beautiful pumpkins in the field as the ones that grew from the Johnny's Seeds company. The seed potatoes I bought have by far out produced any that I've grown before. The strawberries I accidentally let fruit this year were some of the best I've ever had. I had quite a few extra seeds that I didn't have time for between work and a foot injury, so I passed on some to a family friend. They had almost the exact same results as I had. Their corn came in something perfect, the melons just keep on coming in, and all the plants are huge and beautiful. This year has been a pretty good drought in our area, and Johnny's Seeds has out performed many other seed companies in my eyes. As I continue to work on growing my farm and expanding my sales, I'll definitely be continuing to use Johnny's Seeds. If my next growing season goes as fantastic as this one has, I'll be a sure fire customer for life.

Positive
On Aug 28, 2018, brian1985 (3 reviews) from Cozad, NE

This review is strictly on shipping. I ordered onion seeds last week and won't be starting them until end of January. Super fast shipping! I placed my order Friday morning and had the seeds Monday morning. The only complaint I have is the company they shipped with you have to be a paid member to track your package.

Positive
On Mar 21, 2018, Snappingturtle (4 reviews) from Cranbury, NJ

I've ordered from Johnny's Selected Seeds for the last two years. The service has always been wonderful. Shipments arrive quickly and well packed. I had excellent germination rates on all of the 30+ vegetable and herb varieties I've ordered from the company. They sell both organic seed and non-organic seed; I've only ordered organic and have been very pleased. They also carry an amazing array of very high quality tools and equipment. The only con to this company is that the prices are quite high but you do get top of the line equipment and seed for the price.

Positive
On May 19, 2017, sungoldmmm (3 reviews) from Clermont, FL

I've ordered many seeds from many internet companies. Johnny's is my new favorite even though I do recognize that their prices seem steep. For me, I appreciate the nice internet interface, the seeds for me have always sprouted better than the germination rate stated on the package, and I appreciate they are employee owned because I feel they care more. My deliveries have always been within 5 days with good messaging that is not always the case with other companies I've dealt with - with few exceptions, they are top 3 fastest delivery for seeds I've experienced so far. What put me over was my Perilla and Saltwort seeds. Both types of seeds sprout very easily if fresh and many people say Perilla for example is invasive where they live, etc. but Perilla ALSO happens to be one of the most difficult seeds to sprout if the seeds are older than say a month and/or stored badly and most often requires cold strat techniques. A search on the internet will show some people feel it's impossible and some think it's invasive and easy to sprout. My experience, I ordered from 2 different internet Asian seed companies and did not have much luck sprouting them save for 2 plants out of 2 seed packets with more than 100 seeds in each packet. These seeds, I would separate into 1/4 portions and put the first 1/4 directly, second 1/4 in the fridge for 2 weeks, third 1/4 in the freezer, and fourth 1/4 I would save for one year later because when they are really old, they are supposed to have better germination, etc. Saltwort, or Okahijiki, is similar in that older seeds can have trouble germinating. After my previous 2 experiences with seeds from 2 different companies, I didn't expect either to spout and emptied half packets into dirt in 20 gallon containers, and forgot about them. Short of it, less than a week later, both sprouted far beyond the germination rate stated on the packet. What took me 2 months of trying to sprout from other companies with only 2 plants to show for it for my troubles, Johnny's seeds sprouted far beyond the germination rate stated on the package in less than a week. Also had great tasting Sungolds when I bought from Johnny's years ago but I bought from a different company this year and the results were so poor I doubt they were genuine Sungold seeds. I learned my lesson. The cons I have are, I wish they had more varieties of seeds and wish they sold more live plants, cause I wish I could order more from them. Also as I've said, their prices seem a ~$1 steeper a packet than a lot of companies. Still, FOR ME, I appreciate the pros of this company far more than the cons. If I can find the seeds I want from Johnny's, I will buy it there - always get them on time, and always sprout and perform well for me.

Positive
On Apr 6, 2017, Aakbay (2 reviews) from Cranbury, NJ

I've ordered seeds and germination equipment from Johnny's Selected Seeds this year. I've had a great experience with the company and excellent germination rates. When they ran out of organic clover for my large order 650 lbs) they tracked down additional seed and had it shipped directly from the grower. I'll definitely be ordering again.

Positive
On Mar 31, 2017, scilib (5 reviews) from Oxford, OH

First-time customer, but I'll be back. Shipped very quickly (received order a few days after ordering from halfway across the country), with tracking number, professionally packaged. They've got it together.

Positive
On Mar 5, 2017, madielov (2 reviews) from Tijeras, NM

I have had good experiences with Johnny's. I use their green manure mixes every fall and spring. Also like their lettuce mixes Good germination for me

Positive
On Feb 4, 2017, growin (10 reviews) from Beautiful, BC (Zone 8b)

I ordered a variety of cut flower varieties from Johnny's Seed in early 2016. I had excellent germination rates, good results from the cultivars offered and I had a problem with my credit card (address mismatch due to moving) and the rep called me back and helped me sort it out. I experienced excellent service and product quality so I've ordered much more for 2017.

Negative
On Jan 20, 2017, decherdt (6 reviews) from Fort Worth, TX (Zone 8a)

Looks like the new website host/manager really messed up the site, and is keeping it secret from Johnny's. Continuing weeks of unsuccessful log in assistance, broken links to data sheets, etc. Lost my business, small as it was.

Negative
On Jan 15, 2017, 4seasonsgreens (1 reviews) from Hendersonville, NC

Seed labels are required to have a germination date, and the seed is supposed to be good for 12 mos. from that date. However, there is no policing by any agricultural agency of dates on seed labels and seed viability. If the seed gets old, the label or seed packet can be swapped with a label with a new date. I bought 1000's of bad Salanova green butter seeds, which germinated poorly, to grow hydroponically for a local restaurant. My Johnny's rep assured me I was the cause of the poor results. Johnny's replaced 3000 of the seeds, but those were also bad. I was told I was the only one complaining about poor Salanova green butter germination. I tried to speak to their experts in germination, but I was never put in touch with anyone. I sustained a $5500 loss as a result of these bad seeds. I have a lot of experience growing lettuce hydroponically. I know how to germinate lettuce seeds. It is not rocket science. Lettuce is one of the easiest seeds to germinate. A horticulturist for another seed company told me the seeds were old and told me about the labeling practices of the seed industry. Mystery solved.

Positive
On Dec 26, 2016, nancyji (2 reviews) from Aromas, CA

we have been organic farmers since 1988, and have tried a lot of seeds, and our experience with Johnny's has been superlative. At this point, we've pretty much eliminated all seed competition, and get our farm seed from Johnny's. The prices are very good, we know the sources, and can prove with their paperwork that we are using organic seed.

Positive
On May 27, 2016, addicted2plants (3 reviews) from Saint Louis, MO (Zone 6a)

We had a fire and I lost ALL of my 5 year collection of vegetable and flower seeds. Late last night, I put in an order of $204 worth of seeds I needed. I paid $20 ish for overnight shipping because I'm under pressure to get the last items into the ground. TODAY, about 14 hours later, I got all but 2 of the seed packets! I've ordered from Johnny's for probably 10 years, but TODAY they actually made me get teary! Thank you Johnny's! You have a customer for LIFE!

Negative
On Apr 1, 2016, celestecomfort (1 reviews) from Comfort, TX

I ordered the hot cherry zinnias and the Benary's giant wine zinnia seeds from this company based on previous reviews. I have sown the seeds inside using standard practice. Out of the 72 pots of the hot profusion zinnia I sowed (using 2 seeds per pot) only 19 came up. Out of the 25 wine zinnia seed pots I planted only 10 came up. At the same time I planted various Benary's zinnia seeds from another vendor. Germination rate was around 85%. Needless to say I am very upset with the germination rate on seeds from Johnny's.

Positive
On Jul 10, 2015, OldPumpkin (7 reviews) from North Smithfield, RI

I have been ordering seeds and supplies from Johnnies for over 30 yrs ! Everything arrives on time and never had to use the service dept . Their catalog is beautiful , many choices and well put together. I would give this company a rating of above excellent !!!

Positive
On Jul 9, 2015, ohiofarmerjohn (1 reviews) from New Paris, OH

Johnny's is GREAT! Their products are superior, and they only carry the BEST varieties. The staff is very helpful. I am a market farmer, and this is my first year with Johnny's. Until now I have sourced seeds from many places, but from now on Johnny's will be my main supplier. I love their philosophy and their dedication to serving organic and naturally grown market farmers. Johnny's prices may seem high, but for farmer's like me they who buy large quantities of seeds the prices are not bad at all. The more you get the more you save!

Negative
On May 16, 2015, junglejimk (1 reviews) from Traphill, NC

Johnnys was recommended to me by a friend. They put a lot of effort into their catalog, pretty informative and appealing. I hadnt bought seed by mail in many years. I got all excited and ordered $140 of seed last year. It ended up being a pretty sorry year for my garden, I cant blame it all on the seed but had poor results with several crops. particularly poor germination luck with Toscano Kale, paydirt sweet corn, onions (seed), and eggplant. I regret departing from my local seed dealer last season, prices of seed from johnnys was from 2-6 times more expensive than it is just 5 miles down the road from me. The small packets (what one would typically order when experimenting with a "new" crop) are quite expensive for a MINISCULE amount of seed. I probably wont order from Johnnys again unless I really need a special variety that I cant find anywhere else.

Neutral
On Feb 7, 2015, Lilyhazen (13 reviews) from Ellijay, GA

I am posting as a concerned customer. I have bought from Johnny's for 5 years now, and generally been okay with service, seeds, etc (although some seed packets seem skimpy. I did go as far as to count seeds once and found less than half what was stated.) However, I am kerflummoxed about the shipping prices. $4 for less than an ounce of seeds (2 packets)? Could be sent in a tiny bubble envelope for half that. As a newly retired gardener, I would like to continue using Johnny's, but this year I am holding off, and going with those who seem to be offering a service at closer to the price of the service. Like most everything else, there are good and bad points to ordering from Johnny's, but I am sitting this year out.

Neutral
On Jan 25, 2015, Morduk (1 reviews) from Yardley,
United States

I have bought my seeds from Johnny's for nearly 20 years. Lately, I noticed their prices and shipping costs have been skyrocketing. I called to complain about the prices and was told to contact Hillary Alger. When I wrote to Hillary, I informed her that the many items I bought from Johnny's went up 18% from 2013 to 2014. She informed me that my math was wrong. I then pulled out the 2013 and 2014 catalogs and listed every product and the increases. She then told me the next bigger seed packet only went up 5% I guess that was a plug to buy the bigger packs. I noticed the price of the seeds I ordered in 2014 went up 12% for the 2015 year. This year I only bought from Johnny's, seeds that I couldn't find anywhere else. I love Johnny's, they are a first class organization, but with the volume of seed I buy every year, they have left my price range.

Positive
On Jan 7, 2015, Majahonke (1 reviews) from North Tonawanda, NY

I have been an annual Johnny's customer since 1985. Their offerings and service has been superb in that time. In recent years I have become more concerned about the company's direction, however. Prices are skyrocketing while I'm certain seed pack contents are diminishing. Every business has a right and duty to grow but it seems the company is losing sight of the backyard gardener. When gardening costs grow to where budgeting for it becomes necessary I have to wonder whether it is worth it anymore. Last year my Johnny's order was nearly $300. The order was inflated to take advantage of free shipping offer with enough seed to carry me at least two years. Having to think about gardening this way removes the fun and makes it more like a business even in my own yard. After 40 years of gardening I can see my relationship with Johnny's and gardening coming to an end.

Positive
On Jul 10, 2014, Bowmore38 (4 reviews) from Glendale, AZ

I like Johnny's. They ship quickly, their prices on seeds aren't ridiculous, and they make problems right immediately. With the Shiraz snow peas, they gave everyone their money back without any drama llamas running through the garden. Their shipping is a little pricey, but they do occasionally have shipping promotions. Overall, a solid reliable source.

Neutral
On Mar 6, 2014, bacardi870 (2 reviews) from Casey, IA

I ordered from johnnys solely for the recommendation from mothererthnews.com as their readers top seed company. I guess im not that impressed. Their seeds are EXPENSIVE...a dollar more than seedsavers per small pack. Their shipping is honestly out of line. Sure it came fast but ill give UPS the props for the shipping. Anyway I liked their balanced selection between heirlooms & hybrids but the seed cost and shipping cost is a deal breaker for me returning next year.

Neutral
On Feb 23, 2014, Niere (7 reviews) from Chepachet, RI (Zone 5b)

Posted on March 20, 2007, updated February 23, 2014 My recent experience with Johnny's was a mixed bag--thus the "neutral" rating. This past January I placed a seed order plus I ordered a four-block block maker for seed-starting. As I was placing my order I was informed by the service representative that I would need to order the "inserts" for the block maker. I questioned this but she insisted that I would need them so trusting that she knew the company's products better than I, I ordered the inserts. I received my order promptly and yesterday I took out the block maker and couldn't see why I needed the additional inserts. I searched the box and discovered there were no directions for either the block maker or the inserts. I contacted Johnny's and the representative (who was VERY nice) apologized for the lack of instructions but also apologized for the fact that indeed I did not need the inserts. She said that I could return the inserts and I would be credited for them, which is fine, but that they would not cover the return shipping. While I appreciate that the shipping on these items will be minimal, about a total of three or four dollars by the time I purchase a padded envelope and pay for the postage, it still disappoints me that I have to pay to return an item that I originally didn't want but was advised by their representative to purchase, only to find out in the end that in fact I didn't need it at all. Again, to be fair everyone I dealt with at Johnny's was pleasant and helpful and they even walked me through using the block maker and making adjustements to the seed starting mix so that it would be the proper consistency. I just wish that they'd have sent directions with it and that they would agree to cover returns on products in situations like mine. On a positive note, I really appreciate all the planting information they have on their seed packets--they really excel in this area. And their customer service people have never been anything but helpful and courteous. I will probably order from Johnny's in the future because I like what they stand for as a company and I love their selection, but I hope that in the future they make certain that the people taking their orders are more informed about their products.


On February 23rd, 2014, Niere added the following: Sorry, but I'm really about done with Johnny's. There was a time when they were the only place for quality seed--that's simply not the case anymore, and I can't continue to justify nearly $4.00 for every seed packet. This year will be my final bulk order with them--next year I'll only purchase seed or products from them which I absolutely cannot find elsewhere.

Positive
On Feb 14, 2014, reeve1 (59 reviews) from Plano, TX (Zone 8b)

Another great experience with Johnny's. The shipping was lightning fast, seed packs were well protected. Of 16 different flower varieties I'm getting in excessive of 85% germination on all but the Larkspur. But, it's only been 4 days on the Larkspur and these can take a bit longer to germinate and sprout. Thanks to everyone at Johnny's for your hard work and great seeds! It makes my job so much easier and enjoyable.

Positive
On Dec 6, 2013, bstnh1 (6 reviews) from Barrington, NH (Zone 5a)

Have ordered from Johnny's for several years and have never been disappointed. Quality seeds, reliable, fast shipping.

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