Comments regarding J.L. Hudson, Seedsman

GREAT company. Quality seed, fast service, great value for the dollar.

Love buying seed from here! I've never been disappointed. This spring just for fun I grew several flats that were all the same species but each row was from a different supplier. I was really surprised at the difference in germination rates and vigor. Seed from JL Hudson was superior to the big name companies every time.

Posted on February 4, 2019, updated March 30, 2022
Posted on January 10, 2018, updated February 4, 2019
Posted on April 27, 2017, updated January 10, 2018
Posted on March 30, 2017, updated April 27, 2017
Posted on May 23, 2015, updated March 30, 2017
Posted on January 5, 2014, updated May 23, 2015
Posted on May 7, 2012, updated January 5, 2014
Posted on December 20, 2002, updated May 7, 2012
I have ordered from J. L. Hudson for the last four years and have been very pleased. The germination rate, if the instructions are followed, is in excess of 95% for the perennials and annuals I have started from seed. Unlike most catalogues, this one specifies the expected rate (50%, for example, which allows you to adjust the amount you sow)
and just how difficult or easy the germination process will be, so you can decide whether it is worth a go. The prices are unbelievably low; (the "expensive" ones are $2.00 a pack) and I have had the opportunity to grow plants that you may have heard described and never seen, or grow a different variant on a familiar plant. As an example, Platycodon grandiflorus (blue ballooon flower) is in every catalogue - but is Perlemutter (mother of pearl with dark pink lines - much more rare, and beautiful, that Fuji Pink) or the white version? And the postage is $1.00 for up to 20 packets! Given the high quality and germination rates, the low prices and the cheap postage, not to mention the sometimes rare and normally expensive varieties, this may be the best bargain in seeds.

Reading thru the catalog descriptions and other botanical related insights has always been one of my favorite things about this company. The seed is pretty awesome too.. One of the first places I look to make my purchases.
20+years I've known about this company. Still have my 1999 catalog somewhere.. Because they are a collectible.

Twenty years of growing seeds from J.L. Hudson and the wonder and delight has not diminished! Their offerings are so interesting and the quantity/price is great.

Been dealing with them for many years......just a terrific resource...fast..friendly..honest..efficient

Posted on January 10, 2019, updated April 25, 2020
When I think of J.L. Hudson, Seedsman, I picture the popular internet GIF of Robert Redford as Jeremiah Johnson from the movie . . . Jeremiah Johnson, where he is looking into the camera and giving the slightest little affirming nod.

It's not hard to mythologize Mr. Hudson, since when I stumbled onto his website I felt like I had immediately received the answer to a question I didn't even know I had been looking for.

To get it out of the way, yes, his seed is great. The selection is mind-mindbogglingly amazing. I literally learn something new every time I browse through the catalog. The prices and shipping costs are also extremely fair, shockingly so. I've order more than once now and he is a man of his word- he notifies within the given time frame, he ships on time, it's packed well, and my orders have always been correct. The info on the packet is specific and helpful as well.

What I really love though, is the no-nonsense, respect based approach to what he does. Read the directions, follow them, no problems. I love, love, love his approach to environmentalism, diversity, and the practicality he infuses into not only everything he writes about, but to the catalog itself, as well as the website and the way it operates. No nonsense, just facts, mutual respect, and a love of plants.

Along with one other sort of science-minded esoteric seed website, he has quickly shot to the absolute top of my favorite seed sellers (can you tell? lol).

But honestly, to find someone who truly cares so much, who finds such a balance between scientific facts, ideals, and the reality of having to live in this world, and yet also finds a way to manage a well-run seed bank in the midst of all that . . . what a treasure.

As far as I'm concerned, Mr. Hudson and Ms. Calkins should get the Nobel Prize. For what, I'm not sure...ethnobotany? literature? Their catalog is one of the two or three best sources of plant (and general) knowledge I've encountered. I read it regularly and repeatedly, cover to cover. They completely changed my mind on the "native plant" movement, and made me love George Orwell even more than I did. I also have a lot of respect for their refusal to adhere to the non-human, inhuman, inhumane way business is done lately.

JL Hudson is the best for price & quality. Excellent customer communication. I have been buying milkweed seeds from them for many years & they never dissapoint.

Posted on February 16, 2017, updated March 27, 2018
I've been doing business with JL Hudson for a number of years - they never disappoint! Orders are always received promptly - and a public access seed bank is an excellent cause to support. The website is full of helpful information and the seeds are always quality, with outstanding germination rates.

I placed two(2) orders from J L Hudson for the 2018 growing season and as usual, they have exceeded my expectations.

This is my 16th year of ordering from J L Hudson. I have never been disappointed nor have I ever had to contact them after placing my order for any reason. I always choose my seeds from their online site, therefore I have never ordered anything that was out of stock, as they update regularly. Great selection, good value and the most economical shipping costs.

I've been ordering from J.L. Hudson for over 30 years. The catalog is an invaluable source for both old favorites and unusual seeds and contains much valuable information. I've learned a lot, just from reading this catalog over the years.

I also appreciate that seeds are listed by their scientific names. I recently ordered sea kale from another source (Gurney's), but closer investigation revealed that the seeds I had ordered were not true sea kale. I was able to find seeds for true sea kale (Crambe maritima) in the J.L. Hudson catalog.

I kind of appreciate being forced to learn the scientific names for plants. I've found this to be useful. I also appreciate that the correct pronunciations are offered.

I don't remember ever having a problem with J.L. Hudson's products or service.

I LOVE THESE GUYS!!! Serious chops! They shipped my order within 24 hours of receiving it. Plus loads of tips and info on their website. They know their stuff!

Having boughtseeds for 60 years from every sort of deale, finding and buying from Hudson has been the finest experience of seed buying I've ever experienced.Theysell unusual seeds hardly available elsewhere as well as common useful seeds.And, the service! Perfect.Germination on my last order was superb and the flowers were gorgeous.The tiny shipping charges are very unusual in a world where other seed companies apparently attempt to squeeze customers for every nickle possible!

I hope Hudson endures longer than I will so will never have to deal with other seed companies.

Seeds are very reasonably priced and always fresh. It is a real pleasure to germinate them. The PayPal ordering system is straightforward and simple to use. Thanks for continuing to do a great job!

This company has the most amazing selection of seeds -- lots and lots of very unusual seeds that you can't find anywhere else. And germination is usually excellent. I have been ordering from them for many years and have yet to be disappointed by the seeds or the service. As another poster mentioned, I can copy my selections out of the online listing, paste into an email, pay with Paypal, and my seeds will be in my hands in a matter of a few days despite being on the other side of the US from them.

Seeds ordered this year and last year were sent promptly. I had just about 100% germination. I am very happy with the seed selection, far surpasses the ordinary usually offered.

Been ordering for years. The seeds do well and customer service always has time for my odd questions.

Have ordered from this company for years. Have received orders in 2016 and 2017 and am still happy with this company. Always try the unique seeds offered, that you won't find anywhere else. Don,t buy common vegetables and flowers as they are boring for me
Seeds sent have at least an 80% germination, which I think is good. Use a potting soil mix I created to fit the needs of the seeds I order. Never fails for me...Awesome selection of tropical plant seeds.

JL Hudson has been one of my favorite seed companies for years. I like that all of their seeds are open pollinated, so that I can grow my own seed. Their catalog is always fun to browse. They have many varieties that you don't see in other places. And the seed packet prices and shipping are very reasonable. Highly recommended!

Love this company! I've placed 7 orders since discovering them a couple of years ago and never a problem of any kind. They have a fantastic variety of seeds and the seed prices and postage charges are very reasonable.

The best seed company I know. They set my business apart from all my peers. I've been buying from them since the 80's. Never had a problem. You will LOVE them! Quick response time too, the best in the business...

Posted on March 22, 2011, updated April 30, 2016
Posted on April 22, 2007, updated March 22, 2011
Wanted to bulk order some seeds, and found them here for a reasonable price. Arrived in about a week from the time I ordered. Will order from them again.

Well, I don't honestly know that the evergreen huckleberries, vaccinum ovatum, will sprout for me in Zone 6b in Somerset, Kentucky but I was very pleased to is was so easy to order the seeds to try from Hudson. They are friendly and efficient.

It remains to be seen if that type of huckleberry will grow here if I do get the seed to sprout, if it does I will foundation plant around the north and northeast side of my house with them and part way down the driveway where all the shade is. I will later order about 10 start plants though for in from of the living room picture window.

Oh, and I ordered 2 packs. One pack is going in the freezer til next January when I will try to start those.

I absolutely love this company's seed selection. If you want colorful photos, don't bother requesting the catalog. The physical catalog doesn't have photos, but it does have a wonderful seed selection with basic growing information. While the online catalog listings include a few photos, they really aren't designed for beginning gardeners who need in depth growing information. If you're just starting out you may want to use the online catalog listings and google the photos and growing conditions of each plant before ordering. Overall this is one of my favorite companies; I'm able to get seeds for plants I couldn't otherwise get locally. I look forward to doing more business with them.

I'm another who's signed up to Dave's Garden specifically to be able to give a positive review for JL Hudson!

I've ordered from JLH for years, always easy, always fast, always excellent germination, always among the least costly -- and the wonderful catalog opens my eyes to so many things I'd never have dreamed of trying and that one never sees in "ordinary" catalogs; it's an education in itself. Over the years I've had many fine adventures thanks to the JLH folks.

I can't begin to imagine the hard work it takes to maintain this many varieties, listings, orders... This is a special place, so glad it exists.

This is the first time in over forty years of doing business with JLHudson that I've had the opportunity to rate my experience with their company and products. The catalogue is worth getting just for the seed germination information, let alone all the other extraneous comments, et cetera. Whether it has been tree seeds, perennial seeds, tropical plant seeds, or vegetable seeds, the quality and quantity have always been excellent. I am a horticulturist by trade, and have worked in the industry for the last forty-nine years, so I do know what I'm talking about. If you are looking for a good source of seeds, here it is.

I have ordered seeds from J L Hudson many times in the past.
The orders were always delivered on time and without error.

J L Hudson is providing a valuable service by making available
a wide range of seeds.

Ability to sort by plant-type e.g. tree/vines/creepers/fruit-bearing/fragrant/creepers/tropical/ .. etc and addition of a
pictorial catalog would improve user-experience.

Thanks for providing this great service.

This is a good company and deserves all the positive reviews. I've ordered from them a number of times as well as provided them with fresh-harvested bloodroot and paw paw, but this is my first review. Overall, I've had great luck with their seed and have been highly satisfied with the selection, quantity and value. The occasional pack that doesn't germinate - well one has to consider that many of the wild or novel species offered may have very specific soil/light/moisture/scarification requirements and may require a more experienced grower or optimal natural conditions to break the dormancy and achieve the best results. If ordering these types of seed from any supplier, I find my success is often greatly enhanced by researching the species, habitat, and cultivation requirements in advance so that I know the do's/don'ts beforehand. Overall, a great resource and company for conserving and providing non-GMO, non-patented, open-pollinated choices for eco-conscious customers!

Easy and Super quick! Very happy with my order.

Posted on December 29, 2006, updated September 15, 2015
I placed my first order with them last spring with mixed results.
Gaura, centaurea, platycodon and lobelia did well.
Several other perennials germinated but did poorly after transplanting.
This may not be their fault since our soil is generally poor, and I may not
have enriched it enough.
Their Bulls Blood Beet and (surprisingly) Viola Tricolor did not
germinate well.
I may order from them again, since their catalog is quite informative,
but at present I cannot give them a standing ovation.

"

Mr. Shirer placed his request January 16th, and his seeds were mailed January 20th, 2006. We heard nothing more from him until seeing his remarks on Garden Watchdog.

The seeds supplied were good - the Bull's Blood Beet had germination well over the USDA Federal Standard of 80%, and the Viola had close to its maximum germination of about 25% (see below).

When people complain to us, we don't mind - we thank them! I've always said that the rare valid complaint about seed germination is worth $1000 - if a bad lot somehow slips by our quality control program, or particular lot of seed "goes off" in between regular scheduled germination tests, and a client brings this to our attention, we can pull the lot, retest it, and stop distribution if bad. This helps prevent others from having a bad experience, and keeps our reputation intact.

Even an invalid complaint about germination is worth $100 - because by replacing the seed and explaining to the client what might have gone wrong in the sowing of the seed, we can both help the client achieve better success with seeds, and show them that the seed was not at fault, and that we take seed quality seriously.

But if the client never tells us that they had poor germination, we have no chance of making things right. Unfortunately, Mr. Shirer never contacted us at all about these seeds. We wish he had! If he had, we would have reported that the Bull's Blood Beet that he ordered in January 2006 had given 85% when tested just two months before in November 2005, and gave 92% tested June 2007, and gave 96% tested in December 2006 (yes, many seeds go up in germination for several years before they start to go down). Certainly if he had no germination, something was wrong in the conditions when he sowed them. If he had contacted us, we would have gladly sent him another packet to try, and reported to him the results of our test.

The Viola tricolor Sawyer's Black is a tricky one to germinate, and under the best of conditions it usually gives only low germination. Violas can be very tricky, some requiring a prechill, exposure to light, or treatment with GA-3 in order to get germination. Under our description of this seed, we clearly note that it has naturally low germination. Again, we would have sent him another packet with suggestions on how to get better results.

His poor results are no reflection on his skill - he got good results from the Gaura, another kind that is often tricky to germinate.

Seeds are living things and even the best among us will have unexplained failures of germination. Even in our laboratory tests under controlled conditions we sometimes have unexplainable failures, with the same seed giving good results when retested. As we pros say "Go figure!"

So I urge everyone to always, always complain, but be sure you contact the supplier FIRST - don't publicly complain about someone unless you have contacted them first, and given them a chance to fix any problem. All mail-order suppliers are concerned about their reputations, and it is unfair to diminish their reputation without contacting them first.

We are glad Mr. Shirer only gave us a "Neutral" rating (rather than Negative), and he also showed his honesty by mentioning that his soil might have been at fault.

Rule of thumb - don't publicly complain about someone until you have contacted them and given them a chance to fix whatever the problem - it's only fair.

Please, send a friendly report of your results, and you will receive a friendly, helpful reply in return!"

Ordered on the weekend, shipped Tuesday & arrived Friday from California to N.C.
Very pleased.

Fast delivery. Easy to pay and e-mail.

I learned about J.L. Hudson in Michael Pollan's book, Second Nature, and sent away for seeds to plant in my community garden plot -- the first garden I've ever had. I kept it simple and only planted Carrots, Beets, and Brussels Sprouts. All grew extremely well.

My family has been buying seeds from Hudson (and Harry Saier before him) for many years. I can't say enough nice things about Hudson. The catalog is a labor of love. I always find something interesting within it, and I look forward to receiving one each spring. I have never found these fine seed folk to be anything other than helpful and congenial whenever I've ordered from them. I love that they offer so many options for payment, and that the privacy of their patrons is important to them. I imagine I'll be buying seed from Hudson as long as I'm still able to lift a trowel.

Second time ordering from him, and both times positive. He has a good variety of seeds that are hard to find in regular seed catalogs, and I've had good luck with starting the seeds.

Awesome!! I used the net and Pay-Pal, just a couple of days ago and my seeds are on the way!!..so easy!! I look for the catalog every year, it's my Bible of seeds..so informative and fun to read! Quality and information is Top notch.. Ten years using their seed with no problems...Now the challenge is on all of us to execute and grow..
Mike C... Florida

This was my first time ordering. I received the seeds quickly and everything was exactly as I ordered. Thanks.

I love this company. Can't say enough good things about them, and it, and their fascinating seeds. They are a pleasure to deal with. Have been ordering from them for twenty-some years, and the most interesting plants in my garden started from their seeds. Wonderful vegetable varieties, and even Ginkgo Biloba... I started a forest of those two years ago and gave away dozens of seedlings. Very generous quantities of seed in each packet, making the exchange rate quite worthwhile. Also their helpful and informative-- even inspiring-- catalogue, which is educational Winter reading here in the North. I sing their praise.