Earl May Seed & Nursery

What Earl May Seed & Nursery does

Earl May Seed & Nursery is a privately held, family-owned garden center chain headquartered in Shenandoah, Iowa. Founded in 1917, the company operates 28 retail garden centers across four Midwestern states — Iowa (15 locations), Nebraska (8), Kansas (2), and Missouri (1). Its core offering spans garden seeds (vegetable, herb, fruit, annual, perennial, wildflower), live nursery stock including trees, shrubs, roses, perennials, vines, grasses, fruit plants, and bulbs, lawn care products, birding supplies, gardening tools and accessories, and a home and gifts category that includes exclusive Amish outdoor furniture. The business also maintains a wholesale seed division selling Performance Series and Conventional Sweet Corn plus bulk Garden Seed to commercial growers.

The revenue model is multi-channel and primarily transactional. In-store retail at garden centers is supplemented by an e-commerce website (earlmay.com) offering shipping and free in-store pickup, a wholesale division targeting commercial growers, and a portfolio of professional services that includes landscape design and installation, professional planting with extended product guarantees, garden coaching, container garden design, and garden maintenance. Pricing is unit-based across consumer product categories, with vegetable seeds ranging from $2.99 to $52.00 and ancillary products such as fertilizers, soil conditioners, and root stimulants typically priced between $14.99 and $35.00. Customer acquisition is supported by educational content marketing (lawn care, perennials, vegetables/herbs, trees/shrubs blogs), email newsletters, YouTube video content, in-store events and classes, and the Earl May PERKS loyalty program — a point-based system where members earn one point per dollar spent (triple points on qualifying lawn care programs) and receive a $10 reward per 250 points — accessible via a dedicated mobile application and online portal.

The company differentiates on regional brand recognition built over more than a century, the GET MORE Guarantee (1-year nursery guarantee plus extended 2-3 year guarantees on professional plantings and Plant Start purchases), expert in-store advisory staff, and an annual community tree-planting program that exceeds 100 trees per year. Its technology footprint is conventional rather than differentiated: a NetSuite-based e-commerce site, Google Analytics, standard card payment rails, and a PERKS mobile app. No AI, proprietary platform technology, or API integrations were disclosed in the source data.

Name

Earl May Seed & Nursery

Legal name

Earl May Seed & Nursery

Website

https://www.earlmay.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Earl May Seed & Nursery is a family-owned garden center chain operating 28 retail locations across Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri, selling plants, seeds, lawn care, and gardening supplies to home gardeners and commercial growers, complemented by e-commerce, wholesale seed, and professional landscape services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Garden Center Retail

NAICS

Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (44424), Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Retailers (4442)

SIC

Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)

akta.pro primary industry

Plants, Seeds & Nursery Retail (Garden Centers) (CRAIAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Garden Bed Installation & Planting (Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs) (HSAIAFAB), Seasonal Color & Flower Rotation (Spring/Fall Plantings) (HSAIAFAE), Seasonal Color, Planting & Horticultural Services (BPABADAL), Landscape Plant & Nursery Stock Wholesalers (Grower-Wholesalers) (AFAGAHAM)

Keywords

• Retail garden centers
• Lawn and garden supplies
• Nursery and seeds
• Landscape design services
• Outdoor living products

Headquarters

HQ city

Shenandoah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices25 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Store Sales: In-store sales of garden products including seeds, plants, fertilizers, tools, garden supplies, outdoor furniture, and home decor items across 28 garden center locations.
2. E-commerce Online Sales: Online sales of garden seeds, supplies, and products through earlmay.com with shipping and in-store pickup options.
3. Wholesale Seed Sales: Wholesale division selling Performance Series and Conventional Sweet Corn seeds and Garden Seeds in bulk quantities to commercial growers.
4. Professional Services: Revenue from landscape design and installation, professional planting services, garden coaching, and container garden design services.
5. Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards at garden centers and online.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Earl May Seed & Nursery is a family-owned garden center chain that sells plants, garden seeds, lawn care products, gardening supplies, birding supplies, and outdoor living/home décor items. The company operates 28 retail garden centers across Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas, an e-commerce website (earlmay.com) for direct-to-consumer online sales, a wholesale division for bulk sweet corn and garden seed, and a PERKS customer loyalty program. It also offers professional services including landscape design and installation, professional planting, garden coaching, and container garden design.

Product overview

Earl May Seed & Nursery operates 28 family-owned garden centers across Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas, offering a comprehensive retail and wholesale operation. The product portfolio centers on garden seeds (vegetables, herbs, fruits, annuals, perennials, wildflowers), live nursery stock (trees, shrubs, roses, perennials, vines, grasses, fruit plants, bulbs), and lawn care products. Complementary offerings include birding supplies, gardening supplies, home décor and gifts, and Amish outdoor furniture. The company provides professional services including landscape design and installation, professional planting service, garden coaching, and garden maintenance. A loyalty program (Earl May PERKS) rewards customers with points on purchases. Wholesale operations focus on sweet corn seeds (Performance Series and Conventional varieties). Key proprietary products include Structure Soil Conditioner, Seed Starting Mix, Garden and Plant Food Plus fertilizer, Plant Start Root Stimulant, and Rot-Stop blossom end rot control. Raised garden bed products and container solutions support small-space gardening.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Earl May PERKS: Rewards program operated by Earl May Seed & Nursery, offering point-based rewards for qualifying purchases at garden centers.

Products and services

• Garden Seeds Extensive selection of vegetable, herb, fruit, annual, perennial, and wildflower seeds for Midwest gardens, available for online ordering and in-store purchase.
• Plants (Trees, Shrubs, Roses, Perennials, Vines, Grasses, Fruit Plants, Bulbs) Live nursery stock including shade trees, ornamental trees, evergreen trees, shrubs, roses, perennials, vines, grasses, fruit plants, and bulbs available for in-store purchase.
• Lawn Care Products Complete lawn care solutions including grass seed, fertilizers, weed control, disease and pest management, and lawn repair products.
• Birding Supplies Birding products including birdhouses, bird baths, bird feeders, premium bird food, bees and bats supplies, hummingbird and oriole feeders, and wildlife books.
• Gardening Supplies Comprehensive gardening supplies including accessories, disease and pest control, gloves and apparel, houseplant supplies, landscape supplies, mulch and soil, natural and organic products, plant food and fertilizer, pond and water supplies, pots and planters, seed starting, tools, watering equipment, and weed control.
• Home & Gifts Home décor and gift items including candles, fashion and apparel, flags and mats, garden accents, kitchen items, outdoor living products, weather and rain items, and Amish outdoor furniture.
• Earl May PERKS Rewards Program Point-based loyalty rewards program where members earn 1 PERKS Point per dollar spent on qualifying purchases, with triple points on qualifying lawn care programs; $10 reward issued for every 250 points earned.
• Structure Soil Conditioner Kiln-fired arcolite clay soil amendment that loosens and aerates heavy soil in lawns, gardens, and flower beds; acts as a reservoir storing moisture, oxygen and nutrients, and reduces compacted soil problems.
• Seed Starting Mix Lightweight, loose and fertile soil-less mix specially formulated to promote superior germination of seeds; same formula used by professional nurserymen and greenhouse growers.
• Garden and Plant Food Plus General-purpose granular fertilizer (10-10-10 balanced formula) with time-released nitrogen that feeds slowly for up to 3 months; contains iron and sulfur, specially created for Midwestern gardens.
• Plant Start Root Stimulant Professional root stimulant containing 3-10-3 fertilizer, Vitamin B-1, rooting hormone and soil penetrant; helps develop strong root systems and reduces transplant shock for newly planted trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables.
• Rot-Stop Tomato Blossom End Rot Concentrate Liquid calcium blossom end rot control that corrects calcium deficiency and controls blossom end rot on tomatoes and other vegetables.
• Sweet Corn Seeds (Performance Series and Conventional) High-quality sweet corn seeds including Performance Series varieties and conventional varieties available in multiple sizes from packets to 50 lb bags; includes varieties such as Honey 'N Pearl, Kandy Korn, and Bodacious.
• Landscape Design & Installation Services Professional landscape design and installation services provided at Earl May Garden Centers.
• Professional Planting Service Professional planting service with extended guarantee coverage - shade trees, ornamental trees, fruit trees and evergreen trees guaranteed for 3 years; shrubs, grasses, perennials and vines guaranteed for 2 years.
• Garden Coach Services Book-a-garden-coach service offering expert gardening advice and personalized guidance for customers.
• Raised Garden - Cedar Three-Tiered Stair Step Natural cedar raised garden bed with terrace design for both shallow and deep root systems, providing over 4 square feet of planting space; durable and insect resistant.
• Raised Garden - Flex Space Garden Set Modular raised garden bed system with gray finish, includes 3 planters and 2 legs with multiple layout options; made from high density resin with built-in drip tray.
• Raised Garden - Rectangular Planter/Beverage Tub Modern farmhouse mini rectangle planter/beverage tub with matte black finish and copper handles; holds 1.82 cubic feet of soil.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Seed Savers Exchange: Iowa-based non-profit seed company focused on heirloom and open-pollinated seed preservation and direct-to-consumer mail order; competes with Earl May's wholesale and retail seed assortment within the same state footprint.
• Menards: Midwest-focused home improvement and lawn & garden retailer with strong presence in Iowa, Nebraska, and surrounding states; a direct regional incumbent whose garden center offering overlaps with Earl May's brick-and-mortar assortment.

Broad incumbents

• Lowe's: National home improvement chain with extensive garden and outdoor living assortments and growing professional installation services; overlaps with Earl May on plants, lawn care, and outdoor living categories.
• The Home Depot: National home improvement retailer with a sizable garden center assortment (plants, lawn care, tools); competes with Earl May on commodity categories at greater scale, lower prices, and broader geographic reach.
• Pike Nurseries: Multi-store garden center chain across the Southeast U.S. owned by a larger parent; competes with Earl May on retail garden assortment and services but at greater scale and outside Earl May's geography.
• Armstrong Garden Centers: California-based chain of independent garden centers offering plants, garden supplies, and landscape services; comparable product and service mix but operating primarily in a different regional climate.

Direct peers

• Calloway's Nursery: Regional chain of garden centers across Texas offering live plants, gardening supplies, and landscape services; comparable to Earl May as a multi-store garden center brand with services, although serving a different regional market.
• Alsip Home & Nursery: Independent garden center and landscape services retailer serving Indiana and Illinois, with comparable retail garden assortment, professional landscaping, and family/independent ownership; overlaps directly with Earl May on customer use cases and product categories.
• Lurvey Garden Center: Independent, family-owned garden center and landscape services business serving the Chicago suburbs and broader Illinois market, closely comparable to Earl May on retail garden assortment, professional landscape services, and regional family-business positioning.
• Bachman's: Family-owned, multi-generational garden center and nursery chain headquartered in Minnesota with a similar combination of retail garden centers, landscaping services, and floral operations across the Upper Midwest; the closest direct comparable to Earl May in scale, ownership profile, and operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/earlmay
• Facebookfacebook.com/EarlMayGardenCenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Earl May Seed & Nursery