When J.W. Jung founded a local seedbusiness in Randolph, Wisconsin in 1907, his goal was straightforward: to help gardeners succeed with premium products and seasoned advice. For 120 years, that goal has guided us. Now in our fourth generation of family leadership, we carry forward his legacy with the same care he brought to it. We honor that legacy with every product we offer. Whether you are planting your very first vegetable patch or nurturing a well-established perennial bed, you can count on us for proven seeds, plants, bulbs, and supplies chosen to perform across every growing zone. We only sell what we would confidently bring home to our own gardens, and we back every order with The Jung Guarantee.
To us, gardening is about connection, not just transactions. When you reach out to our team, you get more than answers. You gain access to generations of horticultural expertise. Whether you need advice on seed starting, seasonal plant care, or simply deciding what to grow next, we treat you like a neighbor, exactly as J.W. did when he first opened our doors.
While we proudly serve our state through our family of local garden centers, our community extends nationwide through our catalogs and online store. From our Wisconsin home to gardens across the nation, we are honored to grow alongside you, today, tomorrow, and always.
A Historical Timeline
1887
John William “J.W.” Jung is born in Wisconsin farm country. He is the fourth of 10 children in his family.
1907
The J.W. Jung Seed Company is born. After studying at Oshkosh Business College and
working for a year at the H.W. Buckbee Seed Company in Rockford, IL, J.W. returns home to Randolph to start his own seed business from the family farm. On a small hand press, J.W. produces 400 copies of his first 5 by 7 inch catalog: the seed of everything to follow.
1913
To keep up with growing demand, J.W. moves the business to a new location in downtown Randolph, putting the post office and railroad within easy reach. The company continues to grow and they convert Alton Hall, a former opera house, into company headquarters.
1930's
Driven by the Great Depression, the catalog reaches 280,000 mailboxes. In hard times, Americans turn to their gardens, and to Jung for the seeds to fill them.
1940's
1940’s - The second-generation steps in. Eldest son Wilfred and son-in-law Tuenis “Tueny” Zondag join the operation, expanding the family business. J.W.’s younger son, John Carl, also joins the operation, deepening the second generation’s involvement.
1951-1952
1951-1952 – In late May, lightning strikes the company building, and fire destroys nearly
everything inside, including the original hand press and J.W.’s catalog archive. Only the business records survive.
Out of the ashes, a fresh start. J.W. purchases land on the outskirts of Randolph, and a new company headquarters rises.
1955
The first Jung Garden Center opens in a single room at the headquarters, with Tueny
Zondag instrumental in its founding, marking the company’s first step into in person retail.
1970's
The company continues to grow. Richard “Dick” Zondag, son of Tueny and Betty, becomes the 3rd generation of family to work in the business.
Catalog circulation reaches 700,000.
The single-room garden center has overflowed its walls. A new, larger store rises to meet demand from a growing community of Wisconsin gardeners.
1981
After more than seven decades on the job, J.W. retires, his bedroom-and-seed-plot idea now a thriving, multi-generational business.
1987
In the year J.W. turns 100, Jung prints its catalog in-house for the final time, the last major seed company to do so.
1989-1993
Additional garden centers open in Stevens Point, Madison, and Sun Prairie,
signifying the company’s step into Wisconsin’s broader gardening community.
1999
The company broadens its catalog portfolio with five additional titles, driven by the
launch of the perennial specialty catalog Roots & Rhizomes and the acquisition of
Seeds for the World, which included the brands R.H. Shumway, Totally Tomatoes,
Vermont Bean Seed Company, and HPS.
2007
The company celebrates “100 Years of Growing” with a year-long centennial celebration.
Nathan Zondag, son of Dick Zondag, begins his career with the company, continuing
the legacy as the fourth generation of the family in the business.
2022
After nearly 30 years as president, Dick Zondag passes leadership of the company to Nathan Zondag.
2024
Sara Zondag, daughter of Dick Zondag, joins the business to help lead the company alongside brother Nathan, continuing the family legacy.