About

Welcome to Maxsea. We are a small, family-owned company in Southern Humboldt County, California. We have one simple goal: to make the very best garden products on the market using the finest ingredients available.

My name is John Dimmick, and I have loved horticulture my whole life. As a young child, I was introduced to organic farming by a rather eccentric local gardener and I’ve been captivated ever since. I founded the company that would come to include Maxsea in 1967 as a venture that would repurpose wasted bark from my family’s sawmill operations. The first product was an orchid-growing medium utilizing chipped redwood bark.

Inspired by the success of the orchid product, I formulated a line of organic potting soils and custom growing media for the local market. Then, in the mid 1980’s, I set my sights on fertilizer. I had long been fascinated by the benefits of seaweed and so began working with soluble seaweed granules, blending them with organics and food grade ingredients. Our first Maxsea Plant Food formula was offered for sale in 1989.

Every aspect of our business is small and handcrafted, and so we conduct sales accordingly. Maxsea sells to high-quality independent nurseries, garden centers and garden professionals. We do not sell to discount chains or big box retailers. Our Maxsea dealers are among the top nurseries and garden centers in the United States.

OUR TEAM

Owners: John and Michelle Dimmick

John and Michelle are avid and passionate gardeners who divide their time between homes in Southern Humboldt County, where the manufacturing facility is located, and Marin County, just outside San Francisco.

Michelle is a graduate of the California School of Culinary Arts and as such, she makes fantastic use of the bounty from the vegetable garden. John, in addition to manufacturing garden products, owned and operated a retail nursery and garden supply for 20 years.

The Crew: Jerry Lee, (left) and the Maxsea team

Jerry Lee, General Manager. Jerry started his career with Maxsea in 1999. Today, he is responsible for all aspects of Maxsea operations. Jerry is a hands-on manager; you'll find him answering calls, filling Maxsea containers as well as loading trucks.

A true jack-of-all-trades and expert on our business, Jerry is our go-to guy. If you are a garden professional who would like to purchase Maxsea, or you are interested in becoming a Maxsea dealer, please feel free to give Jerry a call.

Jerry lives off the grid in Northern Mendocino County with his wife Helen, daughter Melody and son Jayden. Jayden is the newest addition to the Maxsea team and is the third generation of his family to be part of Maxsea.

The Crew: A dedicated, close-knit team. The workplace is casual, schedules are flexible to accommodate rural homestead lifestyles and dogs are always a welcome part of every workday.

Director of Sales & Marketing: Mary Hatch

Mary Hatch has been actively involved with our company since the inception of our Maxsea product line. She was our first sales rep and Maxsea was her first product line.

Today, Mary oversees marketing and manages the independent sales representatives who sell Maxsea. She is a consummate “people person” who is well known and well respected throughout the nursery industry.

Mary is a native of Martinez California, where she resides with her husband Bob and their Black Labrador, Maxey.