“I’ve been an active gardener forever,” Jake Morss says. There is photographic evidence to back up his claim. An early snapshot shows young Jake getting his first literal taste of Humboldt — he was 2 years old when he was caught eating dirt in his parents’ Carlotta garden. Soon after, Jake was gardening in earnest, finding happiness in nurturing nature. Twenty years after starting J&G Lawn and Garden, he still loves sinking his hands into Humboldt’s finest soil.
When Jake was 5, his parents gave him a new garden to explore. Steve and Lael Morss had moved the family to Weott where their store J.E. Johnson’s was located. He grew up learning about the world of business in the aisles there, but it was the lure of nature that caught him. He quickly found he loved landscaping and dug in. After graduating from Miranda’s South Fork High School, he supported his garden entrepreneurship while working other jobs.
Jake expanded the family tree after meeting his wife, Gigi, in 1998. The Bridgeville area native and the garden guy were introduced by mutual friends. They both worked two jobs as they juggled raising Shayla and Katelynn with the responsibilities of their burgeoning business. “The girls were 2 and 4 when we started J&G on April 1, 2006,” he says. They kept outside jobs for 18 months until J&G Lawn and Garden put down a strong taproot. After that, Jake and Gigi gave up having employers and focused on working for themselves. They found time to add two more branches to the family tree when they welcomed sons Jacob and Isaac.
As his business planted new seeds, Jake found he had little time to enjoy gardening in his own backyard. His growing business had strong support from the double trellis of family and community. “Gigi is our mascot, the personality side. I run day to day operations. I’m hands on; she pops in for community events.” His father Steve keeps the ledger rows just as neat as one of their well-designed vegetable beds. Jake tends to the bidding process and makes sure all contractual work is done according to plans. Those plans include making sure that landscaping not only enhances but prevents erosion and run off. Think: dry creek beds and percolating ponds that are functional and beautiful. “Landscapers used to take water and completely divert it, causing massive erosion,” says Jake. “Developments now win both battles at the same time.” The man knows a thing or two about retaining walls, too.
Over the years, Jake’s goals have shifted more toward running the business and gardening at home. He carefully cultivated a company culture to “have a place where people were not numbers, where everyone has a place. We treasure our J&G family. We all enjoy working together.” Jake goes on to explain, that when it comes to his business, “community becomes a motivating factor, and also enjoyable. The circle is complete.” Jake made sure to give a shout out to J&G’s 47 or so employees.
J&G Lawn and Garden. Credit: Photo by Melissa Sanderson
Although Jake and his team have been weeding yards for 20 years, the business hasn’t changed too much. “We had a logo revision, but phone numbers are all the same. We moved the shop from home to Carlotta, and the office to Fortuna’s Main Street,” he says. Which is convenient during the Fortuna Rodeo Chili Cook-Off. Jake not only knows how to please the public with a lovely garden, he also knows a bit about pleasing taste buds. The happy landscapers took home the rodeo’s People’s Choice in the Chili Cook-Off in 2024 and 2025.
Jake envisioned J&G Lawn and Garden as a strong community partner. “We help and donate as much as much as we possibly can because that is how the whole cycle works. Especially in Humboldt County. That process needs to take place. Without community support we would not be so successful,” he says. “We are very grateful for that.” The company team of full-grown garden gnomes supported the Redwood Discovery Museum by taking its annual Perilous Plunge. Jake and Gigi love supporting community events like the Humboldt County Fair Junior Livestock Auction. “We had our first Fortuna Rodeo parade our first season,” he says.
Jake and Gigi are proud of their children, watching them figure out where to find their own happiness. “Katelynn is teaching her first class of eighth graders,” says Jake. One daughter knows more about French polish than French drains (an underground water diversion that keeps your foundation safe from saturation). “Shalya finishes fine furniture,” he says. “The boys are doing their own thing.” And Jake is happy to do his own thing, too, getting more of his own garden’s dirt under his fingernails (not in his diet).
It’s no joke that J&G Lawn and Garden started its 21st season on April Fools’ Day. Jake surveys the fruition of his hard work with the patience of a landscaper: “It’s an asset to last for years to come.”
When asked to finish the sentence, My Humboldt life is …, Jake was full of gratitude. “My Humboldt life is a beautiful environment. All the areas we get to enjoy and all the communities that make that awesome.” His enthusiasm comes across in his voice.
“We get to play in nature all day,” he says. “We are pretty blessed. Pretty perfect spot.”
J&G Lawn and Garden
654 Main St, Fortuna
(707) 725-2731
jglawngarden.com
@ jglawnandgarden
This article appears in My Humboldt Life April 2026.