Overview: I question the product's quality, and their customer service is pretty much non-existant.
This company takes out full page ads in the Parade newspaper magazine insert. After viewing their website and also checking other information websites I decided to give it a shot, ordering several hundred 'plugs'. The past fall had been brutal on my lawn so I thought Zoysia might handle it better here.
We were well into spring so I began to wonder when my order would arrive. I sent two e-mail requests through their website and also called twice and left messages. NO warning was given so I arrived home one day and there they were. Opening the boxes I was initially very concerned as to the condition. The instructions state not to be alarmed if the plugs are somewhat brown, but these (see picture) were entirely brown and 100% dry. I spent that evening and the next morning (taken off work) to get all the plugs planted ASAP as recommended. Luckily we had light rain during that time.
It's been a year now (May 2003) and I see NO indication that these plugs have taken in my yard at all. They offer free replacements, but no refund.
An e-mail notice when your package ships out would be nice, and any well-organized shipping system has this built-in. They never returned any of my inquiries.
Also, after speaking with a co-worker I found out another opinion on Zoysia in my local area. While it may be very weather and wear resistant, he said it can take up to 4-6 weeks more than fescue to turn green in the spring, and goes dormant and brown about the same time period earlier. He had previously killed his entire zoysia lawn, tilled, and replanted with cool season grass. I was under the impression that this time difference was much less.
Other people's experiences that have run across this page and contacted me:
I purchased 1000 plugs last spring and most didn.t grow. they sent another replacement order in June 2003 which did somewhat better. Now its spring 2004 and theres very minimal sign that the grass is there. I emailed them 2 weeks ago to try to find a solution but I haven't got a response ! My lawn looks terrible. (K. Byrd)
I also waited and waited to get the plugs, then planted as per instructions.
The 'pieces of straw' that I planted never became anything more than 'pieces
of straw'. Also, the planting itself was extremely difficult--especially
for a senior citizen who suffers from crippling arthritis. They did tell me
that they will not refund my money, only send me more 'pieces of straw'.
And since it's obvious this stuff is not going to grow in my yard, it is
totally useless to me. (C. Smith)
I ordered a two thousand plug order where you get four hundred plugs free. I received an e-mail from them stating that it would be early March before my order would ship due to the cold MD. winter. They then wanted an address verification which I gave them and then they e-mailed me again to say that it would be shipping in April. Now that I see others aren't happy with their claims, I'm going to cancel my order. Thanks for your letting everyone know about these products that don't work as good as their advertisements say they do. Please feel free to post this. (J. Drella, AZ)
I ordered a total of 4500 " plugs " as advertised in the parade magazine ad. What they sent me, in side three cardboard boxes, were a total of 30 squares of dead grass, each about 12" by 10". They sent the planting tools as advertised, but not the plugs. UPS delivered them to my house on the 5th day after pick-up at Zoysia, regular 5 day ground rate. This stuff was brown long before it was put in the box, and as referenced in no way resembles plugs. My cost was just under $245. I've going to send them one e-mail to ask if this is a mistake or a joke. If it's a joke it will be on them. I paid with a Visa card and guess what - I can refuse the charges and Visa will back me if they don't deliver as advertised.
I'd seen their ads for over 40 years and was 99% confident they were trustworthy because of that. Still, I covered the base anyway and paid by credit card - to protect myself. Post this if you wish. Big disappointment so far. If they make it good, I'll write again and tell you. Got a bad feeling brewing though. (J Pike,
Florida).
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