Beware of this company- www.zoysiafarms.com

by Legacy post · 2016-05-11

average consumer – posted 18 June 2001 14:25

They send out dead plugs and don’t return emails. They will not honor their satisfaction guarantee. Stay away from them.

greengal – posted 18 June 2001 21:47

AMEN TO THAT

[This message has been edited by seed (edited 03 November 2001).]

OriginalJR – posted 23 June 2001 11:55

I ordered the min. amount to test. Like you, they came completely brown, as they said, but after about 3 weeks, they greened up, now they’re completelly green.

lawnguy – posted 23 July 2001 12:40

Instead of e-mailing, call (410) 756-2311. I got their number from the Greater Maryland Better Business Bureau.

David Gabler – posted 04 September 2001 19:54

I have to say, I ordered from zoysiafarms.com and was very happy with how quickly the plugs came. They were a little brown, but green up very fast. I *DID* have some not grow, and emailed the company, and they responded to my email and are in the process of honoring their guarantee.

Just had to say not everyone has the same experience, obviously. I would buy from them again (but with PLUGS, won’t have to!).

David

ty – posted 22 October 2001 11:15

my wife ordered 50 plugs they came in and were brown i told her they were not any good.She planted them in the back yard two weeks later they greened up and I had to take back my words.we are going to order more for this spring.I don’t know but they look good to us.

ty cone

RICK IN SO CALIF – posted 29 January 2002 13:39

WELL I HAVE READ GOOD AND BAD ON THIS LAWN PLUGS AND HAVE NOT SEEN MUCH FROM THE COMPANY TO BACK ITSELF UP ON THIS SO WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE PLEASE I WANT TO LEARN AND HERE MORE ON THIS. SOMEONE PLEASE REPLY TO ME ASAP WETHER ITS FROM A USER OR COMPANY REP. YOU CAN E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR ANSWERS TO RH*********@ju**.com THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS .

anderson5atpeoplepc.com – posted 29 January 2002 17:40

[

We are also wanting info on the zoysia grass.We area planting new grass and read this ad.Please if you get any info on z-farms, please e-mail us. Thank you.

QUOTE]Originally posted by RICK IN SO CALIF:WELL I HAVE READ GOOD AND BAD ON THIS LAWN PLUGS AND HAVE NOT SEEN MUCH FROM THE COMPANY TO BACK ITSELF UP ON THIS SO WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE PLEASE I WANT TO LEARN AND HERE MORE ON THIS. SOMEONE PLEASE REPLY TO ME ASAP WETHER ITS FROM A USER OR COMPANY REP. YOU CAN E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR ANSWERS TO RH*********@ju**.com THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS .[/QUOTE]

hasanchez – posted 11 February 2002 16:48

[we are in the process of ordering the plugs have you heard of any info on this company please let us know if you have. Thanks[

We are also wanting info on the zoysia grass.We area planting new grass and read this ad.Please if you get any info on z-farms, please e-mail us. Thank you.

QUOTE]Originally posted by RICK IN SO CALIF:[b]WELL I HAVE READ GOOD AND BAD ON THIS LAWN PLUGS AND HAVE NOT SEEN MUCH FROM THE COMPANY TO BACK ITSELF UP ON THIS SO WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE PLEASE I WANT TO LEARN AND HERE MORE ON THIS. SOMEONE PLEASE REPLY TO ME ASAP WETHER ITS FROM A USER OR COMPANY REP. YOU CAN E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR ANSWERS TO RH*********@ju**.com THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS .[/QUOTE][/B][/QUOTE]

an**********@ub*****.com – posted 22 February 2002 22:01

I really want to know more myself. more Information would be nice.

john2judy – posted 26 February 2002 08:46

quote:Originally posted by ty:my wife ordered 50 plugs they came in and were brown i told her they were not any good.She planted them in the back yard two weeks later they greened up and I had to take back my words.we are going to order more for this spring.I don’t know but they look good to us.
ty cone

So how does your grass look now? Does it work in hard/clay soil? This wife wants to order some but can’t believe the claim!!!!

gyulveszidl1 – posted 08 March 2002 16:14

My husband and I have tried absolutely everything to fill in our grass and also seed the entire front yard. Nothing has worked so far. I live in Michigan, so you would think grass would be easy to grow. However will live on soil that is mainly concentrated of sand. Zoysia seems like a great possible solution from the ad I read in the magazine. But from what I have read from replies, is it really worth it? The price seems right. Let me know.

Tampabeachbum – posted 15 March 2002 07:22

I just received 200 plugs from Zoysiafarms.com. After opening the box, I was disappointed. The 200 plugs is basically two ‘sheets’ of sod cut down in to 1X1 plugs. It is brown and does look like it won’t make it. I’ve put it down and I’ll have to wait and see what it does. Waiting for the verdict….

tgo57 – posted 17 March 2002 12:04

I have also seen ad for the ZOYSIA GRASS recently in my Sunday paper from ZOYSIA FARMS. It sounds like a great alternative, but will the grass grow in my area? I live in Central Virginia? What does it not tolerate?

steve in apple valley – posted 27 March 2002 18:42

I purchased $100.50 worth of dead plugs from this company in march of 1997. I have a canceled check but no grass,they will tell you wait it will green up. Not so far. To date they have not honored their worthless guarantee. Please save your hard earned money and don’t do buisness with this company. There are alot of reputable sod and or seed farms out there. Try one of them. Zoysia is a good grass,used it on the golf courses.It is what they say. But they unfortunately are not!

havajeff – posted 29 March 2002 22:15

quote:Originally posted by Tampabeachbum:I just received 200 plugs from Zoysiafarms.com. After opening the box, I was disappointed. The 200 plugs is basically two ‘sheets’ of sod cut down in to 1X1 plugs. It is brown and does look like it won’t make it. I’ve put it down and I’ll have to wait and see what it does. Waiting for the verdict….

Tampabeachbum: I am very interested in how your grass turns out? I am starting to get ready to plant grass in my back yard. It is a new home and I’m doing the landscaping myself. I live in Lake Havasu City AZ.and the average summer daytime temperatures are 105 degrees. (starting around May 1st.)There seems to be good and bad things from different people about this grass. If anyone can give me more information I would appreciate it. e-mail me at js**@ci*****.net Thanks

Shelley – posted 01 April 2002 10:22

quote:Originally posted by havajeff:

I was in the process of ordering from Zoysia Farm, but after reading all the negative feed-back from you and others. I feel like you just saved me my hard earned money and some unnecessary aggravation.Thank you. Shelley in Buffalo.

lizzy55 – posted 02 April 2002 18:11

I recieved the ad in the mail today. I was very interested and showed my husband who said order it. There was no number to call but I noticed the internet address and thought I’ll go there; plus my husband mentioned ask question first. I’m glad I came here instead of mail in the order. If the grass is that good where else can it be found? Would like to still have some. I’m at li*****@ea*******.net

mpchaparal – posted 10 April 2002 19:06

i ordered grass 2-26-02. i have my canceled check, but no grass. i cannot contact zoyiafarms as to where my order stands. i made a mistake ordering from them if is sounds too good to be true. it usually is

KeithJMc – posted 19 April 2002 11:20

This is purely my opinion but I know someone who had ordered the plugs and now he has a beautiful yard. It is even growing into the asphalt street. I ordered some as a test last year and they are doing OK. They have spread a little but I didn’t expect much in the first year. Being an engineer I also planted two different types of Zoysia seed that I found at Home Depot and Lowes. The Scotts brand seed are doing extremely well. I would recommend this one (and it was about half the price of the Pennington.) The Pennington seeds didn’t do well at all. I will not buy that one again. As I said this is just my experience.

BobInBoston – posted 29 April 2002 19:42

This is what I have to say. Thirty years ago my father ordered the plugs( then they were 2.5″ diameter circles) and got the free plugger which I still have. He is dead and the house is out of the family but the lawn is completely taken over by zoysia and has been for twenty years. He did the back yard first then transplanted to the front and to this day it is completely zoysia. As a kid it sucked to have to push a mower thru such thick grass but it didn’t have to be mowed every week. So 5 years ago I ordered some for my first house and received brown 1′ squares ( not the 2.5″ of years ago which meant you could plant the extra “waste area” too) It looked bad and I was dissappointed but planted anyway. I moved that summer but the plugs did green up. My dad’s lawn was always the last to come to life in the spring, brown for the longest, but when it greened up it was like carpet! I found this web site when I logged on to order more for this property, I only hope to have grass like my fathers old back yard at 11 MacNeill Dr Southboro, Mass.

Piker – posted 07 May 2002 08:01

Well I logged on to place an order with Zoysia farms, and accidently ended up on this forum. It sounds as though Zoysia is a good turf to use, but where is a good place to purchase the product? Seed vs plug? It seems there are to many negative comments about ZF to do busniess with them. Any comments welcome.

Piker

Robert Tyler – posted 09 May 2002 11:27

I traditional used a combination of 70%bluegrass, 30% white clover. The clover is for the rabbits. Several years ago, I had some yard work done, and the contractor put down fescue sod on about 75 sq. ft.of my yard. I hate it, it’s a thick rough grass, but it’s all the fashion today. I’m now in the process of trasnsplanting Zoysia from a neighbors yard into the fescue. So far it’s only been partially sucessful. The plugs have not thrived, I’m starting to think that zoysia is to tender to be used with a plugger. The amount of forced compaction done by the pluging tool harms the tender grass. I’m now having more success just digging up 8″x 8″ squares. I try to get at least 4″ of soil with each square. I suspect if you can afford it, ideally have your yard power seeded with Zoysia.

land man – posted 29 May 2002 20:49

When my plugs from zoysia farms arrived, they were brown and dry….but thank heaven for zoysia, i have never seen a grass come back so thick and green. That blue tint they give off is beautiful. After two months, the roots are so established and deep, the runners are everywhere and I can’t pull then out of the ground!!!!! I cant wait to see the final result

MimsMedical – posted 10 June 2002 07:05

I planted Zoysia Farms plugs last spring (’01). I did half my backyard as a test. The plugs arrived looking dead, just as I was told to expect. I got them into the ground within the week. Planted in North Georgia red clay dirt with no topsoil or fertilizer. I watered them well, and they greened up in no time. As of this spring they are already spreading and choking out the weeds and the old fescue(although the company does tell you to allow two to three years for them to completely cover). I have ordered more plugs to finish the other half of the yard. Not everyone will have the same experience with any given product or company, but I had to speak up on Zoysia Farms behalf. My entire back yard will be covered in low maintenance, hardy grass for under $100!! The front yard is expensive Bermuda sod – and it needs attention EVERY WEEK to stay healthy!!

tcoop – posted 14 June 2002 21:15

I ordered from Zoysia Farms 3 years ago. My order came in 3 boxes. 2 of them got here when expected on a Friday. The other box was delayed until then next Tuesday because UPS lost it. The ones that were late were dried up and most of the soil had fallen off. I planted them in a seperat area to watch them as the Zoysia Farms advised. They did not come back by the next spring. Zoysia Farms did honor their gaurantee and sent me another box.

The only reason that I am here now is that I was looking for information for a freid that I shared some new plugs with. My yard is now so thick that I can share the plugs. I love it.

Here is a tip. K-Mart has a Martha Stewart bulb planting tool that makes plugs about 4″ in diameter. I think it is much easier to transplant these large plugs and I have had better success with the larger plugs.

rodswilley – posted 24 July 2002 06:23

We ordered 2000 plugs from this company. After a month or so not hearing from them they finally shipped the plugs. When they arrived the plugs had very little or no soil attached and they looked like burned hay. After six hours of hard labor planting them as directed, a huge water bill and doing eveything they said the plugs didn’t green up or grow! We emailed them about the problem many times before they responded. We asked for our money to be returned. Instead without notice they shipped us more plugs. We refused the plugs and had them returned. Now this great company who says “They stand behind their grass” says because we refused the order they will not refund our money. We are now in the process of reporting them to every agency available. I suggest everyone else do the same. If we stand together we can get people like this put out of business!! If they can’t treated their customer right they shouldn’t be in business!! PLEASE HELP!

ttenrub – posted 01 August 2002 14:19

After reading all the bad things about this company, I will not be ordering from them, I guess I will put in Saint Augustine instead.

ErikBrochu – posted 13 August 2002 22:35

I ordered 2000 plugs from ZF in Feb 2002. They held my order until May to prevent risk of frost damage. Product arrived about May 10th and I finished planting about May 17th. Wouldn’t you know it… it SNOWED on May 18th. 40 days later with no signs of life at all from the plugs I called ZF. They offered me a free replacement order of all 2000 plugs or a 50% refund. I took the replacement order which arrived exactly when they told me it would (about three weeks after the request). I planted the replacement plugs and in doing so noticed that about half of the original order had started to green up with new growth. Every day I notice more of the original plugs coming back to life. My experience so far is that both the product and the company are everything their ads claim them to be. The one thing I’m still a bit worried about is that it will green up too late and brown too early each year due to the climate in my area (Southern New Hampshire).

smallcraft50 – posted 04 September 2002 13:52

I have just heard about Zoysia and am searching the web for info. It sounds great but where does it come from? Is it genetically engineered? Does it take over and choke out native plants? Is Monsanto involved somehow? If something sounds to good to be true, it usually is. We have been battling Scottish Broom and pampas grass here in Northern California. In Washington state, there are armies of volunteers trying to eradicate English Ivy. These nonindigenous species invade and do not support native flora and fauna. Is Zoysia a product that one would introduce into the wild? We live on a mountain and have been nursing a small yard for five years. I think of the poor Canadian farmers doing battle with multinationals now over ownership of their crops…Any information about Zoysia would be helpful. Thanks

Grassman – posted 20 September 2002 09:50

WOW!!!..looks like zoysiafarms are having too many negatives to trust!…seems every once in a while they hit the jack pot!!!

ko*****@ya***.com – posted 31 January 2003 06:39

Have any of you ever heard of the word “dormant?” It appears this is what theyship. You must conclude this after readingthe email in which the person mentioned thatthe zoysia was brown the longest in the springtime but, when it “greened”, was the best looking lawn in the neighborhood.

I am going the route of buying the seed at Home Depot or Lowe’s. I live near both.At least, If it doesn’t work, I’ll have amuch easier time getting a refund or asuitable replacement.

Just remember that you can catch more flyswith honey than you can with vinegar.

Dan

CherylP – posted 06 February 2003 14:21

I debating between St. Augustine, Bahia Grass and Zoysia grass. I live in Central Florida. What are the benefits of Zoysia compared to the others???

theplantation2860 – posted 07 February 2003 07:41

Zoysia is a nice grass, but requires more attention than St. Augustine. Most Zoysias should be mowed with a reel mower. You can use a push reel mower, but it is tiring. A power mower is the way to go, and they start around a grand. Zoysia takes longer to recover from drought or any other damage. It also cost more. But, it is a very nice grass. Most can be cut at 1/2 inch up to 2 inches, which is much nicer to walk and play in than St. Augustine. Hope this helps a li***************************@ya***.com

michaelturner – posted 10 February 2003 09:19

quote:Originally posted by CherylP:I debating between St. Augustine, Bahia Grass and Zoysia grass. I live in Central Florida. What are the benefits of Zoysia compared to the others???

I promise you, if you plant Bahia….you will regret it the rest of your life.

hardee – posted 10 February 2003 16:36

Thanks for the heads up, there’re more negative comments than positive. Definitely happy I visited the site, seems to be too many hassles for enjoying a nice lawn. Word to the wise, stay away from the gimmicks!

Atlanta resident – posted 11 February 2003 15:50

I live in Atlanta. We planted zoysia plugs years ago & they have spread quite a bit. We will be ordering more on a CREDIT CARD so that if they do not perform, we can file a billing dispute & get our money back. The zoysia is wonderful in the hot, humid and recently drought stricken Atlanta climate. The best part is the fall: the leaves are a breeze to blow off the zoysia with the blower whereas the fescue is horrible. It is absolutely the most carefree grass we have ever had. No hassle at all & I would love to have it all over the yard. It’s thick & I care not that it’s brown in the winter.It has choked out all the weeds, fescue & again, I just wish it would spread faster ! We don’t fertilize it or do anything to it & yet it thrives on sheer neglect. My kinda grass !

Cheryl P – posted 13 February 2003 10:27

Why does the Zoysia require a reel mower instead of a regular everyday lawn mower? What additional attention does it require over St. Augustine? Thanks for your input.

quote:Originally posted by theplantation2860:Zoysia is a nice grass, but requires more attention than St. Augustine. Most Zoysias should be mowed with a reel mower. You can use a push reel mower, but it is tiring. A power mower is the way to go, and they start around a grand. Zoysia takes longer to recover from drought or any other damage. It also cost more. But, it is a very nice grass. Most can be cut at 1/2 inch up to 2 inches, which is much nicer to walk and play in than St. Augustine. Hope this helps a li***************************@ya***.com

patattack – posted 13 February 2003 15:55

I live in south florida.I seen an ad for zoysia in my sunday paper.Im still waiting for my order which has only been a week long. Has anyone grown zoysia in south florida and if so how did it do?

Mr.Tully – posted 27 February 2003 11:48

Hello I am from Cleveland ,Texas. Just North of Houston. I am trying to get grass to grow in my yard with no luck. Has any one in this area ever used ZF? And if so was the results good or bad? Thanks from Cleveland ,Texas

curiousinmi – posted 03 March 2003 06:44

After reading some of the negative feedback I am skeptical of the true performance. I was a landscaper for 5 years and I had never heard of zoysia.I want to replace my lawn in Michigan and I don”t have the time to do it and cause I do construction and this sounds like the perfect remedy for my lack of time that I have.Please send me some possitve feedback, if there is any more than what I have already read.

Elaine-North Cal – posted 06 March 2003 09:40

quote:Originally posted by Tampabeachbum:I just received 200 plugs from Zoysiafarms.com. After opening the box, I was disappointed. The 200 plugs is basically two ‘sheets’ of sod cut down in to 1X1 plugs. It is brown and does look like it won’t make it. I’ve put it down and I’ll have to wait and see what it does. Waiting for the verdict….

It’s been a year since you planted the Zoysia plugs. Does it work for you well? I really want to know. Thanks a lot!

ncyardman – posted 06 March 2003 11:18

could it be that the plugs are still dormant.

Bi*********@AO*.com – posted 14 March 2003 20:01

3-14-03 I ordered grass on 1-28-03 and have not received anything yet. I am disappointed and will tell that to anyone who will listen or read my complaints.

BobinPhilly – posted 23 March 2003 18:25

How does zoysia stand up to animals? My wife demands that the dog be able to do his business in the yard so he doesn’t have to be walked so much. needless to say, he has killed the grass.

le****@do**.net – posted 25 March 2003 15:02

kosasok i live in california desert. i hope to here from someone that has tried this grass in simular ares. Please help if you can. thanks le****@do**.net

quote:Originally posted by ko*****@ya***.com:Have any of you ever heard of the word “dormant?” It appears this is what theyship. You must conclude this after readingthe email in which the person mentioned thatthe zoysia was brown the longest in the springtime but, when it “greened”, was the best looking lawn in the neighborhood.
I am going the route of buying the seed at Home Depot or Lowe’s. I live near both.At least, If it doesn’t work, I’ll have amuch easier time getting a refund or asuitable replacement.
Just remember that you can catch more flyswith honey than you can with vinegar.
Dan
s

rocky – posted 29 March 2003 09:20

Does Zoysai grass grow in shade in sandy soil? Thanks for any input. Despite negative feedback I am still tempted to try it.

lo************@ju**.com – posted 30 March 2003 13:09

you thieves don’t ship orlers

louis porretto3904 lime stmetairie, la. 70006

buffalo bill – posted 04 April 2003 08:24

I found beautiful buffalo grass plugs at toddvalleyfarms.com. They were beautifully green and they came in a tray with individual plugs of grass. They lived through a dry fall and below zero winter and now they are greening up great. This company also sells zoysia grass plugs. Try it!

Kevster – posted 14 April 2003 21:06

Here’s some help. For those who want a good Zoysia lawn, search for “Empire Zoysia” out there on the internet. It is much better than the Meyer zoysia brand sold by zoysiafarms. Most local nurseries can either get you the sod or plugs. These commonly come in 3×3 plugs. Mine have just started to be planted and they look great – I live in NC and this blends in perfectly with the fescue in my lawn that is still green and will be taken over by Empire eventually.

Empire is replacing El Toro at my nursery. Both are better than Meyer from what I’ve seen firsthand. Good luck!

HEIDI – posted 16 April 2003 11:30

JUST WANTED TO SEE HOW YOUR GRASS WAS DOING FROM TODDVALLEYFARMS.COM, SCARED TO ORDER NOW AFTER HEARING ALL THE CRAP FROM ZOYSIA FARMS. HELP. HE****@NE*.COM

Gilbert E Darling – posted 22 April 2003 18:59

Very unhappt with productNo sign of life after 9 weeks of loving carePlugging tool is a waste and poorly madeVery unhappy

Ed Hernandez – posted 23 April 2003 16:29

I planted 4000 plugs in Phoenix last September. They were brown and pitifull looking when they arived. Gave them every bit of TLC I could. Not one single blade of heathy grass was generated. Don’t know if Zoysia is good or not but Zoysia farms Ships CRAP. RUN AWAY!!!!

jcleveng@aol – posted 26 April 2003 15:17

Just got back from Home Depot. The rep for a soil amendment company highly recommended this type of grass. Said he had been responsible for golf courses in Saudi Arabia. Warned me that the plugs looked dead when they arrive, but would green up. Said that they only watered every other week when temperatures were over 120 degrees. I have full western exposure in Phoenix, AZ with clay soil. He said that this grass would work well here. Not sure after this web site, but will probably give it a try.

Kevster – posted 29 April 2003 06:33

quote:Originally posted by jcleveng@aol:Just got back from Home Depot. The rep for a soil amendment company highly recommended this type of grass. Said he had been responsible for golf courses in Saudi Arabia. Warned me that the plugs looked dead when they arrive, but would green up. Said that they only watered every other week when temperatures were over 120 degrees. I have full western exposure in Phoenix, AZ with clay soil. He said that this grass would work well here. Not sure after this web site, but will probably give it a try.

Why are you going to (likely) waste your time after reading all the testimonials here? Do yourself a favor and look for EMPIRE zoysia in the 3″x3″ plugs. I just put down 900 in my yard from my local nursery and they are great! Empire is much better than Meyer, it is greener, more drought tolerant, and much more resembles the existing fescue in my lawn which will eventually be taken over. Don’t settle in throwing hundreds of dollars away for a “hit or miss” product, an inferior zoysia grass, and more work (3×3 vs. 1×1 plugs).

You’ve been warned…

applemom – posted 14 May 2003 09:39

I have (had) St. Augustine in my yard in East Texas, and still have it everywhere but the front yard. I have big pecan trees in my front yard, and just suddenly the St. Augustine there died off and disappeared, leaving my front yard bare. I have tried grass seed for shaded areas with no success, and I am going to try Zoysia plugs. How well do they grow in sandy, shady areas?? Does anyone know?

Tom Coolberth – posted 18 May 2003 15:47

I planted a few plugs a few years ago just to see what would happen. The plaugs are thriving and I noticed that the grubs destroyed everything except for the plugs. Purchased from zoysiafarms.com .. no problems.

Tanya C. – posted 18 May 2003 22:01

I ordered zoysia two and half monyhs ago and still no grass plugs. I live in Okla. And should of receved them at least a month ago. They have not returned my e-mail. Not happy in Okla.

Wondering in Texas…???? – posted 12 June 2003 16:35

Well, it seems the grass is always greener on the other side. Remember some grasses are more tolorant than others. I haven’t heard anyone from Texas say anything this “wondergrass” please share your results. Just wondering, Tex.

blakenaj – posted 25 June 2003 08:18

My wife and I live in Wichita, KS and although it has not been particularly hot nor dry, our zoysia from zoysiafarms.com also did not grow. I even bought the recommended fertilizer. The plugger that came with it was junk, too, and worthless after its initial use. After 2 months of TLC, only a couple plugs showed any signs of life, and then it was only a couple green sprigs barely shooting up through the whole plug. Obviously some people are having some success, but man…who wants to take such a 50/50 chance? Go with seed or more preferrably SOD!

OldFart – posted 26 January 2004 18:04

I had a lawn in SW MO for 17 years that was Zoysia and it was the BEST grass that I have ever seen. Lived up to all the advertising…thankfully someone else started the grass, but it did spread nicely and I had no trouble cutting with a regular mower. I did order some plugs Years ago and they looked dead, so I just pitched em. Now going to try it in S. TX!

ted – posted 27 January 2004 10:37

Wow! unbelieveable responses. first of all, no professional would use plugs – it’s too slow to fill in. just sod it or get another type of grass. zoysia has a long following of fantastic claims by snake oil salesmen. i remember it being advertised in magazines back in the 1960’s as a miracle grass. so, here we go with some of the facts for a change! first of all, it’s only suited for the more temperate, moderate zones of the country. forget south texas, michigan, south florida, alaska, and the north pole, etc. second of all it does require less water and fertilization to remain green but it more than makes up for it in dethatching and having (preferably) to use a reel mower. in the midwest and mid-south it acts like bermuda in that it stays brown at least 7-8 months out of the year. third, you can buy zoysia seed , but it doesn’t work.and fourth and most importantly, if you can’t grow grass now, you probably won’t be able to grow zoysia! it can be stunning looking if maintained correctly, i’ve seen great zoysia lawns in atlanta and dallas, two great markets for this product.it definitely has it’s place, just be prepared for different and possibly expensive maintenance on this grass. and remember, no grass works everywhere- there’s just too much variation in temps and soil types. good luck!

p.s. it has some quirky chemical reactions, as well, so check with your local university for the correct weed control products to use on this grass- remember- you just spent alot of money for it.

la************@ax***.net – posted 08 February 2004 13:55

quote:Originally posted by ttenrub:After reading all the bad things about this company, I will not be ordering from them, I guess I will put in Saint Augustine instead.

I am scared to order now…Thank you all for letting me know about them..

strtrodder41 – posted 10 February 2004 05:06

Approximately 10-years, I placed an order with Zoysia Farms. After not receiving the plugs, I contacted them and they informed me that it takes several weeks for them to ship to my location (Sacraento, CA). Since I wanted to plant as soon as possible, I cancelled the order and they refunded my money. However, I am now getting ready to plant a new front yard and might place a new order. My one question is this: Has anyone tried using this product in the Sacramento, CA area?

st**********@ya***.com

whee – posted 10 February 2004 21:44

for those that havne’t received their plugs.. i found the following information on the zoysiafarms website

When do you ship?Shipping varies based on geographic location. Generally, we begin shipping in mid-March to the warmer climates, depending on weather conditions. We ship in order of receipt. The sooner we receive the order, the earlier the order will be shipped during the appropriate growing season for that area.

quote:Originally posted by Tanya C.:I ordered zoysia two and half monyhs ago and still no grass plugs. I live in Okla. And should of receved them at least a month ago. They have not returned my e-mail. Not happy in Okla.

Kcooper – posted 21 February 2004 18:03

Steve P – posted 16 March 2004 20:48

I’m a Northerner by birth but have lived in the Tennessee Valley for the past 9 years. The soil is hard red clay. I have been planting zoysia from zoysiafarms for the past 7 years. I tried every kind of grass including tall fescue, perennial rye, kentucky bluegrass and some I dont even want to get into. I cut the zoysia into 2″ squares and plugged them in every 9″. It took about 2 full seasons to choke everything out. It may be brown when it arrives but if you keep it moist in the plastic wrapping in the box it keeps for several months while I plug in a little at a time. It greens up in the heat of the summer. I have about 3/4 acre to cover and am still going. If you’re looking for instant gratification from your hard work, zoysia isnt the answer. But if you want to eliminate reseeding, fertilizing several times a year, and mowing your lawn every week, I have no problem with the zoysia from zoysiafarms.

ld*****@sb*******.net – posted 23 March 2004 18:47

I have never bought from this company, but for as zoysia grass. I put out some back in the ’90’s an we loved it. I am thinking about putting out some more sinces we have moved. It makes the most beautiful lawn we have every had. It does require watering in real hot weather I hope this will help you lizzie. Jack

joeB – posted 26 March 2004 10:37

I just came across this forum and see that no-one has poted to this group in awhile. About 2-weeks ago I received my order (including plugger) from zoysiafarms. I had cut out 1 of their coupons featured in over half the Military magazines I receive. As with many who have comented here, the sheets arrived pretty brown and I compounded the problem by not planting them immediately — left for a week in Vegas. But they are planted now and aside from yesterday, I’ve watered them every day. My wife said she could see some of the plugs were greening up (I didn’t) so I am being optomistic that they will take hold. I’m not one who will sit back and do nothing if they should fail and the warranty is not honored. Should that happen, I’ll make sure that every Federal, State, and City agency (as well as the editors of those magazines) is aware of the problems. That would be my advice to others here as well — if the product does not live up to billing then complain to the highest level. Sitting back and doing nothing but expressing feelings in forums like this dont do all that much to get companies to rectify problems. On the same note, a quick “atta boy” to those same agencies will filter back and help keep these companies wanting to continue to improve. A little thanks goes a long way.

Donna – posted 27 April 2004 12:05

I have a sloped yard with a huge tree, lots of shade. I have difficulty getting the grass to grow at all. Has anyone had any experience trying to plant zoysia in the shade? Does it still grow?

cathcp71 – posted 30 April 2004 12:36

Thank you to all that wrote in. I think you just saved us a ton of money and time. I just canceled my order!

Steve in Phoenix – posted 05 May 2004 16:53

Do not bother ordering anything from Zoysia Farms. The 2 small over priced pieces of sod (which they call plugs) that they sent me were totally dried up and did not grow in the Phoenix area. They of course will not offer any refund. Stay away from this company!

Will-PCB – posted 06 May 2004 07:31

This thread has to have the record for the oldest active thread on the internet.

If I were the CEO of this company, I think I would be looking at this carefully, and developing a plan to fix my ever growing bad name.

Disappointed – posted 23 May 2004 14:41

I bought 200 plugs also. I followed the instructions to the letter and and increased my water bill 400%. The result? Nothing! That was last year. I just sodded my entire back yard today with FLoratam. Good luck with yours!

quote:Originally posted by Tampabeachbum:I just received 200 plugs from Zoysiafarms.com. After opening the box, I was disappointed. The 200 plugs is basically two ‘sheets’ of sod cut down in to 1X1 plugs. It is brown and does look like it won’t make it. I’ve put it down and I’ll have to wait and see what it does. Waiting for the verdict….

OKC resident – posted 09 June 2004 11:56

Has anyone used plugs in Oklahoma or in an arid climate in the South West?Was your lawn in the shade, did you have to water it much?Did it get rid of weeds?How did you make the holes for the plugs, did you use a simple spade? -Thanks

zi****@di******.com – posted 02 July 2004 09:13

quote:Originally posted by Tampabeachbum:I just received 200 plugs from Zoysiafarms.com. After opening the box, I was disappointed. The 200 plugs is basically two ‘sheets’ of sod cut down in to 1X1 plugs. It is brown and does look like it won’t make it. I’ve put it down and I’ll have to wait and see what it does. Waiting for the verdict….

Hello TampabeachbumWe have property in the Tampa area with a lawn that needs refurbishing. What was the final result of your experience with Zoysia Grass? Please email me at zi****@di******.comThank you,Del

dalemc – posted 19 February 2005 08:59

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tgo57:[B]I have also seen ad for the ZOYSIA GRASS recently in my Sunday paper from ZOYSIA FARMS. It sounds like a great alternative, but will the grass grow in my area? I live in Central Virginia? What does it not tolerate?

Hello, I am about to try this product, could you please email me and tell me what you think of it and how it looks.Thanks dale

BeauDarvil – posted 09 March 2005 12:38

I was about to place my order for 2000 plugs of Amazoy (Meyer) Zoysia for my yard when I realized I hadn’t researched the purchase very much. So here I am, researching.

I’ve read this thread regarding zoysiafarms.com and it looks like quite a few folks are unhappy with their product. However a few folks were quite pleased with the results of plugging with this product.

Everyone claims to have applied the proper amount of TLC to the plugs and I’ll gladly take them at their word. I wonder now if geography had anything to do with it.

I noticed that some of the negative posts were from folks up north and at least one postitive came from a southerner. Could it be that these zoysia plugs are a better product for warmer climates like here in Atlanta?

I am no expert on turf at all. I’ve wasted much money and time nursing along a fescue lawn here in Atlanta only to see my labors burned away by the long August afternoons. Financially sod is not something I want to do so I thought the plug thing would be a good piece of middle ground.

Are there any Georgia (or southern) residents on here that can give me some info on the Amazoy (Meyer) plugs and their degree of success here in the sunny South?

Thank you in advance.

Beau

BigH829 – posted 14 March 2005 14:48

Folks:

I am writing to reply to all of you who are interested in using Zoysia. I don’t know anything about Zoysia Farms, but I do know a thing or two about grass.

1. Zoysia is NOT recommended in colder climates. I wouldn’t plant it anywhere north of a line from the Carolinas to Central Calif.2. Zoysia is NOT recommended in really hot climates, either. It IS fairly drought-tolerant, but it doesn’t like extended periods of severe heat. So, I would also be careful in the desert SW, South TX, South Fla, etc. You may have made it work in either of those areas, but it still isn’t recommended.3. Zoysia does NOT grow well in shade. Most turf grasses don’t. Some Fescue varieties are a good shade alternatve, but you typically have to mow Fescue frequently.4. All that said, if you are in a temperate zone, can supplement water when necessary, and your yard is partial to full sun, then Zoysia is an excellent turf grass. It is weed-resistant, slow-growing (less mowing), and will grow in most soils (even the hard clay soils of the mid-southeast US). In early summer, add a little sodium nitrate and Zoysia will turn beautiful emerald green color. 5. Negatives – since it is slow-growing, it takes quite a while to fill in a yard with plugs. So, I wouldn’t plug an area that has any slope to it. If you insist, plug the slope and seed-over with a fast-growing annual variety like rye to control erosion. Keep overseeding until the Zoysia fully spreads. Or, bite the bullet and sod any sloped areas, and plug the flatter areas. Also, as has been said earlier, Zoysia does develop a thick thatch problem, which must be routinely cured (by extreme mower “scalping,” burning, or a dethatching machine, all done in Jan-early Feb. I just got done scalping mine (a little late this year) and it is HARD work. Zoysia is also finicky about chemicals, so do your homework and read labels! The best advice is to use a 2-4-D based broad-spectrum spray-on herbicide for broadleaf weed control; you’ll have to work to find the right spray for non-broadleafs such as wild onion, bahia, and other thin-leaf weeds. By the way, spot-spraying weeds with a Roundup-type killer is NOT recommended because Zoysia is extremely sensitive to Roundup. Spraying even a small 2″ weed with a small squirt of Roundup will kill about a 6″ spot of surrounding Zoysia. A good pesticide application about twice a year is helpful, because Zoysia can develop some bug problems.

Since my experience is mostly with the temperate zone, other good turf grasses to consider for that area are Tifton Bermuda, St. Augustine, and Centipede.

Hope this helps,

insearchof – posted 16 April 2005 16:09

I ordered plugs from ZF about a week ago. I received basically pieces of sod and the planting tool. The pieces I received did not appear to have been cut into plugs at all. When I called them, they told me I had to cut them into peices myself. Their website says you have to finish the seperation of the plugs. I was upset that I ordered 2400 plugs and got 15 peices of sod. The peices looked nothing like the picture they have on the internet. The customer service supervisor told me on the phone that they have two locations where they grow sod. I got sod from their MD farm and it has sandy soil. The photo on the website is of sod from DE where the soil has is more like clay. I am not happy with what it received and they will not refund my money. They seemed very matter of fact on the phone. From the tone of their agents, I feel like they hear stories like mine all the time.

B – posted 12 September 2005 13:30

I saw the ad in the paper and what got my attention was that it only had to be mowed twice all summer. Has that been your experience? I don’t want grass if it has to be mowed.

Someone told me Buffalo grass did not have to be mowed at all. Know anything about that?

QUOTE]Originally posted by Atlanta resident:I live in Atlanta. We planted zoysia plugs years ago & they have spread quite a bit. We will be ordering more on a CREDIT CARD so that if they do not perform, we can file a billing dispute & get our money back. The zoysia is wonderful in the hot, humid and recently drought stricken Atlanta climate. The best part is the fall: the leaves are a breeze to blow off the zoysia with the blower whereas the fescue is horrible. It is absolutely the most carefree grass we have ever had. No hassle at all & I would love to have it all over the yard. It’s thick & I care not that it’s brown in the winter.It has choked out all the weeds, fescue & again, I just wish it would spread faster ! We don’t fertilize it or do anything to it & yet it thrives on sheer neglect. My kinda grass ![/QUOTE]

QWERTY – posted 12 September 2005 13:40

Buffalo doesn’t need to be mowed as often but you will have weed issues since they are very open.

609 variety is probably the best buffalo grass out there. http://www.turfgrassamerica.com/info/609buffalo.php?id=16

If you let it grow tall, you dont need to mow very much. Some people don’t know how to manage buffalo AT ALL. In most cases, you do NOTHING! They will take care of themselves!

KMC – posted 28 August 2006 15:03

I purchased some Amazoy Zoysia grass from Zoysia Farms in mid April. I received it in early May. To those who ordered in the winter / early spring, if you read the web site it says what time of year they ship. It’s not year round. Anyhow, when I got my “plugs” (rectangles of sod that were scored, not really perforated at all) they were brown, and I was worried. I was not going to be able to plant for several days. I kept them sprinkled with water every day in the box for about 3-4 days. It took me 2 days to plant them all. They looked dead. The soil was pretty dry, and certain areas crumbled apart when I cut them. I would recommend watering them fairly heavily in the package once you receive them. I would also recommend cutting them into large pieces (about 3″x3″, but at least 2″x2″). This will drastically reduce the amount of plugs you get, but I think it will yield the best result. My wife decided to do this when she was planting them while I wasn’t home. I used the plugger and wet the ground and filled all the holes with water, then added the moist plugs. As I said, many fell apart (about 10% of them), but I would say that about 90% of the ones I planted became green and survived. It took a few weeks (watering every day) for this to be evident. Now it’s the end of August. My zoysia has remained green thoughout the summer, while the other grass was brown. This let me know it was actually still there. Growth has been really slow. However, now after some recent rainstorms, the zoysia is growing really fast. To my surprise, the runners have sprung out from some plugs I had in bare ground and are perforating the ground. A few patches have grown together. It seems to do much better in patches of bare ground than it does amongst other taller grass. Perhaps that’s my fault, since I haven’t been cutting every week. You have to be patient with this grass, but overall I think it’s done what it claims to do. I’ll have to get some more next year to fill in the gaps a bit faster.

patch – posted 23 February 2007 14:19

I ordered about 1000 plugs last april received them in october.Planted as directed they were brown then and they stayed brown.I will never buy again.I asked for the refund they promised never got a reply.

green in atlanta – posted 26 February 2007 07:33

Admittedly, this reply does not address the issue of unscrupulous vendors. My advice to anyone reading this thread is NOT to buy 1×1 inch zoysia plugs in the first place. Most zoysia cultivars just don’t grow very fast. If you are not able to go for the immediate gratification of sod, try a vendor that sells 3×3 inch plugs. Assuming the plugs are viable, I think you will be more pleased with how much more quickly your yard achieves full coverage…especially if you live in a cooler part of the US with a shorter growing season. Which brings up another point…as beautiful as some types of zoysia can be, if I lived in the northern US I’m not sure I’d invest in any turf that was going to be dormant(brown) more months than green. But hey, that’s a personal choice. Maybe it’s worth it to have the most beautiful yard on the block 4 months out of the year.

[This message has been edited by green in atlanta (edited 27 February 2007).]

toaster1 – posted 02 July 2007 11:50

Plant the grass in whole squares and water daily for the first two weeks. The grass does look brown when it arrives. I have ordered the boxes of the grass and it is doing great. I fertilize the grass with liquid miracle grow once a week. If you follow this plan the grass will grow beyond your belief. My grass has exceeded my expectations! Heat can make the grass look bad, but just add a little water and it looks healthy again in about half an hour. I hate to see all the failers, but if you baby it for the first two weeks the grass will do very well.

John-ootz – posted 04 August 2007 14:21

Hey, folks–May I suggest a few tips on how to grow zoysia grass from a retired salesman with a nice front a back lawn in northern Jersey???

I’ve been buying plugs from Zoysia Farms for years, and never had a problem with their product. You’re right–it does come in the box looking brown, but that doesn’t mean you got shafted.

Take the sheets out of the box, and if you can’t plant them the same day, go to the supermarket and buy three or four aluminum lasagna pans, and put the sheets in there. Water them a little bit each day until you’re “good to go”.

Don’t cut them in one inch squares, but rather in two or three inch squares using a serrated knife or a hack saw blade on a piece of wood or the Sunday paper. If it’s a new lawn, may I suggest you place the plugs in the recommended pattern, and then tamp them down in the hole. The plugger they send you is bogus.It breaks at the welds. If the soil is loose, take a straight-handled rake or a shovel, and poke holes in the ground!

Water the plugs before 10 AM or after 5 PM in the summer months. Why? ‘Cause the rest of the day is the hotttest, and you’re waisting your time on the watering process.

Now here’s the kicker–As someone mentioned earlier on this blog, get a can of Miracle Grow from the discount store you frequent, and hit the plugs once a week with the stuff. Not only is Miracle Grow good for tomato plants, it’s also good for zoysia plugs. Keep watering for about two weeks to get the roots growing.

Now, here’s another hint. Never re-plug from the good stuff. Buy more plugs. My experiences have been negative with that damn plugger they send, and besides the holes look like “SPIT”, and takes a season to fill in.

Drawbacks of zoysia grass…

The only one I have is my stupid neighbor who hates the stuff. She bitches to me and says it’s too hard to cut with a power mower. “Yeah, that’s right, dumb bell. But take a look at the lawn I sent you for the past ten years—NOT A DAMN WEED IN IT”!!!

I don’t work for the zoysia company, but as an old salesman, I get turned off when people don’t read the directions that come with the product, and talk like a butt-head on the phone when they complain. Remember what your momma told you when you were young??? “You get more with honey than with vinegar, sweetie!”

Try these hints, and let me know what happens. Hasta la veesta, buddies!!!

John-ootz from North Jersey…..

Asian Cajun – posted 04 August 2007 23:35

Dat Right my man. You said it. It da truth. All u had 2 do is wada with mircle grow n da it. dahanks 4 dee advice. It about time me heard dee true master say it dat to da bone yeah. Cajun from down south still struggling with dem dame zoysia.

Richard1954 – posted 03 April 2008 22:03

Noticed the compliant on zoysiafarms being 2001 posting. I purchased several hundred dollars worth of plugs from them (57 boxes of plugs) and all I got was 3 1/2 boxes of dead sod (not plugs) and about 4 months of submitting my credit card company documentation (ie pictures of sod the day I got it, pictures throughout the 6 weeks watering it (thank God for digital cameras) and pictures of local zoysia plugs, regular sod, and the advertisement) before I could get the credit card company to learn about the differance between sod and plugs let alone about false advertising and out and out fraud (whereas I only got a fraction of my order for the full amount of their cost) before I got my money back. ZoysiaFarms is an expert in lwans and is engaging in absolute fraud by sending out undersized sod instead of advertised plugs relying on people ignorance and lack of perseverance of a knowledgable out raged consumer thus making quite a good amount of money for as little work, cost involved from so many advertisements in magazines, newspapers, etc.. across the nation as opposed to making a good income on repeat business for a good product at a good price.. I should have known however because “IF IT LOOKS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLT ISN”T” and 2,500 plugs for $257 is too good of a deal especially in light of shipping costs pertaining to the weight of the plugs alone could cost that much… Buyer beware… Don’t use them, buy locally…

SaraZFN – posted 25 April 2008 09:16

Hi. My name is Sara and I am an employee of Zoysia Farm Nurseries in Taneytown, MD.

We have extensive information at our website on Zoysia. Also, our Customer Service department will be able to you with further questions. Please see our site for details.

We are a lifetime member of the Maryland Better Business Bureau and have been for 50 years. We have been selling Amazoy (Meyer) zoysia since 1953 to millions of happy customers.

I hope this information helps.

sadder2 – posted 11 November 2008 12:05

If i may, i found this on an informative website…(please note i’ve only read the first two posts…)

Asteriks to start and end the copy and pasted information…********************************************ZoysiagrassZoysiagrasses are warm season grasses native to China, Japan and other parts of Southeast Asia. The species was named to commemorate an 18th century Austrian botanist, Karl von Zois. In 1911, Zoysia matrella was introduced into the United States from Manila by a USDA botanist, C. V. Piper. Because of its origin the grass was commonly called Manila grass.

Piper described the grass as abundant on or near the seashore in the Philippine Islands. When closely clipped, it made a beautiful lawn according to Piper’s notes. He suggested that the grass had unusual promise as a lawn grass along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic coast of Florida.

Zoysia japonica, sometimes called “Japanese lawn grass” or “Korean lawn grass”, is a coarser textured, but more cold hardy species than Zoysia matrella. Zoysia japonica was introduced into the United States in 1895 from the Manchurian Province of China. In the United States, Zoysia japonica could be expected to do very well as far north as Maryland. It is a seeded variety of Zoysia.

The third species of Zoysia used for turf is called Korean velvet grass or Mascarene grass, Zoysia tenuifolia. It is a very fine textured species, but is the least cold tolerant of the three species. Zoysia tenuifolia is native to the Far East and was introduced in the U.S. from the Mascarene Islands. In the U.S. it is used in southern California as a low growing ground cover.

Zoysiagrass is extremely drought tolerant. Although it does turn straw colored under severe drought conditions, it has the capacity to respond to subsequent irrigation or rainfall. Its water requirements are similar to those of Bermudagrass. The leaf blades of Zoysiagrass are among the first to roll under drought conditions, thus it tends to conserve moisture more effectively than other species. Zoysia grass also has a deep root system allowing it to more effectively extract water from greater soil depths.

Zoysiagrass is nearly as salt tolerant as Bermudagrass. It is widely grown along sandy seashores where drainage is adequate. Zoysiagrass does not tolerate poorly drained soils whether they are saline or otherwise.

Zoysiagrasses are among the most wear tolerant turf grasses. However, their slow rate of growth gives them poor recuperative potential.

Shade tolerance: fair/good

Cold tolerance: good

Traffic: fair/good

Rate of establishment: slow

Fertilization: regular feeding

Watering: weekly regular, but will tolerate some drought conditions

Mowing height: 3/4″ – 2″

First mowing should be done while the Zoysia is still dormant. Mow at about the 1″ height to remove as much dead top growth as possible. This should only be done after danger of a hard freeze has passed. The dormant grass blades acts as insulation.

Pests: Zoysia patch, mole crickets, grubs, sod webworms, armyworms

Beware of this company- www.zoysiafarms.com

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