I love Kurapia, I have the new whites and the old strain Kurapia ..They both grow well here in Brentwood CA (Hot and Dry Climate) ..They grow fast with more water in the summer but once established lower the amount of watering to every 2 months (experiment with your watering, they are hard to kill) so you don't cut them more than once a month (edges and top), the more you step of them, the lower they grow (from experience) my lower traffic area, they grow to 4-5 inches tall, the heavier one, they can stay closer to the ground (less than 1/2 inch or less) I bought 2 trays and in about 3 months covered the entire 350 sq feet and if your more patient, 1 tray is probably enough for 500 sq ft and will probably cover that amount in 3-4 months..Did I mention it grows fast?! grows well in clay soil or amended soil, it doesn't care. The only problem I have with Kurapia is during the fall/winter they look like crap (leaves turn white and ugly, mildew?) and that since it doesn't grow during the time, dog urine will leave ugly dead spots (not a problem during growing season when they can cover those spots in about a week) It won't kill off weeds until it's roots are fully established (2-3 yrs) but it will stunt the growth of them so until then, you still have to pick by hand those pesky weeds..not sure if you can use pesticide since I don't like using them..but PM me if you have tried and the result, thanks! read more

Ordered Buffalo grass and an auger. Seamless transaction and everything was on my doorstep early. Great purchase experience healthy product and prompt and pleasant service. Highly recommend, read more

UC Verde and Takao Nursery have been great for us. We live in Walnut Creek, CA. Our lot is full sun, all day. Summer heat is regularly over 90, with several days over 100. I tested UC Verde in our front garden in spring, 2017, replacing our dwarf blue fescue. I chose our front yard because it is about 30% of the size of the front -- if the UC Verde didn't work out, it would have been a smaller financial loss. The front yard came in green and lush, so we replaced the backyard in spring, 2018. The customer service at Takao is great. They are always good about answering any questions. The plugs arrived on time and in great condition, both years I ordered. Here is the thing: You MUST spend time and effort on soil and site prep, and as wth any transplant, you MUST spend extra time and water to allow the grass to establish. This is not like "rolling a lawn" where you just make sure it's level and amended and then roll a dense carpet of turf: the plugs take weeks to spread. Weed seeds are going to land in the open areas between the plugs. You must be vigilant about weed suppression and eradication. On top of that, if you miss an area of Bermuda (as we did in our back yard, and only one-foot-square area) you will be in for a battle all summer. UC Verde is more work initially than rolled turf, but the payoff has been huge: far less water and no mowing. (I know, some people like to mow, I prefer the soft, wild look of the natural grass.) read more

I was so excited about finding this grass and excited to install, as we are always in a drought. I live in Northern California/Silicon Valley. I ordered and planted it in September 2017 and watered according to instructions. Right away it spread to other areas across pathways etc. where it was not planted. It loaded up with weeds like crazy. I contacted Takao nursery in March 2018 with pictures. I was told to try the Ortho Nutsedge Killer which I did twice with no change to the base "grass". I contacted Takao again in 5/2, 5/7 and 5/17 and have received no response. I am left with weed for lawn and out the money for the cost of grass, as well as the installation cost. Buyer beware. read more

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We replaced 450 square feet of lawn that had been ravaged by the drought using UC Verde buffalo grass from Takao. The plugs arrived promptly with complete instructions for installation and care. We decided to plant them every 9" which took my son and I the better part of a May morning, using an auger bit and a marked PVC pipe as a template. I watered as recommended and weeded each evening after dinner. Proper site preparation was key here as I didn't have to contend with hidden taproots and dormant seeds. An application of pre-emergent lawn care product helped with crabgrass, and a spurge area that grew out control got an Ortho treatment. Before long the new growth crowded out any competing weeds. By the end of July the lawn looked great after mowing and holds up to traffic. We are now tapering down the watering schedule to just a couple days each week. I recommend this product to anyone that would like a low water lawn alternative, if you're willing and able to look after it attentively while it's taking root. Your time will be rewarded! read more

Takao has been very helpful. We originally wanted to install UC Buffalo grass; however, it was not approved by our HOA. (They didn't like the dormant aspect of it.) So we installed Kurapia from Takao and after 6 months it has been fully approved by our HOA. We are very happy! We are in SoCal...sandy soil...full sun. read more

This is a review of the UC Verdo Buffalo Grass rather than the nursery per se. The problems with the product--the enormous quantities of water it takes, years after planting--are sufficiently urgent to post here, since Takao is a purveyor across the state. Please be aware: while this grass may be drought-tolerant under some conditions, it is not in our fast-draining, full sun soil. We live in the foothills of the San Fernando Valley. The soil is not sandy, just fast-draining: plants like roses, camellias, and natives all do very well. We planted UC Verde four years ago. The only place it has ever thrived is under the shade of a tree: so much for it requiring full sun. We have taken to watering it forty minutes--FORTY MINUTES!!--per week to see if we could get it looking green and healthy. An experiment. Even then there are significant brown patches. The problem is not the sprinklers, and we use a thin layer of hummus twice a season to try to bring moisture in. My brother has had the exact same problem. We also fertilize as recommended. We truly regret having planted it: it took a giant quantity of water to "establish" and has been sucking us dry ever since. Wish I could show the sad photos... Please think very hard before you plant this and make sure you have the right conditions. read more

I have the most luscious grass of the whole neighborhood. Planted about 200 plugs 5 years ago in my backyard. It filled in within about 6 months and has looked great ever since. Sometimes I mow it, sometimes I don't..it always looks great. I recommend it to all my neighbors who struggle with their lawns here in Riverside County. read more

We have worked with Takao nursery several times while installing our Buffalo grass lawn. We love the lawn and we had a great experience working with the folks at Takao. They know their Buffalo grass and were very helpful when I had questions about care and maintenance. I highly recommend Takao and I think everyone should have a Buffalo grass lawn. read more

I bought UC Verde buffalo grass from Takao Nursery 3 years ago. I decided to experiment with drip irrigation, and installed 1/4 inch inline drip tubing every 12 inches, above ground. It's working about great! read more