Reviews
3 ways to Green your garden with sustainable landscape
06/04/2012
1. Low Maintenance Grass Seed
Pearl's Premium is low-maintenance and drought-tolerant grass seed that needs little or no water and very little mowing. The company recommends using organic fertilizer or compost once or twice a year, which reduces the harmful runoff that is typical of today's landscaping.
Pearl's Premium is a blend of five native or adapted fescues (grass species) - meaning it is not genetically modified. It comes in Sunny, Shady, or Sun-Shade mixture, depending on the landscape's sun exposure.
Pearl's Premium grass seed can be purchased through the company's website, at Whole Foods, or from a variety of other stores. On the company's website, it retails for $35.95 for a 5 lb bag (1,000 square feet), $165.95 for a 25 lb bag (5,000 square feet), and $295.95 for a 50 lb bag (10,000 square feet).
The company claims that the product will pay for itself in a few weeks because of the money saved on water, fertilizer and treatments.
The Review Stew ~ Pearl's Premium Eco-Friendly Ultra Low Maintenance Lawn Seed
04/19/2011
Changing the air we breathe can start right in our own backyard in the grass seed we use/
A breakthrough sustainable grass seed is saving home owners on watering, mowing and fertilizer, while preserving drinking water supplies and protecting consumers from the health risks of lawn care chemicals — including sexual dysfunction and cancer — and preventing irrigation waste.
Pearl’s Premium Ultra Low Maintenance Lawn Seed is the result of eight years of research and development by scientist and environmental expert Jackson Madnick, who said Pearl’s Premium grows at one quarter the rate of blue grass, requiring mowing only once a month rather than every week. With 8 foot deep roots capturing moisture, Pearl’s Premium needs NO chemical fertilizer, rarely needs water once established, and looks like a lush green lawn year-round.
Whether you install a new lower maintenance lawn or “fix” your existing lawn, Madnick advises you to cut the grass very short, seed or overseed with Pearl’s Premium, use organic fertilizer (optional), and water only until the lawn is established. Replacing your lawn with his seed will save you a dramatic amount of time, water and money.
A 5lb bag will cover up to 1,000 square feet when over-seeding an existing lawn. For denser growth or new lawn applications, this 5lb bag will cover up to 800 square feet.
My Opinion
I haven't got to use this lawn seed yet (it was still snowing as of yesterday!!) but I really wanted to include this awesome eco-friendly and organic Pearl's Premium grass seed this Earth Day week!
There are so many great features of this grass seed: it requires mowing only once a month rather than every week (the mower in your house will LOVE that!!), it needs NO chemical fertilizer, rarely needs water once established, and looks like a lush green lawn year-round! It is like a dream lawn!!
I recommend Pearl's Premium Lawn Seed for all households that are planning to plant grass/lawn or need to fix their existing one! It is easy to plant and doesn't require much maintenance once established!! Best of all, there are no toxic chemicals involved to harm your loved ones or the Earth!
Buy It: You can purchase a 5 lb bag of Pearl's Premium Lawn Seed for $35.95 onPearl's Premium website.
Farm Show Magazine, "No Mow" Grass Lives Up To Claims
09/05/2010
Pearl's Premium "no mow" grass does what it promises. It grows slowly, then tops out and falls over without matting up. A year ago, I seeded several plots of shade and sun tolerant varieties of the grass. It was planted in very poor soil conditions; yet it emerged and thrived...
NPR Commentary on Pearl's Premium by Kerry Healy
07/27/2010
The ex-Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, Kerry Healy weighed in on the sustainable lawn movement with some alarming data about water use and pollution in her recent NPR / WGBH Radio commentary. Thankfully, she also offers up a solution in the form of Pearl's Premium Lawn Seed!
Farm Show Magazine gives Pearl's Premium Thumbs Up
05/20/2010
If you were a farmer, you'd know Farm Show magazine. Its like the Consumer Reports for the barnyard. They don't take advertising and do all their own product reviews. So, we were pretty excited when they bought some of our seed last fall.
The contributing editor who did the testing picked out two tough spots - along a shady driveway once covered in wood chips and over an old gravel driveway "where its very difficult to grow anything." Thanks!
So, how did Pearl's Premium do? Here's what he wrote, "I was absolutely amazed at the way the grass was up and growing in a week. By the time winter came, it was well-established. This spring the grass came up strong. We haven't done any additional fertilizing. It's green and looking good... so far, I'm very impressed."
He's promised to write again in the summer to assess how Pearl's Premium fares without watering in the hot Minnesota summer sun.
Read full article.
This Old House
06/01/2009
This Old House magazine tested Pearl's Premium and featured it in 'New Products' with the title 'Mow once a month...seriously'.
Mow just once a month... seriously (June 2009 Edition, p. 16)
"All of us have fantasized about grass that needs little watering or mowing. But Jackson Madnick got real and spent several years developing Pearl's Premium Grass Seed, a drought-resistant mix of five native [and adaptive] seeds that grow so slowly you need to cut your lawn only once a month. The mix (named after Madnick's mom, an avid gardener) will take hold in every region except the Deep South. $32 for a 5-pound bag (enough to seed about 1,000 square feet) pearlspremium.com"
What Our Customers Say
Real reviews from real customers
Curious Mayhem
Amazing grass seed! We've used it on and off for 12 years now, after a recommendation from a golf course landscaper when we re-engineered our yard. We had a hard time in areas with sandy, rocky soil, but Pearl's Premium was up to growing even in areas with no previous lawn. The key is this seed's exceptional ability to grow roots down and sideways, even in winter. It thus needs much less artificial watering and fertilizer, because it makes far better use of what's already there. After three years, our yard was almost entirely covered in thick green grass. My understanding is that the results are best in temperate to cooler climates and soils. We live in New England. Pearl's Premium is not cheap and requires some initial investment of time and care. It's comparable or somewhat costlier than other top brands. The better, more knowledgeable landscapers know about it and will work with it. You'll be amazed by the results and how they endure even in dry weather, when other grass wilts, and even in winter, when other grass dies from shallow roots. Be aware that the company is essentially a one-man show, with limited distribution, selling a superior product in the shadow of much larger competitors.
F. Catalina
I am so impressed by this grass seed! With Pearl's I have been able to get grass to grow places where other brands failed, and it does not require fertilizers that can be harmful to our pets and children. It is important to follow the instructions regarding initially watering for a few weeks until it gets established, but once that is done it requires very little maintenance and looks great! I highly recommend this seed.
britt harter
I love pearl's premium seed. I watered it once this hot dry summer for 10 minutes and no fertilizer and stayed thick and lush and crowded out weeds. It takes a little time and dedication to get a lawn going with pearls--I needed a fall seed and spring overseed to reach full thickness. and they aren't kidding about watering every day for 30 days when sprouting seed. But once the lawn is fully mature, it's absolutely awesome
Craig Haller
Lived here 37 years and never had much of anything grow. I could not even get invasive weeds to grow (seriously!). Bought a $100 electric tiller last fall, followed directions on Pearl's Premium, covered with straw, watered, and this is what I now have. Literally mind blowing.
Rakhi Bhavnani
This is my 2nd year growing Pearl's Premium. I have very dense shade with large oak trees in my front lawn. Nothing grows, not even weeds! I heard from my alumni network about this seed and decided to give it a try. Corresponded with Jackson, the founder, at least 10 times before finally giving it a go. The before and after photos speak for themselves. Just a great grass. Some points: - This grass is very amazing but all living plants need specific conditions to spout. You need to put down compost/topsoil if your soil is hard or deplete of nutrients. I also aerated a month before and added sulphur to correct the pH - I initially put the seed too deep while raking it in. It didn't come up until we had a lot of rain and washed off the extra topsoil and the sprouts emerged. Be careful to cover it lightly - You cannot let any grass seed dry out which means covering it properly with compost/peat moss/straw etc and running your sprinklers twice a day to get it established
Joseph Creel
I went to Pearls Premium 3 years ago and could not be happier with the results. I have a lawn that is in direct sun most of the day and required a lot of water. In the second year PPS started squeezing out the old grass. Now I have a beautiful lawn I rarely water and only mow every other week.
Dallas Alexander
I live on an acreage . Having green grass without watering (once established)was just a dream. This grass is better then most lawns in the city ive found. I have had this grass for 1.5 yrs now. Im still trying to get the backyard established. (Having issues with wind 60km+ blowing my soil away and heavy rains but whats already established is nice) My family/friends have given me alot of compliments on this lawn. I can walk bare foot in the grass and its super soft. Emerald green for color. Next year ill update my review with more pics of the lawn as is.
Phil Knutel
After a multi-year major house renovation/construction zone yard, we wanted to put in a lawn at our weekend place in Maine that didn't require much maintenance or watering but looked nice and felt great on bare feet. Our boys are 6, 8, and 14, and we have two Labradors, so it had to be fairly durable as well. I did a lot of research and discovered Pearl's Premium, and I'm happy to say it's been a terrific experience! These are pics of the lawn three years after I installed it. It's generally met all my expectations, although to be fair, it isn't magic grass. You do have to mow it regularly, but somewhat less than typical grass. Without question, we have the best lawn in the neighborhood. I probably fertilize it twice a summer, which really helps it stay thick and choke out 90% of the weeds that try to move in (we'll hand pull the rest). I'm now installing another lawn at our house in MA, and after doing lots of research again just to see what's out there, I came back to Pearl's Premium because I know Jackson takes so seriously his mission to improve his non-GMO grass with each generation. As thrilled as my wife and family have been with our lawn in Maine - we marvel at it each time we get out of the car when we arrive for the weekend - I suspect we'll be even happier with the current generation I'm about to put down at our house in MA! Positive Responsiveness, Punctuality, Quality, Professionalism, Value
Monica D
This grass seed is amazing. I planted this seed on an area about 2000 sf last fall and now in August, my lawn is looking amazing even after all the 90+degree weather we've been having. I don't have areas of dead grass in the area that I planted. I plan to buy more of this seed to overseed my lawn. Also, I highly recommend using Milorganite fertilizer, which gives you a nice green lawn.
Joey Manuel
I've been working on my landscaping project for years, and after researching options, settled for Zoysia grass. My neighbor told me after the fact, that he had done much research and had chosen the Pearl's Premium grass. I must say, that after seeing his results, I compared my costs, and looks and performance of the grass, and found the Pearl's to be head and shoulders above the rest! I ordered two of the five lb. bags of the exposure variants, as I have full sun, full shade, and partial shade in my yard. I am so pleased with the results that I ordered two more bags today, the full sun, and the sun-shade mix, and look forward to our 7 year old daughter enjoying playing outside in this beautiful lush green grass! I hardily recommend anyone searching for the perfect grass to give this one a go, and I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results! - Joey
J.R Diaz
Hands down, this is the best grass seed on the market. I have used Pearl's for over 10 years on multiple properties and the results never disappoint. We are consistently the best lawn our neighborhood. Our landscaper now refers Pearls to his clients based on the results he has seen from our lawns. This past July was a terribly hot and dry month in our region and I thought for sure our lawn was done as we do not have an irrigation system yet. Within 2 weeks in August, the grass came back to it's full glory. Advice: Don't balk on the price...it's worth every penny.
paul martin
Pearl's Premium grass is a truly amazing product offering a revolution and solution to users in all situations where having a lawn, or even a small patch of hard to maintain grass, adds value and delightfulness to a property. If you have a large area to enjoy, such as an expansive lawn view, this grass lowers your cost of ownership and annual maintenance. If you have a small ledgy area that has only grown ugly weeds or moss in the past Pearl's Premium solves this challenge too. I can say this because I have both situations on my hands. I have a large 2+ac yard where small ledgy areas abound. I couldn't keep up with the voracious wild rabbits chomping away at my beautiful edging plants let alone the deer that just love to strip everything from my shrubs. Frankly, I don't need the added stress of listening for the deer in the wee hours and early dawn. Even in the "brown grass months", which are too many, Pearl's Premium delivers a lush landscape to beautify and enhance the enjoyment of my outdoor space.
A P
I bought my seed from Pearl's Premium in 2008 after a neighbor told me about a segment she saw on WCVB-T.V.'s Chronicle and I had the lawn professionally installed by their team. I also did re-seeding years after, the most recent one this fall with the newly updated mix (which is fantastic!). If you follow the directions very carefully, doing step-by-step everything that's described on their website, you get an amazing low maintenance lawn. But you need to learn a lot about the right way to do grass before you install this lawn. Yes, it does have a few weeds because I don't bother to pull them but it's not bad at all. When I get to it in March, if I put down corn gluten (also on their website) it prevents the weeds from germinating. But I don't always get to do it. Cutting it with a sharp blade at 4 inches or higher is super important too because it keeps the roots shaded preventing the weeds to emerge. The very common lawn "shaving" to 1 inch or so is the worst one can do to grass and a lawn's health.
Jay Martin
We have used this product on a very large lawn for the past 15 years. It performs exactly as adverised. It survives on a limited water supply and limited watering. we just did a reseed to fill out the lawn. Overall, one of the best products I have bought for my home. Thank You
Sajad Zalzala
I asked my landscaper to help me find a grass seed that did not need watering. He thought I was crazy since I lived in Michigan and everybody waters their lawn. But, we found Pearl's Premium and I love it! What I loved the most about this grass is how green it stays throughout the entire summer. Regular lawns need constant watering in July and August (despite it raining quite frequently in Michigan). However, I was able to keep a green lawn without ever pulling out the sprinkler and without every needing an irrigation system (except the first season - I placed temporary sprinklers on a timer and rotated them - but after the first season, I never needed to water the lawn).
Matt Costello
I read about Pearls Premium online and ordered a small bag to try bare or thin spots in my yard that receive a lot of sun year round. I had made numerous attempts to fill these spots with other grass seed, to no avail. Pearls provided clear instructions about how to put the seed down and give it its best chance to thrive. I am thrilled with the results I got, and I ordered much more seed to put down in other areas of my yard this growing season. The Pearls team was there and helped out every step of the way. I can't say enough good things about the results I've gotten!
Danielle Bussone
We recently seeded Pearl's Premium Grass Seed, both in Sun & Shade Mix and iShady Mix for different areas of our lawn. We followed the planting advice to the letter and within ten days our seeds were sprouting. Each day our lawn is getting thicker and richer. We planted on nearly an all-clay hill and the coverage is amazing. When it has totally filled out, we will add before and after photos. Well worth the price. We have called Pearls Premium's office and have spoken directly with Jackson Madnick. He was so generous with his time, walking us through every detail of the planting/watering process. The seeds are behaving exactly as he described. We are so excited to have a lush, green lawn where there was only a bare clay hill. LOVE this product!!
Mark Mays
I live in central Virginia, and my large lawn was taken over by crabgrass and moss before we moved in. The soil is pretty bad but the Ph is ok. There are tons of trees and a lot of shade. I heard about Pearl's Premium from my daughter and checked it out, reading everything I could about it. To test the product, I bought a small bag and test seeded 500 square feet, then followed the instructions. The small area looks fantastic now, even after going through the winter, especially in comparison to what was there before. I can tell already that it is lush, green, and will be low maintenance. Now I am beginning a planting of another 7000 square feet. Since I don't have a sprinkler system, I'll keep the ground moist using hoses and rotating broadcast sprinklers with timers, and do it in phases. I'm extremely happy with the products, and strongly recommend them.
R Michael Wall
Fabulous low-maintenance grass seed. I live on Cape Ann and my landscaper used it five years ago it is amazing how strong it holds up and with a great green color. I highly recommend it.
Wendi Goldsmith
As a professional in ecological design and management, I first used Pearl's Premium grass seed a decade ago. It has continued to exceed my expectations ever since. It's worth every penny, to me and to the planet. The extreme drought this summer barely slowed it down. It plays nicely with wildflowers in my pollinator meadow. It forms a lush strip in the center of my clamshell driveway. The grass mix seldom needs mowing because it focuses on deep healthy root growth, not just showy shoots. Any negative reviews on this site are from people who know little about growing grass, let alone cultivating healthy habitats.
h2 house
I've been using this company's seed for over a decade at two different houses. It's great. Less mowing. Less water. A more responsible lawn option. Last year, I used up the rest of what I had previously purchased, and I kept checking at the Whole Foods but it was never in stock. So late this spring, I finally just ordered some on-line from the company. I made some kind of mistake, but instead of processing my order and leaving me with more seed than my little city plot could use in 20 years, the owner Jackson, called me up and left me a voicemail to check-in about my purchase. We played a couple of rounds of phone-tag, and when we ultimately connected, he was lovely to talk with. He followed-up to cancel the extra bags I hadn't meant to order and let me know how much work they've done since I first started using their product to make it even better. In the fall, when the weather is cooler, I look forward to filling in the couple patches we've worn-in on our lawn. And I'll feel great about supporting a local innovator who was so supportive of me!
Dianne Bunker
My husband and I decided to redo our back lawn this year, so we spent 6 weeks with it covered with black tarps. During this time I researched grass seed, and talked to people about their experiences. Over and over we heard about Pearls Premium Grass Seed, so we decided to give it a try. I can say without qualification that this was a great decision. I actually met Jackson, the owner, when I picked up my grass seed and he was full of tips and gave me some guidance materials that have helped immensely. They have followed up several times to make sure all is well, and have been immediately responsive when I have questions. I would highly recommend this product. You will not regret it.
kathryn west
I purchased this grass seed and planted October 1 and followed the instructions completely - and ended up with a beautiful dark green grass that was soft and really not like anything I have seen before, simply beautiful. Forward to January and after ice and snow storms lawn still looks beautiful. When I planted the seed I contacted the company directly and got right through to the owner and went over seeding instructions and I followed them and was well rewarded. I have to admit I had a section of lawn that was cleared of some shrub over growth about two weeks later and I just threw some of the grass seed over it and within a week I had the same beautiful grass, I was very pleased and impressed with this. Just to be clear though for over seeding a lawn, which is what I did and tough soil, which is what I have, you need to follow the directions completely and the initial watering is key to the success. Like anything, the rewards are well worth following the directions! Positive Responsiveness, Quality, Value
Robert Connell
After losing 4 full sun lawns because of Braintree water restrictions every year from June till September, I found Pearl's Premium Sunny mix grass seed. It's roots grow deep, require minimal watering and best of all needs less mowing during the growing season. It has been 5 years since it was installed and I couldn't be more pleased. the grass stays green in summer when my neighbors lawns turn brown. I highly recommend this product .
Adam Borba
Overall I’m really happy with the outcome of my new lawn using Pearls Premium grass seed. I hydroseeded my lawn using Pearls Premium grass seed on September 4th of this year . I started seeing germination about 7 days after that . Now I have a relatively full lawn. There is some weak spots , however my area has had a ridiculous amount of rain . I’ll reseed those weak spots in the spring . Jackson the owner always answers the phone when I call and takes the time to answer my questions
Lee F.
This review is about customer service. I have not yet planted the seeds so I can't speak to performance yet, but for customer service these folks were top notch. They answered all my questions, gave great advice, and shipped the product quickly.
Jesse Zagorsky
I’ve ordered seed from Pearls Premium twice now. Excellent seed that starts growing quickly and truly is low to no water once established. I’m in San Diego where it gets hot in the summer, so you do need to water a few times then, otherwise, it’s very low water. Looks great and easy for maintaining! Positive Responsiveness, Quality, Value
Property Advisors
This is the best grass seed you can buy. The yard requires little maintenance and look beautiful.
Rhonda Diniz
This is by far, the best grass seed we have ever used!!!! We live in the Southern CA Desert, where there are extremes in temperature and very little rain...we planted our seed one year ago in March, so it has survived a complete year of weather extremes...there is more than one "best" thing about this grass seed...we needed grass that required less water, since we really need to conserve here...it is beautiful, lush, and dark green all year for us...we are in the land of, what they refer to as scalping lawns here, in September...no need...if you leave the cut at 3 1/2 in., then the grass needs little care...less water, fewer mows, and happier homeowners!!!! our grass is also doggie friendly...virtually no yellow grass anymore!!!! Yay...too bad the rest of our Desert community is not aware of this wonderful product...but then again, maybe they are not ready for it...they LOVE to mow every week around here...with Pearls Premium, you definitely do not do that!!! More time to relax and enjoy life now...Thanks to Pearls!!!! Positive Quality
murrali rangarajan
I did a lot of research and considered many grasses for my Northern California drought-affected lawn. I then found Peals Premium. It seemed to meet all my needs. It arrived as promised directly from PearlsPremium and I followed every instruction on the bag. About a month later I had wonderful, luscious lawn. Soft and light on my feet. I am thrilled with the results and as my wife says, for once, I had followed the instructions exactly with no shortcuts. The results showed. Maybe buying directly from them ensured authenticity of seeds. This lawn is the pride of the neighborhood. Highly recommend PearlsPremium and when I've reached out with general questions, their friendliness has been remarkable. Go get it, I say Positive Responsiveness, Punctuality, Quality, Value
Christopher Bordne
This is amazing grass seed. Started with fresh loam and within 2 weeks of planting, the grass was already starting to look good. Stayed green all winter long, even after being under the snow for weeks at a time! I now have the greenest lawn on the street. I have yet to observe long term results, however I have no doubt that it will live up to expectations.
Sharon Sumner
Last year (2022) our lawn was in terrible shape. We purchased a bag of Pearl's Premium grass seed and when the lawn came in it was like a carpet, thick and lush. We will never use anything else ever again.