VICTORY GARDENS

Screened topsoil advertised and pictured as suitable for new lawns. Soil was better described as glorified fill dirt. The two wheelbarrows of soil I screened contained many pieces of glass, lots of rock, sticks and trash.

I ordered a soil mix for my vegetable garden. It was supposed to be screened topsoil and mushroom compost. The “mix” wasn’t well mixed at all. It had sections of what looked like mulch and sections of clumpy topsoil. There were large, hard balls that we had to smash to break apart. I was apprehensive, but used it anyway because we were u dear lockdown for the corona virus. I am regretting that! Not only is the soil still really clumpy even after I worked hard to break it down and mix it up, but rocks have started to pop up everywhere. We even removed a couple of large rocks and what appeared to be a piece of asphalt. I am so disappointed and disgusted!

We purchased 6 yards of premium topsoil/mushroom soil mix, supposed to be the best mix for gardens and new lawns, but that is NOT what was delivered. Victory Gardens delivered quickly - in the pouring rain and 4 hours before they said they would be there - and dumped what turned out to be a very wet pile of solid clay with lumps of manure (not mixed together) on my driveway. After waiting a week to let the pile dry out, and after spending hours trying to spread it on the lawn, we realized it was completely unusable - NOT TOPSOIL - and called to complain. The red clay has the consistency of playdough and dries into hard concrete-like chunks. The black manure dumped in with it doesn't make it topsoil, it just makes it smell bad. Terrible stuff. They promptly sent our money back but then we needed the huge pile removed. Although the office manager was friendly and apologetic on the phone, they were unresponsive about coming and picking up the trash pile they left us. After weeks of phone calls to them, they finally sent a third-party landscaper out with a truck to pick it up. He did remove it (after it sat on our driveway for almost a month) but apparently Primex lied to him, told him it was good topsoil and that I had over-ordered and didn't need all of it. He got there and took one look at it and said "this is even worse than the last pile they tried to ***** on us. We'll need to pay someone to dispose of this." So I paid him in cash to remove the pile that Victory Gardens had dumped on us. It was a freaking nightmare experience, set us back about a month, and their shoddy business practice ended up costing us time and money. Buyer beware. I wish I had bought topsoil from my local garden center Primex instead.

The six yards were delivered in the morning and dropped squarely in the middle of my driveway as I asked. Delivery guy was friendly, skilled and fast. Our relationship lasted less than five minutes.

The topsoil was well-screened, very clean, and easy to shovel, tote, and rake smooth. I looked/listened as I shoveled the soil into the barrow but did not find/hear a single stone. Nary a pebble in many, many barrows. There were strands of vegetative matter, but I consider that a plus, not a concern. I'd pay 25$ a yard for this stuff, and figure I got a great deal! By volume, it is less expensive than the bagged topsoil sold in garden centers and home supply stores, and noticeably better quality, too.
 

Driver called before arriving - always a nice touch. Came when promised, dropped all six yards exactly where I asked - and was pleasant!

I am writing to let prospective purchasers know what I found in that large pile of 'fill dirt':
750  (est) pounds of rocks (including 3 (2'x3'x6") chunks of concrete, several smaller chunks that I could lift, 5 bricks, one 14"x14" paver, and enough rocks to form an 8'x2'x18" wall on a corner of my property. 
6 bags (3' high paper lawn/refuse bags) of wood, including a few pieces of lumber, and tree parts - from 4" twigs to tibia/femur size roots and branches. (about 200 pounds)
5 plastic bottles, 43 pieces of glass (pane and bottle, clear and colored), scraps of weed block, 5 2' strands of rebar, about 15 candy and snack food wrappers.
One jewelry box key.
Of course, these were the items I extracted during shoveling. There are a lot more  twigs, stones and palm size rocks that I did not extract that are now drying on the top of and hiding within the spread dirt.

I found the big sections of concrete on my first work day, and called Victory Gardens to complain. After some discussion, they agreed to send someone to take them back, as I could not lift them. Jerry came with a dump truck that afternoon. His first words: "Man, you weren't kidding" (Apparently, office staff thought I was whining about pebbles.) Jerry and I managed get all three chunks into the truck. Thanks, Jerry. Hope you're feeling better....

I almost forgot to give other credit where credit is due: the rest of the six yard pile was actually clay/dirt.  Note to self: next time, pay the extra money and get screened topsoil.

unknown

They arrived promptly at the beginning of the time frame they gave us. They dumped it in the exact spot we wanted. They offered a great deal with a coupon- buy 10 yards, get 2 free, plus free delivery!