Frequently Asked Questions
Shipping, returns, hori horis, garden bags and everything in between. Straight answers from the bugg® team for obsessive gardeners. Can't find what you need? Email hello@bugg.co.nz or call 09 915 9250, Monday to Friday.
Blades & Tools
Why do premium blades chip instead of bend?
Because hardness is a trade. Our Japanese flax cutters and sickles are forged from high carbon steel, which is significantly harder than the stainless steel used in most garden tools. That hardness is what keeps the edge razor-sharp season after season, but it also means the steel chips rather than bends when it meets something it wasn't designed for. A cheap soft blade folds and goes blunt. A hard blade holds its edge and, if abused, loses a tooth instead. It's the same reason a chef's knife never goes near a chicken bone.
What can chip a flax cutter blade?
Three things, mainly. Woody stems and branches (these blades cut fibre, not timber). Sideways pressure, like twisting or prying the blade mid-cut. And hard debris hiding where you can't see it: grit, sand, or the odd stone tucked deep inside an old flax fan. Straight pull strokes on fibrous plants keep every tooth where it belongs.
How do I use a flax cutter correctly?
Hold the plant material firmly with one hand and pull the blade towards you with the other, in a single slicing motion. It's a pull-stroke tool, not a saw. No back-and-forth, no hacking, no twisting. One clean pull and the fibre gives way. It's genuinely satisfying, which is half the reason people buy a second one for a friend.
What plants can I cut with a flax cutter?
Anything fibrous. Flax (obviously), toe toe, cabbage tree leaves, yuccas, Bird of Paradise, ivy and other vines, and invasive clumping grasses like kikuyu. Basically the tough, stringy stuff that laughs at ordinary pruners. What it's not for: wood, branches, or anything with a hardened stem. That's a job for a pruning saw.
How do I care for a high carbon steel blade?
Wipe it clean and dry after every use, and give it a light coat of oil before storing. High carbon steel is not stainless, so moisture left on the blade will invite rust. Store it dry, sheathed if you have one, and away from the bottom of a tool bucket where it can knock against trowels and secateurs. A minute of care buys years of edge.
Do bugg® tools come with a warranty?
Yes. Everything we sell carries a minimum 12-month warranty covering manufacturing faults and defects, and some products carry longer warranties or lifetime guarantees (details on each product page). Warranties don't cover normal wear and tear or damage from using a tool for something it wasn't designed for, like sawing wood with a flax cutter. All purchases are also covered under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993. If something doesn't seem right with your tool, email us with a couple of photos and we'll take a proper look. We'd rather sort it than argue about it.
Netting & Tunnels
Net or poly: which tunnel do I need?
Net for summer, poly for winter. Net tunnels and cloches are pest armour: fine 4mm mesh keeps out white cabbage butterfly, birds and caterpillars while letting sun and rain straight through. Poly tunnels are climate control: the cover traps warmth and humidity to create a microclimate that protects against frost, cold winds and heavy rain, and stretches your growing season at both ends. Plenty of the dirt cult run both and swap them over with the seasons.
Will netting stop white cabbage butterfly?
Yes. The 4mm mesh is too fine for white cabbage butterfly to get through, which makes it the single best defence for brassicas like broccoli, kale and cabbage. It also keeps out birds and caterpillars, and makes life much harder for slugs and snails looking for a buffet.
Can rain and sun get through the netting?
Yes, that's the point. The 90gsm mesh lets sunlight and rain pass straight through, so you can water through the net without lifting it. If you need to get your hands in, every tunnel has access flaps on both sides, so there's no dismantling the fort just to pull a weed.
What size do I need for my raised bed?
For a small patch or a few prized plants, the pop-up Net Garden Cloches (1m x 1m or 1.25m x 1.25m) drop into place in seconds. For rows and raised beds, the Net and Poly Tunnels come in 2m x 1m and 3m x 1m, and sit neatly on top of a raised bed or straight over the soil. If in doubt, measure your bed and go slightly bigger rather than squeezing plants against the mesh.
Will my tunnel survive strong wind?
A normal NZ breeze, yes. Every tunnel and cloche comes with guy ropes and ground pegs, and used properly they hold their ground. But these are lightweight structures, not storm shelters. If the forecast mentions gales, do your tunnel a favour and pack it away. It folds flat in a minute and will thank you with many more seasons of service.
Can I leave my tunnel out all year?
You can, but it will live longer if you don't. The gear lasts longest when the netting works summers and the poly works winters, with the off-duty cover folded flat and stored dry. Sunlight, weather and time are hard on any cover left out permanently, so a seasonal swap is the single best thing you can do to stretch its life. Buy once, buy well, store smart.
Orders & Shipping
How long does shipping take within NZ?
Most orders are processed within 1 working day and shipped NZ-wide with CourierPost. Allow 1 to 3 working days to cities and urban centres, and up to an extra 2 to 3 working days for rural addresses. Some larger items ship directly from our suppliers. CourierPost delivers to PO Boxes too.
Can I get it today?
If you're in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington or Christchurch, yes. Select Express Tonight at checkout and your order arrives between 6pm and 9pm the same evening. Order before 1pm in Auckland, or before 9am in Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch, weekdays only. Auckland locals can also Click & Collect from our warehouse at 4 Parkhead Place, Rosedale, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4pm, once you get the ready-for-collection email.
Do you ship internationally?
Selected products, yes. Look for the "Available for International Delivery" icon on the product page. Tracked DHL Express courier ships to Australia, Canada, the USA, the UK and most Pacific Islands, usually within 4 working days, with a slower untracked air mail option for the patient. Any customs duties or taxes at the destination are the recipient's responsibility.
What's your returns policy?
If you're not happy with your purchase, return it within 30 days, unused, undamaged and in the original packaging, no questions asked. Made-to-order items are excluded, and sale or end-of-line items are final, so choose those carefully. You'll cover the return shipping (via courier, not post) to our Rosedale warehouse, and refunds are normally processed within 7 days to your original payment method.
About bugg®
Is bugg® the same company as Gubba?
Yes. bugg® is the new name for Gubba Garden Store, same people, same obsession, new coat of (Forest Green) paint. Everything you loved about Gubba came with us: the premium tools, the NZ-made gear, and the belief that if you buy once and buy well, you shouldn't have to buy again.
What does "buy once, buy well" mean?
It means we'd rather sell you one tool that lasts a decade than three that don't. Everything in the range is chosen for quality, longevity and craftsmanship, tested by people who genuinely live in their gardens. Welcome to the dirt cult.
