Strata Eco Solutions LLC

Come see us today from noon-4pm!

This is an amazing program!

Help preserve Ohio farmland!

Cities, counties, townships, SWCDs and more can apply now to earn their Farmland Preservation local sponsor certification. Doing so will help interested farmers keep their land in agriculture.

The deadline to sign up is Oct. 18, 2024.

https://agri.ohio.gov/home/news-and-events/all-news/agriculture-easement-purchase-program-2025-funding-9-9-2024

Thank goodness our state nursery is back!

Pssst! We’ve got scarlet bee balm!

Recently added to the state-listed species of concern in Ohio, Monarda didyma blooms from June to August, its vibrant red tubular flowers attracting hummingbirds, hummingbird clearwing moths and other hovering pollinators. Bee balm thrives in full sun and average to moist, well-drained soil, and most commonly grows to 3-4 feet tall. It tolerates drought and black walnut, is deer resistant, spreads easily and has medicinal and edible qualities.

Native habitats include stream banks, open woods, and meadows. This is an excellent nectar plant for butterfly, native, perennial, and cottage gardens; perennial borders; specimen plantings; and banks of ponds or streams.

We’re invested in helping this plant recover in central Ohio, and we want everyone to have a shot at growing this beauty, so we’re limiting purchase to two plants per family. Come and shop Thursday or Saturday from 10-6 or order online for pickup…but zoom on out before they’re gone!

To learn more about scarlet bee balm (AKA Oswego tea), check out our full plant profile here:

https://www.leavesforwildlife.com/product-page/scarlet-bee-balm-mondarda-didyma

It's still super dry and hoses are flying off the shelves. Here is an amazing video on garden hose testing. Everyone is always asking and wondering which garden hose is best. This video covers everything you need to know and more. Enjoy!

Best Hose (GARDEN HOSE)? Zero G vs Flexzilla, Bionic Steel, Gilmour, Aqua Plumb, Briggs & Stratton Hoses Tested: Zero G vs Flexzilla, Bionic Steel, Gilmour, Worth, Flexon, Aqua Plumb, Briggs & Stratton. Hoses tested for kinking, puncture resistance, burst ...

This article reinforces what it means to duplicate nature in our landscapes. This is part of the foundation of my business. You can create a beautiful pollinator friendly plantings, but make sure to diversify the topography and materials. Enjoy!

Want more wildlife in your garden? It’s not all about the plants, says the garden industry’s new guru We all know about planting for pollinators, says John Little, but when it comes to increasing biodiversity, it turns out that it’s not all about the plants. Illustration Rosanna Morris

I'm sure by now you have noticed how abnormally dry the soil is. I now have to dig holes with an auger due to how hard the dry soil has become. Several areas have soil that is completely cracked, which indicates severe drought.

Plants need at least an inch of water per week to sustain normal growth. Any less water for long periods of time and the plant will become stressed, go dormant, or lose its leaves.

If you have new lawn, landscape, or tree plantings you must water them regularly or they will die. Any rain we receive will mostly run off until the ground finally becomes saturated again. That could take a few weeks of regular rain. Do not depend on rain to substitute irrigation. Irrigation includes using sprinklers, a watering wand, or an in-ground system. I also highly recommend digital timers, especially for lawns and landscapes.

New lawns may need watered up to 2-3 times per day. Landscapes and trees will need watered 3-4 times per week. Some perennials may need watered every 1-2 days. Once the soils become moist again, you can return to a more normal watering schedule.

Please reach out with any questions. You can use Facebook Messenger, or call/text. My phone number is 614-706-6259.

Here is the equipment I personally use for irrigation. I definitely recommend price comparing as Amazon may not be the lowest. I am not an affiliate marketer for any of these brands, although maybe I should be 😂

Dramm Rain Wand, 30"
https://a.co/d/iclVnF1

Melnor XT Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler https://a.co/d/fLzkxIk

Swan Products Element Sprinkler Soaker Hose 50'
https://a.co/d/7m7Bmi7

Melnor 4 Zone Hydrologic Digital Timer https://a.co/d/7UGIwdv

Melnor 1 Zone Hydrologic Digital Timer
https://a.co/d/dpZ7Ooq

Flexzilla Garden Hose 5/8 in. x 50 ft. https://a.co/d/9XE4JB2

HQMPC Garden Hose Y Valve Brass Hose Splitter
https://a.co/d/7jDr8iy

HQMPC Super Heavy Duty 3/4" Brass Shut Off Valve
https://a.co/d/fMdHyV7

Garden Hose Quick Connect Brass Hose Quick Connectors 3/4" (3 Female Coupler+ 6 Male Ni***es)
https://a.co/d/cyGwlRN

Hi Friends! I'm taking a much needed break and will be shutting down from June 30-July 7 to spend time with Carol and the kids. If you contact me that week and don't receive a response, I'm probably on a really fun adventure!

Have a great week everyone!

Man, I love my job 😎

Whew! We're in for a heat wave!🥵

The seven day forecast has our daily high temperatures at over 80-85 degrees with a near 100 degree high next Monday and little to no rain. If you have new plants less than one year old or seeded your lawn this spring, make sure you are watering. It takes over a year for new perennials or trees to begin establishing. It takes around one year for a newly seeded lawn to establish. The most common issue with plant death is underwatering.

I have included an excellent tree and perennial watering guide with this post. Please read it and use it to make sure your plants have a successful establishment.

Feel free to message or call me with questions about your lawn, landscape, or trees. I'm glad to help!

Have fun and enjoy these beautiful sunny days! ☀️

It's time for planting! We'll be at Boardman Arts Park from 11-2 today installing a brand new pollinator garden.

Come join us and have fun!

It's year 2 for my miniature Hydrangea macrophylla 'Pop Star'. I'm excited to see if I can make it bloom blue. We have alkaline soils in Ohio, so most Hydrangeas bloom pink or red. I replaced the clay soil around it with high organic content garden soil and acidified the heck out of it. I'm anxiously waiting to see what happens 🫣

Those are Hydrangea 'Eclipse' in the background 😎

Let me know if you would like to add Hydrangeas to your landscape or need help getting yours to bloom 👍🏼

Holy moley! I just found another Ice Plant (Delosperma sp.) to add to my collection 🤯😍

Delosperma 'Orange Glow'

The fleet continues to grow for Strata Eco Solutions! 🚧

This year, I added a Bobcat MT100 mini skid steer. Having this machine available on a daily basis will greatly increase my productivity. It will allow me to help more people use eco-friendly care methods on their property, especially when grading lawns or installing landscapes. I also purchased a brush cutter attachment. If you need trails cleared, a prairie/field mowed, or a forest edge maintained, give me a call or send me a message. I'm glad to help!

The boys love their new toy bobcat machines. They love being able to work like daddy! 😍

Ohio Native Plant Month: Indian Grass

It is time for another Plant This, Not That! This time between the invasive Chinese Silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis) and the Ohio native, Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans). There are a number of potentially invasive exotic grasses in home landscapes, and a number of wonderful Ohio native alternatives, but for now we are focused on these two!

Chinese silvergrass, also known as zebra grass and Maiden grass, is native to China, Japan, and Korea. Chosen for its large size and showy elegance for home gardens, it features vigorous roots and rhizomes that allow it to aggressively spread into disturbed areas. It also is extremely flammable and can increase the risk of wildfire. Chinese silvergrass can reproduce through rhizomes and seeds can be dispersed by wind. It prefers full sun and moist, rich soil that drains well. As with many exotic species, it does not support many wildlife species.

Indian Grass on the other hand is a beautiful native grass that hosts 9 species of Lepidoptera. Once a dominant grass of the tallgrass prairie which once covered parts of Ohio, it provides excellent cover year round for birds and mammals. Birds eat the seeds and it is resistant to deer browse. It has green foliage that ends in long feathery plumes in August. The plant grows in a wide range of soils including heavy clays, but thrives in moist, rich soils. It is able to withstand drought, erosion, and air pollution! It may not be suitable for small spaces as it reproduces from seed and rhizomes. That being said, there are many native Ohio grasses and grass like plants that can be used, like prairie dropseed, various sedges, sweet flag, northern sea oats, switchgrass, and little bluestem. There is a native grass for every scenario!

Find native plants here: https://www.ohionativeplantmonth.org/native-plant-sources

Indian grass photo from: https://open.lib.umn.edu/nativegrasses/chapter/3-14-indiangrass-sorghastrum-nutans/

Even though it was named in 2018, I don't think it's a coincidence that this "out of this world" hydrangea was released right now. Say hello to Hydrangea macrophylla 'Eclipse'! This stunner has cranberry blooms with near-black foliage that holds its color all summer. Care requirements are the same as other big leaf hydrangeas, but this one can take full sun in Ohio. At maturity, it will have a 3-5 foot round growth habit.

I was lucky enough to pick up 3 for my private collection. I'm sure it will sell out quickly. Let me know if you would like to add one to your collection.

Enjoy!

This has been my thought all along. I will never use cardboard when landscaping.

Cardboard does not belong on your soil. Period. Cardboard used in landscape restorationCardboard used in lasagna gardeningCardboard used for w**d controlThe many faces of carboard found in home gardens and public greenspaces In the quarter centu…

As we drive around Central Ohio and view all of the Callery Pears in bloom on the roadsides, ditches, and rights of way, you may wonder how this happened. How did this amazingly striking ornamental tree get so out of control? Aside from the stench of the flowers, ornamental pears are, in theory, the perfect tree. They leaf out early in the spring, have beautiful white flowers, exhibit thick, glossy leaves, and put on one of the most spectacular fall color shows of any tree in the world. Unfortunately, they are also non-native and have become one of the most invasive species we have ever seen.

If you are curious about the origin of this very widely planted ornamental, here is an exceptional article about the rise and fall of the Callery Pear:

https://arboretum.harvard.edu/stories/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-ornamental-callery-pear-tree/

Enjoy!

The Rise and Fall of the Ornamental Callery Pear Tree One of the most notable heralds of spring in the eastern United States is the profuse blooming of ornamental pear trees in front yards and along city streets. The Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), and particularly its many cultivars such as ‘Bradford’, ‘Cleveland Select’, and ‘Aristocrat.....

As Jack Skellington would say...What's this?!

Here's a little piece of gold for all of you DIY landscapers or anyone who wants a really nice hedge. The picture in this post is a comparison chart for the most commonly used Arborvitaes. The size column is the mature size (15-20+ years old). If you would prefer a .pdf version, message me with your email address and I'll send you a copy.

Enjoy!