Jan 18, 2014 | Blog, Winter
Right now is probably the worst time of the year for gardeners. It’s been too cold to garden for months, and it’s going to be another month or two before we can start really getting ready for spring. The good news is that we always have the Great Big Home & Garden Show at the I-X Center to look forward to.
This year, the show runs from February 8th through the 16th, and we can almost guarantee that it will chase away your winter blahs and get you excited to try out some new things in your garden this spring. WIth over 600 exhibitors in once place, you can look for inspiration, talk to experts, and see the wide variety of new and not-so-new products that can make this year’s garden your best garden ever.
We always are excited to check out the featured gardens, and 2014 promises to be no exception with 19 featured gardens with an international theme. You can take a world tour without ever leaving the I-X Center by visiting gardens representing countries as varied Japan, Belgium, the US, and Italy. Many of the featured gardens are paired with local restaurants, making sure all of your senses are well cared for.
As always, there will be an extensive selection of informative and entertaining stage shows (get the schedule here: http://www.greatbighomeandgarden.com/GBHG/AtTheShow/45.aspx). We’re excited to get inspired by HGTV’s Ahmed Hassan at Noon on Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th. Some of the other highlights are “How to Design an Outdoor Living Space” at 4:00 on Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th.
Gardening won’t be the only topic discussed on stage. Several chefs will discuss topics from salad to coffee cakes. Also interesting are several sessions on kitchen design trends and building the perfect kitchen (see the schedule above). We’re looking forward to the Food Network’s Emily Ellyn leading sessions on retro food favorites and leftover makeovers at 1:00 and 4:00 on Saturday the 8th, and 1:00 on Sunday the 9th. Finally, don’t miss the “4 Legged Fashion Show” at 5:00 on Saturday the 15th.
Of course, as far as we’re concerned, the highlight of the entire show is the Three-Z booth (number 512). Make sure you stop by to see how we can help you with the garden of your dreams, have one of our landscaping experts answer your questions, or just stop by to say hi. We love when our friends and clients take the time to talk with us.
See you at the Great Big Home & Garden Show!
Dec 7, 2013 | Blog, Gardens
As a leading supplier of garden and landscaping supplies, we at Three Z Supply love and support the Cleveland Botanical Garden, one of the greatest gems in Northeast Ohio.
The Botanical Garden features 10 distinct outdoor gardens, including a children’s exploration garden, a herb garden, a japanese garden, and rose and topiary gardens. Most are open year-round, though of course the best displays are in the warmer months.
Once the weather turns colder and we don’t really want to spend long hours in our gardens, we’re happy that we can always head to the Botanical Garden’s Glasshouse and be surrounded by beautiful flowers and plants. The Glasshouse offers an escape from the cold into the desert of Madagascar and the rainforest of Costa Rica, featuring exotic plant life from both areas. Darting chameleons and a daily butterfly release add to the sense of being transported out of Northeast Ohio just by stepping through the Glasshouse doors.
The Botanical Garden also features a full calendar of events, from weekends celebrating the first blooms of spring at “Big Spring,” to the annual “Ripe!” harvest festival featuring local produce and chefs, to the stunning Orchid show that is presented every February.
Of course, every December the Garden presents “Glow in the Garden” featuring holiday plants, decorated evergreens, and a gingerbread competition that always surprises with fun and complex gingerbread creations.
We also love their Garden Store, which is a perfect place to shop for one-of-a-kind items for any gardener on your list. Or for yourself. We won’t tell.
The Cleveland Botanical Garden is located on East Boulevard in Cleveland’s University Circle. It’s open Tuesday through Sunday, with evening hours on Wednesday and during special events (such as the holiday “Glow in the Garden” event). We encourage you to become a member for free admission and to support the Garden. More information is available at www.cbgarden.org.
Nov 8, 2013 | Blog, Winter
Those of you who know us know that we are big supporters of the Cleveland Metroparks. We really think they’re one of the best things about Cleveland, with all sorts of fun and educational activities that keep us all out in nature. What you may not know is that the Metroparks are open and have great things to do all winter long.
As you might expect, the Metroparks offer many great ways to get outside in the winter. Popular activities include hikes with naturalists, campfires, snowshoe and cross country ski demonstrations, and animal watching and bird watching groups. There are also year-round programs that continue through the winter such as the “One Trail 12 Times” program that explores seasonal changes to a familiar area.
If you aren’t ready to brave the cold, the Metroparks offer great indoor activities for families and adults as well. Popular family activities include scavenger hunts, hands-on activities that explore science and animals, movie nights, storytelling, and even hand-feeding birds. There is even an annual family overnight at the North Chagrin Reservation. Adult activities include photography groups, movies, and lectures.
Formal programs aren’t the only opportunities for winter recreation at the Metroparks. All hiking, all purpose, and bridle trails within the Metroparks are open for snow hiking and snowshoeing, with rentals occasionally available (check the Metroparks website for dates). Likewise, cross-country skiing is permitted on hiking, bridle, and all purpose trails, as well as at several golf courses when there are at least 4 inches of snow on the ground. Ski rentals are available at Big Met Golf Course in the Rocky River Reservation when there is enough snow.
Fishing is another popular year-round activity in the Metroparks. In all but the coldest winters, the Rocky River will usually have enough open water for shore and wading fishing, with steelhead fishing popular all winter. Various lakes and ponds are open to ice fishing, when conditions are safe. All fishing in the Metroparks requires a valid Ohio fishing license.
One of our favorite Metroparks activities is the toboggan chute at the Chalet in Mill Stream Run Reservation, near Strongsville. From Thanksgiving until March, the toboggan run is open most weekday evenings, Saturdays from noon until 10:30 PM, and Sundays from noon until 5:00. Admission includes the toboggan, professional assistance, and a toboggan lift. All you need to enjoy the thrilling ride is warm clothing and a sense of adventure. If you want more sledding options, many Metroparks have popular sledding hills as well.
For Metropark locations and activities, check out the Cleveland Metroparks website at http://www.clevelandmetroparks.com. You can search by location or activity to find what’s available near you, or search by activity to see where it’s available. For programs, check the event calendar on the site for exact times and dates and to see the wide variety of activities available. Then find your hat and gloves, bundle up, and get out there!
Sep 20, 2013 | Blog, Fall, Mulch News, Spring, Summer
In an ideal world, every garden plot naturally would have deep, rich soil. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. When
establishing a new garden, or revitalizing an old one, you are pretty likely to run into sub-par soil (see our previous blog on soil testing to learn how to check up on the health of your soil).
If you’re not happy with your soil, what are the options? Short of scraping the top foot off your garden and replacing your entire plot’s soil, the best option is to add amendments to your existing soil. If you’ve had your soil tested, you will have a pretty good idea where to start.
As a general rule, in clay-rich soil, amendments break up the dense clay, add porosity and water permeability (which also improves drainage), and allows greater rooting depth. On the other side of the coin, if your soil is sandy, soil amendments increase its ability to hold nutrients and retain water.
Soil amendments fall into two broad categories, organic and inorganic. Organic amendments include peat moss, Sweet Peet, wood chips (often available free from your municipality, along with humus), compost, lawn clippings, straw, wood ash, and anything else that comes from something that was once alive. Inorganic amendments include gravel, sand, recycled rubber chunks, vermiculite, and perlite.
Not all amendments are recommended for all applications. For example, if your soil pH is already high, wood ash will only contribute to a high pH. Similarly, adding sand to soil with high clay content will essentially produce cement.
When using organic materials, it’s generally best to ensure they are composted first, with the exception of peat products. Uncomposted wood, for example, takes far longer to break down than other organic matter, ties up nitrogen as it decomposes, and can interfere with water movement. Similarly, uncomposted manure can carry dangerous pathogens.
Inorganic amendments should be applied sparingly, as once you mix them into your soil, they are there permanently. Organic materials will eventually decompose, but putting in too much gravel or sand into your soil is not something that will go away with time.
If you need help deciding what amendment will work best for your soil, talk to the experts at Three-Z. We’ll also help you determine how much ammendment your soil needs. In general, healthy soil should be about 5% organic material, and contain the correct inorganic materials to ensure easy movement of water and roots.
Unfortunately, adding amendments takes a bit of work. They must be thoroughly mixed into the soil to work properly. In existing beds with plants, this means breaking the soil up 3-4 inches deep around the plants with a garden fork or rake. Add your amendment, then rake it completely into the soil, raking first in one direction then in the other. An empty bed is a little easier, as it can be rototilled both to break up the soil and to blend in the amendments after you have spread them. In boh cases, you must thoroughly water the bed once you’re done.
Investing a bit of work into adding amendments can have a big payoff in a more lush garden, and improved soil for years to come. As always, if you have any questions, or need any help, come talk to the experts at Three-Z Supply.
Jun 17, 2013 | Blog, Spring, Summer
There has been an explosion of community gardens in America, popping up behind churches, schools, in parks, next to city 
halls, and even on corporate campuses. As the name suggests, these are gardens that are shared by many users. Most often, the garden is a plot of land that is broken up into multiple gardens, each of which is maintained by an individual. In the United states, gardens are generally between 10’x10’ and 20’x20’.
There is a strong tradition of community gardens in urban areas, often involving vacant lots that have been cleared and turned into gardens. Many times, these are developed without official permission, and can be in danger of being removed if the land is sold or otherwise reclaimed. More and more, we are seeing these gardens in suburban areas, where public or private landowners offer unused land for gardens. Cities will often turn part of a park or the grounds of a city building (a school, for example) into a community garden. Likewise, companies with large campuses offer gardens to employees and the surrounding community. The community benefits from the gardens, while the owner benefits by no longer having to maintain the land.
The organization of community gardens varies widely, from anarchy to strict rules. Some gardens are impromptu and open to all on a first-come, first-served model with no leadership. Others have locked gates and years-long waiting lists for plots, especially in more affluent urban areas where land is at a premium. Most gardens are somewhere in-between, with formal (though almost always volunteer) leadership, and a sign-up process for plots. Many are run by churches or other non-profits who oversee the gardens and will charge a small fee for shared expenses, such as water, fencing, and administration, each year.
Community gardens offer many benefits, with a few drawbacks. For apartment-dwellers and those without room for gardens on their property, the advantages are obvious, but some choose a community garden even when they have room for one in their backyard. There is a sense of camaraderie in a community garden, and the expertise of other gardeners can be invaluable, especially to those just learning. A community garden can be an excellent way to get into gardening, since the plots are almost always well-established and are unlikely to require extensive conditioning for a successful growing season. Gardeners often share their tools, especially specialty tools that are rarely used, a benefit for beginners and veterans alike. It’s also a lot easier to trade some of an over-abundant zucchini crop for some of another gardener’s tomatoes when you’re gardening side-by-side.
This does not mean there are no disadvantages. Your plot will likely be open to the public and will not be under your direct control. This can lead to a “tragedy of the commons” where visitors or fellow gardeners do not respect your property, although this is a rare thing. It can also be a pain to have to haul all of your gardening supplies to the community garden, instead of just pulling them out of your garage or shed. Some less-established gardens will lack water, making gardeners dependent on rain or whatever water they can haul to the site or catch in a rain barrel. Most of these are minor concerns when compared to the benefits, and are generally easily overcome.
If you’re interested in participating in a community garden, odds are there’s one near you. The American Community Gardening Association (http://www.communitygarden.org) is an excellent resource and even has a community garden finder on its website (http://acga.localharvest.org/), which lists 200 community gardens in Ohio.
