The History of Garden Valley

There’s always a story to every place, to every business that’s been built, and learning that journey is what reveals the heart and soul behind it. What started out as a small, quaint produce stand, has now turned into a beautiful and thriving farmers market that serves a good part of both Alamance and Guilford Counties of North Carolina. That business… is Garden Valley Farmers Market, and this is their story:

Nestled in the heart of Alamance County, there was a small produce stand that was owned and operated by Josh Readling (along his beautiful brown lab, Shelby). His desire was to provide fresh and local produce to a community that was in lack of healthier food options. Josh grew up in Alamance County, and his knack for business and desire to bless people was at the heart of starting Garden Valley, and has such, remained the core desire. To plant better, eat better, and live better.

Fast forward a few years, and along came two brothers who not only lived together, but decided it was a good idea to work together too (read that last line as sarcasm). Those brothers are Paul and Luke Laparra. Long story short, they went to church with Josh, had conversations, and wanted to expand Garden Valley to reach more people. Little did they know that this partnership would turn into a bond that would not only bless the outside community, but also provide a friendship filled with trust and understanding, something that not many businesses are blessed to have.

• Paul is a craftsman by heart. He loves working with his hands, is a former electrician, and loves carpentry work. But even with all of the time consuming work that he continues to do with Garden Valley, his main passion in life is his love for the Lord, and raising his beautiful family.

• Luke was already working for Garden Valley as an employee at the time, and wanted to continue to grow in the company. It was in this journey that he learned his passion for business, finances, and streamlining processes. But even with this new discovery, he still remains passionate about loving his family, and helping others simplify the stresses that can often come with finances.

While this partnership was being developed, Garden Valley was slowly growing from one location, at Chapel Hill Road, to FIVE locations in a span of ten years. What once was a modest produce stand, is now a farmers market that sells pottery, flowers, trees, shrubs, and so much more! And even though they have grown into a bigger company, the promise to provide quality product to the community is still one of their main goals.

The biggest season of growth for Garden Valley came during a very unexpected time… 2020. It was in the thick of this pandemic that Garden Valley was blessed with the most amazing outpour of support from their community. It was filled with hope, strength, and solace in a time that was focused on fear, hurt, and anxiety. The love shown by the community of Alamance/Guilford County brought a refreshed determination to Luke and Paul… this was the right direction for the company. This business was supposed to be here. Garden Valley was home for its community.

Through the good years, and not so good years, Garden Valley has always remained true to their identity: plant better, eat better, live better. They have continued to provide access to healthy vegetation so that the community can plant better. They always strive to provide quality produce so that the community can eat better. And they are a place where anyone can come, and be inspired to live better. This motto of theirs rings true, and it’s Garden Valley’s hope to continue to do so for many years to come.

Growing Gorgeous Hibiscus

With absolutely gigantic, gorgeous, and beautiful blooms, Hibiscus is the perfect spring, summer, and even fall plant that will leave your landscape bright and full of color and depth. With a variety of bloom colors ranging from yellow to pink, these hardy tropical bushes and trees are perfect for any yard that receives full sun. 

here’s how to get those gigantic, gorgeous blooms, and keep them thriving:

L O C A T I O N

Hibiscus likes warm weather, and gravitates towards the sun, so if you’re considering one (or a few) for yourself, make sure you have a sunny location in mind. Many gardeners like to put them into the ground and watch how big they will grow, but repotting into a slightly larger pot would be another great option as well. 

Hibiscus blooms are also prone to tear and are very delicate, so make sure to place them in a location that has some protection from the wind. 

Did you know you can also bring your Hibiscus inside in the colder months? Just make sure it receives a ton of sunlight while inside.

S O I L

If planting your precious Hibiscus into the ground, add a little bit of fresh compost to the mix to increase the soil’s pH level, as Hibiscus likes it neutral or slightly acidic.

If planting in a pot, make sure to size up your pot an inch or two in diameter. And to use a well draining potting mix, like the Daddy Pete’s Potting Mix that we have available at our stores. It is organic and will leave you with a happy plant that’s producing vibrant blooms all summer long!

W A T E R I N G

The great thing about Hibiscus is that they are drought tolerant and don’t need as much watering attention as some other plants. However, that doesn’t mean that you should neglect them. 

For the first week after planting, be sure to water daily to help the roots establish into its new soil bed. After the first week, every other day should be fine. 

Once your plant is established, you can taper off your water schedule to about twice a week if there is no rainfall. However, on those hot and dry North Carolina days, remember that it might need some watering love every other day. 

P R U N I N G

To promote bigger, and more beautiful blooms, you will have to remove the old blooms, that have lived their best life mind you, but are no longer pretty. 

When bringing your bush or tree inside for the winter, you can trim it back to about one-third of its size in the LATE winter or early spring. 

Enjoy this gorgeous inspiration gallery we sourced from Pinterest for ideas on how you can use Hibiscus, either outside in your landscaping or inside of your home.

Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

Do you enjoy growing Hibiscus in your yard to brighten up your garden? Are there other flower varieties you’d like to try? We’d love to hear about your plans in our comments below!

Please note: we truly hope you’ll come visit with us, and we would also love to see your gardening photos as well, so tag @gardenvalleyfarmersmarket in your posts, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #gardenvalleyfarmersmarket!

And lastly, if you find this information helpful, we’d love it if you would support us by sharing with your friends.

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Thank you so much for joining us here. For more information on what Garden Valley Farmers Market is about, you can visit us here. If you’re wanting to visit with us, come by any of our five North Carolina locations. If you’re wanting to follow along with us, you can do so either on our Facebook, Youtube, or our Instagram. And if you’re wanting to check out our other recipes and blog posts, or are needing more inspiration, follow us on our Pinterest. We’d love to have you join us in our journey of planting better, eating better, and living better.
Much love,
Your Garden Valley Farmers Market Team

How and When to Repot Your Houseplant

Items Needed

Pot with drainage hole that is 1 to 2 inches bigger (no bigger than 2)
Good quality indoor potting mix
Water

How to Repot Your Houseplant

1. Water your plant the day before, that way your soil and roots are easier to remove from the pot. It also helps reduce “shock” to your plant during transplant day

2. Gently pull out your plant from pot. Depending on it’s size, you may need to tilt the pot upside down, being careful not to drop it. You might need a friend for this depending on how big your pot is. If your plant is extremely root bound, you can take a knife and glide it around the inside of the pot to loosen the roots. 

3. Once your plant is outside of its original pot, gently work your fingers along the roots of the plant. This is also where you would inspect your plant and cut off any brown or black roots caused by overwatering. 

4. Fill the bottom of the pot with an inch of your indoor potting mix. Gently place your plant into the pot and fill the perimeter with soil. 

5. Gently press your hand down on the soil once it has reached the top. This makes sure that all areas have been covered with soil and that there are no air pockets hiding. 

6. Water lightly so that the soil is wet but not drenched. 

*If your plant seems to be going through a period of “shock”, it’s perfectly normal. Give it about a week, and you’ll see that it will be thriving once again and more vibrant than before.

When To Repot

+You have plant babies.   Over time, plant babies can tend to grow along with the mother plant. Which is GREAT! It means that your plant is thriving. But if your mother plant is competing for nutrients with the baby plants, it can stress the overall plant out. 

+You have roots growing out the bottom of your pot. Congratulations, because this means it has been thriving, and just needs more room to grow, and a fresh repotting can do tremendous amounts of good for your plant. 

+It just seems “blah”.   No matter what you do, (i.e. watering correctly, correct sunlight, or even talking to it) it just seems to be a little down. It might need some fresh soil to provide it with more nutrients. It can’t survive on just that original batch of soil alone.

+You have to water more frequently.   If your soil seems to be drying up quicker than before, it might be time to repot and give that plant some love. With better soil composition comes better water absorption, which means a much happier plant in return. 

+Root rot. If your plant’s roots are turning black or brown, it’s definitely time to repot your plant. Along with repotting, cut off the damaged portion of your plant’s roots, and this will help save the entire plant from suffering the damage. Also, maybe lighten up on the watering once your plant has it’s new “home”.

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Thank you so much for joining us here. For more information on what Garden Valley Farmers Market is about, you can visit us here. If you’re wanting to visit with us, come by any of our five North Carolina locations. If you’re wanting to follow along with us, you can do so either on our Facebook, Youtube, or our Instagram. And if you’re wanting to check out our other recipes and blog posts, or are needing more inspiration, follow us on our Pinterest. We’d love to have you join us in our journey of planting better, eating better, and living better.
Much love,
Your Garden Valley Farmers Market Team

How To Care For Chinese Money Plant

The Chinese Money Plant has become a favorite on everyone’s wish list for houseplants, and there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation: they are just THAT amazing. These plants make a perfect window display, are fast growing, and are easy to propagate and gift to your friend. They have beautiful coin-shaped leaves and are very easy to take care of, so let’s dive in.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Pilea Peperomioides originated from the Yunnan province of China; they were cut by a missionary family and brought home to their family and friends, hence why they also have the nickname “missionary plant.” 

WHERE TO GROW
These plants really enjoy being by a window that receives a lot of indirect sunlight. They are also fast growers, so you might find that you will need to rotate your plants at least once a week. Like many plants, they grow towards the sun, so rotating them will help to even out the growth. 
(Tip- you may want to dust your plant’s leaves from time to time. This helps with maximum absorption of sunlight by the leaves.)

SOIL

The Chinese Money Plant does well in an indoor potting soil mix, with a pot that has a drainage hole. 

WATERING
Depending on your conditions, you may need to water weekly, making sure that the soil dries between waterings. A sure sign that your plant needs more water is a drooping of the leaves. 

PROPOGATING
Lightly pull the “baby” pilea that is growing around your “mother” pilea. Plant in moist soil, and keep the soil moist to encourage root attachment. Once it is established, continue care as mentioned above.

Thank you so much for joining us here. For more information on what Garden Valley Farmers Market is about, you can visit us here. If you’re wanting to visit with us, come by any of our five North Carolina locations. If you’re wanting to follow along with us, you can do so either on our Facebook or our Instagram. And if you’re wanting to check out our other recipes and blog posts, or are needing more inspiration, follow us on our Pinterest. We’d love to have you join us in our journey of planting better, eating better, and living better.
Much love,
Your Garden Valley Farmers Market Team