Top 5 Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Carefully curated for mom, here are

Garden Valley’s Top 5 mother’s day Gift Ideas

1. hanging baskets

With so many colors, textures, and light options, hanging baskets make the perfect gift for any mom. She’ll be looking at these every time she pulls up the driveway into her home, and, of course, will be reminded of how amazing of a child you are for gifting her these.

Some of our favorites…
For sun, we love the classic Petunia or Million Bell hanging baskets. The more sun, the better! All they need is an occasional dead heading to encourage new bloom growth. But don’t forget to water!
For shade, we love Fuscia! They thrive in those shady places that don’t receive any sun, and their unique blooms easily bring joy to the hearts of those who witness them.

You can read more here about keeping your hanging basket beautiful.

2. houseplants 

If you want your mom to enjoy a plant every second of every day… get her a houseplant. They’re easy to care for once you learn their needs, and make a great option for the mothers who don’t have a lot of outdoor space. Our staff at Garden Valley LOVE houseplants and would be happy to help guide you in picking out the perfect one.

3. pottery

Speaking of plants… Your mom is going to need something to put those gorgeous plants in. We hand select our pottery pieces every year, and they will make such a beautiful addition to your mom‘s home. Go ahead and get her the piece she’s been eyeing but not buying. She’ll love it, trust us.

4. Hibiscus

This year‘s hibiscus crop has been absolutely beautiful! They’re healthy, vibrant in color, and would make the perfect addition to your mom‘s summer plant collection! Plus, they thrive in warm, humid conditions, making them the perfect selection for North Carolina Summers.

5. a shopping spree

If you REALLY want to make your mom happy… treat mom to a yummy brunch/lunch, and then surprise her with a shopping spree to Garden Valley. We have so many gorgeous things at our stores that will put a huge smile on your mom’s face. But what really makes the moment special is the time spent together walking through the stores and having those easy, fun conversations. Because no matter what physical gift you get your mom, the memories and little moments like that… those are what she really wants.

*BONUS*

Gift certificate

We do offer gift certificates as well, so if you’re completely stuck on time, this is a great option! Maybe with this, she can finally buy that item she’s been saving up for!

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Thank you so much for joining us here. We offer a huge selection of pottery, plants, produce, and soil, making it a one stop shop for you this Mother’s Day! 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, Instagram, or Pinterest. We’d love to have you join us in our journey of planting better, eating better, and living better.
With love,
Your Garden Valley Farmers Market Team

Growing Gigantic Monstera Deliciosa

If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly house plant that’s large and in charge, then we recommend the Monstera Deliciosa. This gorgeous plant has beautiful green foliage, uniquely shaped leaves, is easy to propagate, and will leave you wanting one in every room of your house. Here’s how to take care of them and keep them happy for many years to come:

L O C A T I O N

Place your Monstera in a spot where it can receive bright to medium indirect light. If they get too much direct sunlight, this can cause the leaves to burn. But the opposite condition, too little light, will eventually cause the leaves/plant to droop and die off. Let’s keep them happy by placing them near a window that may receive a few minutes of direct sunlight, but mostly will be exposed to indirect sun.

To note- Monstera do like humid conditions, so if you have a bathroom with plenty of space and a window, this a great location to place them. Also, we would be very jealous if you did.

S O I L

Monstera Deliciosa are basic and okay with good ole’ indoor potting soil. Nothing special. To encourage a faster growth rate, you can repot them every spring into another pot that’s an inch or two larger in diameter. This gives them ample space that will encourage new root growth, which means you will get a plant that will become bigger and healthier.

W A T E R I N G

Watering your Monstera is not super tricky. A weekly watering should do the trick for them. If you notice that the top layer of soil is still wet, maybe hold off on watering for a day or two and then proceed as normal.
And as we mentioned before, they do like humid conditions, so if you have a humidifier and don’t know where to place it during the winter months, then we recommend placing near your giant Monstera.

P R O P O G A T I N G

…using stem cuttings, which is the most common method.

1. Find an aerial root on your stem that has a node and, ideally, two healthy leaves.
2. Cut 1/2 inch below the aerial root with sharp scissors at a 45 degree angle.
3. Place cutting into a jar of your choice that’s filled with enough water to cover about 1/4 of the entire stem. (Be sure that your jar is able to keep your stem in an upright position)
4. Change out the water every 2 weeks, and be sure that the cutting is placed in INDIRECT sun.
5. You should begin to see roots growing in about three weeks, but we recommend waiting about one to two months before transplanting into soil. For the first month of them being planted in new soil, make sure to water it every few days to encourage root attachment.

WE WANT TO KNOW…

do you have a Monstera Deliciosa? If not, will you get one? We have plenty to choose from at a few of our locations. Let us know in the comments below. You can also share your Monstera moments with us by using #gardenvalleyfarmersmarket on Facebook or Instagram. We can’t wait to see!

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. If you’re wanting to earn rewards and be easily connected with us, download our new App. 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

Preparing Your Garden For Fall

It’s almost time… And you all know what we’re talking about… FALL. Cool, crisp temperatures, changing leaves, pumpkins, pansies, mums, and all things Autumn. And we have a few tips and tricks for you as you prepare your garden for this glorious Autumn season.

1. Clean out any summer vegetables and flowers that will not survive the season. Pull up the nonproductive vegetable plants and flowers that are no longer producing those gorgeous summer blooms and vegetables. This process can be bittersweet, but sometimes it’s necessary to make space and “clean” it for any future plants that are needing fresh new soil.

2. Compost what is not diseased and use for winter or next spring’s garden. You don’t have to throw those beautiful plants away and never see them again. In fact, you're able to put those in a bin and compost them for future use. Compost is GREAT for the soil and if you cover it with mulch, it adds much needed nutrients to your soil.

Image via Pexels

3. Even if you are not planting any vegetables or flowers for the fall, it’s very important to prepare your soil for the following year. Add an extra layer of compost and mix it in with the soil with a rake. It’s a great way to loosen your soil and prepare it for your future garden. This process also help to provide your soil with vital nutrients needed for your next crop. Because healthy soil means healthy plants.

Image via Gardening Know How

4. Plant a cover crop. Fall cover crops are another great way to put nutrients back into your soil while waiting for the spring and summer months to arrive again. Here is a great article specific to zone 7 on types of cover crops that you could plant in your garden.

Image via Pexels

But what should you plant in the Fall?

You can plant basically any cruciferous vegetable: cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, beets, kale, turnips, and so much more! Here are the two ways you can do this:

Image via Fine Gardening

From seed.
If you’re starting from seed, it’s usually a bit more time consuming, but is cheaper. And it requires a bit of counting backwards from your frost date, which is usually provided on the back of the seed packet.

From transplant.
This option is usually much easier. You also don’t need to start quite as early, which is great if you haven’t already started on your Fall garden! Plus, let’s be honest, gardening in the fall is much nicer due to the cooler weather and nice breeze.

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WE WANT TO KNOW…

what’s your favorite Fall plant? Let us know in the comments below! You can also share your Autumn gardening adventures with us by using #gardenvalleyfarmersmarket on our Facebook or Instagram! We can’t wait to see!

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. If you’re wanting to earn rewards and be easily connected with us, download our new App. 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

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