Mum's The Word; All About Mums and How To Care For Them

With the new season of Fall finally here, cooler temperatures are approaching. And whether you love cooler temps or not, one thing that is sure to brighten all of our spirits is the beautifully colorful plant that we like to call the chrysanthemum, or in short, t h e g a r d e n m u m.

All About Mums

Did you know? The mum is both an annual and perennial.

That’s right! Depending on your climate and how you care for it, Mums can make an awesome come back the following Fall season. And with proper care, they can withstand the cold temperatures that the winter brings and deliver beautiful color each and every Fall season. It’s usually best to wait until Spring to allow for better root establishment, however, you can plant them in the fall as well. If planting in the Fall, make sure you give them plenty of protection to survive their first winter in the ground. This means resisting the urge to prune them and leaving the dried buds and leaves on the plant after it’s blooming season. Provide them with plenty of mulch to protect their sensitive roots from the cold.

What to look for

When choosing your mums, keep in mind WHEN you’re needing it in full bloom. If you have a last minute Fall party with guests attending, consider buying a Mum that is fully bloomed. BUT, if you’re looking for a Mum that will last for a longer period of time, choose a Mum with more unopened buds than not. This ensures that you will be able to enjoy the colorful blooms for a longer period of time.

Should you repot?

YES! We have many pottery options still available at all of our locations. Repotting your mum can be one of the best things you can do to set your mum up for success this Fall season. This prevents root rot, and allows more room for the roots to grow. More root growth means a healthier Mum with longer lasting blooms.

How to Care for Your Mum

Light

Mums can do okay in partial shade, but if you want your beautiful Mum to thrive, you need to give them full sun. If in the shade, this may cause your Mum to become “leggy” because it’s literally trying to reach for the sun. This also causes less flowering.

Soil

Mums prefer well-draining soil with compost or organic matter mixed in with it. Why add this to your soil? Because it creates a good environment that is essential to all plant’s health and growth.
Side Note: We have LOTS of Daddy Pete’s organic soil if you’re in need of any.

Water

Usually mums like to be watered every other day if in the full sun, but if the soil seems dry, go ahead and give it a nice soaking. Water until drainage seeps from under your pot. If in the ground, only water when the first inch of soil is dry.

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WE WANT TO KNOW…

what is your favorite bloom color of Mums? Let us know in the comments below. You can also share your beautiful pictures with us by tagging us on Facebook or Instagram. We can’t wait to see!

#gardenvalleyfarmersmarket @gardenvalleyfarmersmarket

Much love,
Your Garden Valley Market Team
…and Tappy

Herb Infused Olive Oil

Want a super easy DIY to satisfy your cravings until Spring comes? Well, we’ve got the perfect solution for you: Herb Infused Olive Oil. You’re welcome. This oil recipe makes the perfect gift, is super easy to make (but looks like it’s not), and will bring so much flavor to your next dinner. 

IMPORTANT: you want to make sure that you choose a high quality olive oil, as this is the main ingredient. Second, you want to make sure that you’ve prepared for everything to be completely dry- bottles, utensils, herbs, etc. If not, mold can settle, and that’s no bueno for your recipe. 

You can use any herbs for this recipe that you want, and can even mix them, but for this recipe we will be using Rosemary. If you are using fresh herbs from your garden or pots, remember to dehydrate them before beginning. See below on how to do that. If you don’t have access to fresh herbs, you can always buy dried herbs from the store. But remember that we open up soon, and will have ALL the fresh smelling herbs ready for you!

Dehydrating your herbs: 

• Cut your herbs to the size you want them in the bottle

• Wash any dirt off, then dry them with a paper towel

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place your sprigs on it

• Set oven on lowest temperature and “cook” for about 1 ½ to 2 hours

How to Make Rosemary Infused Olive Oil

Add about 2 cups of your olive oil together with about 3 to 5 sprigs of Rosemary into your pot. Then heat over a medium temperature for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let your oil cool. Once your oil has cooled down, you can strain and store in a jar that allows you to close the lid tightly. You can even add a few sprigs of Rosemary to your jar for a pretty aesthetic. This oil will last for about 3 months and needs to be stored in the refrigerator, but with how easy it is to make, you’re probably going to be making more very soon anyways. 

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Rosemary Infused Olive Oil
Total time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 Cups Olive Oil
5 Rosemary Sprigs

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine your oil and Rosemary sprigs into a pot
2. Heat over medium heat for about 5 minutes
3. Remove from heat and let cool
4. Strain oil into a jar with a tightly closed lid
5. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 months

Rosemary is a great herb that lasts all year long in central NC, so don’t forget to pick up one for yourself when we open, which will be VERY soon.

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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

Our Favorite Fall Front Porch and Landscape Designs

We’re so excited that the Fall weather is here and that the gorgeous Fall flowers are here with it! Ornamental cabbages, Mums, and Pansies are at their beautiful peak season. And with the help of Pinterest, we’ve decided to put together a post to give you some flower inspiration for your garden and landscaping this Fall season.

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Landscaping Inspiration

Mums aren’t just for pots, and are actually a great way to add color and depth to your landscaping. Head over to this blog post to read more about them. We recommend bordering your fences, driveways, or house with these beauties to instantly add some Fall curb appeal.

Pinterest

Pinterest

Ornamental cabbages are versatile and have a TON of landscaping design options, as seen below. These can be combined with a huge variety of plants, and you can even place a few pumpkins in there to add some fun Fall touches.

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pansies are another wonderful option that provides you with vibrant colors and never ending blooms. They’re also super easy to maintain and only need a trimming every now and again. How gorgeous are these landscaping jobs viewed below?!

Pinterest

Garden Gate

And of course, you don’t have to stop at just one option. You can easily combine all three of these options to make your house the prettiest landscaped home in the entire neighborhood. Here’s a few examples that are sure to provide you with the ultimate yard envy:

Pinterest

Pinterest

Front Porch Inspiration

Front porches are also a great way to add curb appeal and provide you with warmth and gratitude for these wonderful plants. Whether filling your window boxes or lining your steps with potted mums, ornamental cabbages, and pansies, any of these options would be a great way to fill your home with Fall.

Kindred Vintage

HGTV

Liz Marie Blog

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 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 blog posts or 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 Market Team
and Tappy

Honey Drizzled Pears with Roasted Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Honey Drizzled Pears with Roasted Walnuts and Goat Cheese

With the savory, melted goat cheese topping the warm, sweet pears, combined with a crunch from the roasted walnuts, this recipe is sure to leave you and your guests going back for seconds, thirds, and maybe fourths? Perfect to be used as an appetizer or a dessert, this mouth-watering Fall recipe is just what you didn’t know you needed for you next gathering.

The best part? You can find these sweet pears and freshly canned honey at your local Garden Valley Market stores in North Carolina. With pears so sweet and soft that they leave each bite to be desired, and delicious local honey produced from our hard working North Carolina bees, this recipe in combination with the cheese and walnuts is beyond desirable. We highly recommend you make this ASAP.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

Begin by preheating your oven to 425 degrees, Fahrenheit. Slice your pears into thick slices, about half an inch thick. (This allows your pears to be able to hold up all of those delicious toppings).

Next, place your pears evenly onto a baking pan and brush with melted butter.

Top with crushed walnuts and bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes.

Remove pears from oven and allow to cool slightly. Once pears have cooled to the touch, top with goat cheese and place in oven again for approximately 8 minutes. This allows the pears to cook a tad more and for the delicious, mouth watering goat cheese to become soft and melt onto the pears.

We used a blueberry goat cheese, but any goat cheese would be perfect for this recipe!

Remove pears from oven for the last time. (You can turn off your oven at this point). Allow to cool slightly, then transfer pears onto your prettiest serving dish. Trust us, these pears deserve a beautiful place setting.

Once pears are placed onto serving dish, drizzle with some fresh, local honey.

Eat while warm, and leave no pear behind.

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 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

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Honey Drizzled Pears with
Roasted Walnuts + Goat Cheese
SERVINGS: 8-12 people
TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 medium sized pears
Local honey
1 Tbsp. butter (melted)
1/2 C crushed walnuts
Goat Cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice your pears into thick slices about half an inch thick.

• Next, place your pears evenly onto a baking pan and brush with melted butter. Top with crushed walnuts and bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes.

• Remove pears from oven and allow to cool slightly. Once pears have cooled to the touch, top with goat cheese and place in oven again for approximately 8 minutes.

• Remove pears from oven for the last time. Allow to cool slightly, then transfer pears onto serving dish.

• Once pears are placed onto serving dish, drizzle with some fresh, local honey. Enjoy while warm.

Side note: If making this recipe as a dessert, consider topping with your favorite vanilla ice-cream? The warm pears and cold ice cream are a wonderful combination to be desired.