Keeping Your Hanging Basket Beautiful

You finally have your GORGEOUS hanging basket that you hand picked from Garden Valley Farmers Market. You’re watering it and admiring its unique beauty and color that it brings to your home. With a little work, love, and the following tips, let’s keep your hanging baskets looking absolutely gorgeous and full of blooms all summer long.

Location

When choosing your hanging baskets, remember to keep location in the forefront of your mind. Needing a shade plant? We recommend Ferns, Wandering Jew, and Fuchsia!
Needing a basket that’s in a sunny location? Petunia, Million Bells, and Lantana are GREAT choices for you, and come in a beautiful variety of colors.

Fertilize… slowly

Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to fertilizing your hanging basket. Why? First, if fertilizing too much, the flower/plant can become stressed by growing too fast and cause it to go into shock. Slow growth is much better than the opposite in the long run. Second, its important to fertilize because the soil is not exposed to the same soil as a garden bed would be. It’s not getting the same organic compounds and nutrients from the earth when its hanging in the air, so regular fertilizing of your basket is recommended.

Watering

How and when you water your basket is secretly an important tip. Most baskets tend to dry out faster than a bedding plant or pot would because they are exposed to more wind, so watering once (sometimes twice) daily is recommended with most hanging baskets. However, be sure to ask your sales associate for your specific plant’s watering needs if there is no tag).
When is the best time to water, you ask? We recommend early morning. Early morning watering gives the plant enough time to absorb the moisture that is needed so that it can survive the heat of the day, but any time, as long as you’re watering, is a good time.

Regular Pruning and Deadheading

Once a week, cut back and remove any damaged leaves or flower buds from your basket. You will notice a huge difference in the longevity of life from your basket if this is done and kept up with. Doing this not only increases growth in your basket, but it also increases the bloom development. And we all want that, right?!

F Y I

MOST hanging basket from Garden Valley Farmers Market do not need to be repotted, as long as they are kept trimmed back and pruned. But on the off chance that the basket might need some saving… check out the next section on what to do.

Your Plant May Have Outgrown It’s Container

If your plant starts to look overgrown, it might be time for you to repot your basket. Hanging baskets can become root bound because the roots will have no room left to grow. If you haven’t kept up with the regular pruning of your basket, you can repot your plant into a hanging basket that is a size bigger. Wire baskets filled with a coconut liner are a great option because they increase air flow through the root of the plant.

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We would love to see photos of how beautiful your hanging baskets are this summer, so tag @gardenvalleyfarmersmarket in your posts, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #gardenvalleyfarmersmarket and show us your beautiful baskets!

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

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

How To Grow French Marigolds

F R E N C H    M A R I G O L D S

It’s no big surprise that    f r e n c h m a r i g o l d s    hold the top spot in the floral department, and there’s MANY reasons why: they don’t require much attention to thrive, are easy to prune/deadhead, are deer resistant, they produce big, bright blooms from the Spring to Autumn, and they make great companions to your vegetable garden. 

COMPANION PLANTING

Marigolds are great for companion planting with vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, potatoes. Why? Because the deer hate the smell of them and so do certain insects that can be harmful to your plants. Plant these to deter any pests away. 

GREAT FOR POLLINATORS

The beautiful, show stopping blooms definitely stop the show for butterflies and bees. The nectar from these flowers makes a great source of food for important pollinators, and will also attract them to the other flowers in your garden. 

SOIL + WATER

These are seriously some of the easiest flowers to grow, because they have such a great adaptability to soil content. So if you’re choosing to plant in the ground, don’t worry about what type of soil you have, just plant them and watch them grow. The only thing worth mentioning about the soil content is that they do like it on the drier side, so don’t overwater them. 

LIGHT

Give these lovelies a TON of light. They love basking in the sun, so make sure they get at least 8+ hours of direct sunlight daily.

Don’t forget to leave us a comment below and let us know your favorite things about Marigolds!

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

5 Tips On How To Get Rid Of Mosquitoes

Picture this: you’re outside, enjoying the sunset, and enjoying the cooler weather that the day has FINALLY brought. You’re sipping on your souther, NC sweet tea, talking with your friends, and watching the grill master cook up some perfect sirloin steaks. But suddenly, you start to feel something itch on your arms, and then your legs. You look down, and there’s what seems to be a thousand little flying, annoying insects circling you like they’re about to feast on you. Mosquitoes. And just when you’re about to “call it a night” and go inside, you remember this blog post that gave you some tips and tricks to get rid of those mosquitoes.

5 Tips On How To Get Rid of Mosquitoes:

1. Remove Standing Water.
Mosquitoes love standing water and are drawn to it. Why? Because their eggs can not develop into larvae without water, so it’s essential for them to survive. Simply removing any water in birdbaths, dog bowls, or old tires might be just the trick you need to slowly get rid of those pesky insects.

If you’re wanting to have a water feature in your back yard, it’s best to have one that has continuously moving water. A great option that we have available at our stores are these fountains that are pictures above.

2. Plant Mosquito Repelling Plants
At Garden Valley Farmers Market, we recommend the following plants to our customers:
+ Citronella
+ Lemongrass
+ Marigolds
+ Catnip
+ Rosemary
+ Bee Balm
+ Peppermint
+ Lavender

You can plant these herbs and flowers around your porches, in the pots on your picnic table, or up your front porch steps. Basically wherever you spend your time outside, you will want to plant them there.

3. Hang Bat Houses.
Okay, this might seem a little ridiculous. But, in case you didn’t know, bats eat mosquitoes and mosquitoes are terrified of bats. It’s a simple trick to deter those mosquitoes from laying eggs around your home. Try it out and let us know if it works for you!

4. Trim Bushes And Mow Grass
Mosquitoes hate heat and need a place to relax from the hot sun. They also like to eat on the nectar of the plants when they’re not feasting on us… so trimming up your vegetation and keeping the grass mowed is a great way to reduce the population of mosquitoes.

5. Wind.
Luckily for us, mosquitoes are not strong enough to withstand wind. So even if it’s not a breezy day, grab a few fans, hang them around your porch, and turn ‘em on. Another great option is to finally install that ceiling fan on your covered porch that you’ve been wanting to have put up for the past 10 years. It’s worth it.

We’d love to hear your tips and tricks on how you prevent having mosquitoes invading your summer nights! Comment below and let us know.

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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 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 inpsiration, 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