1. Walk around your space noticing the light and different temperatures around your home. Start with the area that gets the most sun or indirect sunlight.
2. Depending on what area you choose to start research the best plants for the light density in that area. Do not be discouraged if you suddenly realize that your home is lacking sunlight. There are species and varieties that can survive in lower light conditions.
3. Start small this is one of the main differences between your outdoor and your indoor gardens. The magic of your indoor space will evolve over time as you fall in love with each new plant. We suggest starting with 2-3 plants. Starting small provides you the opportunity to not only succeed but to learn and grow with your plants.
4. Be smart! All plants have unique qualities that are beautiful and sometimes dangerous. Please be aware of which plants are toxic to animals and children. 

​Here are some of our favorites:
The Peperomia plant family is an amazing choice for first time indoor gardeners. They are small plants, and most varieties grow slowly and rarely grow over a foot in height. Making them perfect for desktops, windowsill, and rooms with limited space. This plant family has more than 1500 species that have been recorded. Creating a diverse collection of stem patterns, colors, leaf shapes, and textures that are spectacular to enhance any space.
Caring for most Peperomia varieties is easy as they are very forgiving. They do enjoy bright indirect light but can adapt to lower light. They require less watering as you will need to only water them when the soil is dry. Peperomia are non-toxic to children and pets.
As we start into the winter months think about adding a peperomia to your home because the winter is when their growing season starts.

​These next plants are not just for adding aesthetics to a space, but they have added health benefits.
All plants, absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen during photosynthesis. The small openings on the underside of the leaves are called stomata and they help regulate the speed of photosynthesis. The larger leaves provide more surface area producing more oxygen.
These next three plants are no exception they have been a part of many scientific studies and the results have proven they are some of the highest producing oxygen plants. As we continue to go about our lives, we find ourselves indoors more than ever which has led to a greater need of providing fresh air. Products have been developed to help with creating fresh clean air. Although many of those products can be putting chemicals into the air that can be harming our health. There are a lot of plants that are not only helping to oxygenate the world, but they also can remove harmful chemicals from the air helping to purify our environment. Here are three of our favorites. Do not forget to click on the links for more information on the other plants.​

​The number 1 issue with our indoor plants is over watering. The root system not only needs water but great porosity for increased oxygen to survive. When a plant becomes waterlogged the root cells will rot creating an optimal environment for fungal and bacterial infections to thrive. Here are a couple of ideas to help your plants flourish in your home. 

Did you know? A kilogram of dry wool placed in an atmosphere of air saturated with moisture releases about the same amount of heat as that given off by an electric blanket running for eight hours. This is because wool is Hygroscopic. Hygroscopy is the phenomenon of attracting and holding water molecules via either absorption or adsorption from the surrounding environment, which is usually at normal or room temperature. 
​

Eggplants are heat-resistant vegetables, perfect for harvesting in late-summer. They grow quickly, and need a sunny location with rich, well-draining soil. We recommend Globe Eggplants for your warm areas like California! So, any fans of Olive Garden’s Eggplant Parmesan? We’ve got you covered. ;) https://flavorite.net/copycat-olive-garden-eggplant-parmigiana/

​Cucumbers

Ideal temperatures for cucumbers are between 50-95 degrees. They thrive in full-sun and heat! If you’re looking for the best heat-resistant cucumber, try the Olympic or Thunder! Here’s another refreshing summer salad!
​https://www.fivehearthome.com/tomato-cucumber-salad-with-olives-and-feta/

Thanks for reading! Readers in hot, sunny areas- what are your thoughts? Have you had success with any of these vegetables? Let us know!

Check out our products!

https://www.wildvalleyfarms.com/super-compost-tea.html
https://www.wildvalleyfarms.com/wool-pellets.html

​

I know what you are thinking.
CARDBOARD boat????  You can't be serious.  Cardboard soaks up water -- you'd be nuts to make a BOAT out of cardboard!!!
Well that is exactly what I thought too.

But to participate in the Morgan County 4th of July Cardboard Boat Regatta, you have to make a boat out of cardboard.  The other thing you can use is duct tape -- which we feel is the real secret to success.  The more duct tape the better.  (In fact sometimes I think the better name should be the Duct Tape Boat Regatta.)  But before I tell you all the secrets, first I will tell you about how the whole thing got started.

One thing you should know about The Compost King he that he is full of ideas.  (Some of them are brilliant, and some of them are crazy ;)).  He also is involved with the Morgan Area Chamber of Commerce.  Four years ago, the chamber had a meeting and were trying to brainstorm ideas to improve the County's Fourth of July Celebration.   The Compost King said, "I have a great idea that I think would be really fun and  work well because of the river that runs right through the fairgrounds and park.  I can tell you the idea, but I am so busy with other things right now, I cannot do anything to help make it happen." 

They wanted to hear the idea. 

"A cardboard boat regatta.  The boats could be in the morning parade (thus adding to Morgan's Fourth Parade), and the boats could run the river in the hot afternoon.  It would be fun for spectators and participants alike."

Then he left the meeting.

The people in the meeting loved the idea, and it took off like wildfire!  Several people called him that first year and said, "You won't believe what you started with your idea!"

Though I must admit, when he first told me about it, I thought he was crazy. 

The first year, most of the boats went down pretty fast (as in sunk underwater!), but there was one boat (the winning boat) that made it to the end all in one piece -- and with the riders still dry!  So then we knew it was possible and everyone really seemed really excited to scale it up for the next year.

That second year Wild Valley Farms entered it's first boats.  We did two.  A LARGE BARGE and a WOOL SKIFF.

At first we looked it upon online and considered boat patterns and designs.  But when we finally got down to it, we had to make do with the cardboard shapes that we had.  And we just started covering everything in duct tape!!!  

The WOOL SKIFF did so well that afterwards we put it on a shelf in the shed and saved it.  This year the boys wanted to lengthen it (hoping to stabilize it better).   So we added a little more cardboard and a lot more duct tape.

Then they hopped in.

Cardboard and duct tape.  Down the river.  Dodging boulders and low hanging tree branches.  

This event was fun to do and fun to watch. ​

This post has had little to do with gardening, but what I wanted you to learn from it is this:
1. Don't be afraid to speak up and plant a little seed of an idea (even if your wife thinks you are crazy), you never know what it might become. :) 
2. Things that you think are impossible may be possible with enough duct tape.

I hope that you had a fun and adventurous 4th of July.  I hope you are finding a way to stay cool and that you are keeping all your plants hydrated and lush and enjoying the beautiful sunshine. 

Happy Gardening and Happy Fourth.  I love this country.

-The Compost Queen

Warmer weather means spending more time outside which also means more gardening! There are so many different products that are needed to get your garden started. Lets talk about the two main products:  compost and mulch. But just how much compost and mulch do you need for your yards? Do you know the difference between compost and mulch and also why they are needed? Lets get down to the nitty gritty and explain it all.

To make it simple, here is a step by step on how to calculate how much your yard requires.
First measure the area of you garden (Length x Width).
Divide the area of you garden by 27
Finally, Divide your answer by 6 for 2 inch deep soil. Divide by 4 for 3 inch deep soil, or divide by 3 for 4 inch deep soil.

What exactly is compost? Compost is a biologically active material that results in decomposition of organic matter under controlled circumstances! Compost is considered a conditioner, not a fertilizer  because it can retain and make existing nutrients readily available for plants! Wild Valley Farms sells its on compost called Terra zest. Our premium organic and all natural Terra Zest is a special blend of manure, sawdust, and hygroscopic fiber (wool). We combine these products carefully to ensure your plants, lawn, trees or garden vegetables can get the full nutritional value needed for root development. Our premium Terra Zest will help your soil retain moisture and works as a slow release fertilizer that lasts all year long, (unlike chemical fertilizers that only last for a few weeks), and our Terra Zest won’t burn your lawn or plants. It is safe for use around children or pets immediately after use. Best part about our Terra Zest?  It's all natural, organic and local!

One last product to talk about! Mulch. Mulch is easy, it can either be any organic or non-organic matter. It is something you put down over top of the soil. A few of the benefits from mulch is that it can help regulate soil temperatures and prevent weeds. Score! It also comes in 5 different colors.. Colored Mulches are a great way to add color and personality to your home or business while suppressing weeds and helping to maintain moisture in your soil.

Hopefully this quick how to post helped with deciding on how much compost and/or mulch needed for your yards! Compost and mulch are great additives to plants and lawns. They both bring out the best in the plants and have some of the most amazing benefits. So why not click on the two products listed below and get them into your yards today! 

We all love things that are easy and fool proof. You would never guess that they are plants that are easy and fool proof! Win win! Wether you are hands on or just want something to help make your yards look beautiful during the spring and summer time, This is for you!

As with any plant, flower or shrub, do your research before deciding what to plant and taking care of it once it is inserted into your gardens! Whether you love shrubs or flowers, there is a plant for everyone! Depending on your style, there is more high maintenance and ones that are very low maintenance! We also carry some awesome supplies to help keep your gardens looking beautiful and strong all year long! 

One of the best things about spring is all the beautiful flowers. There are so many different shapes, sizes and colors! But one of the down sides is that some types only last for a certain amount of time. Have you ever wondered what flowers could last all year long? Wether you are an experienced gardener or just starting out, here are six different and unique flowers that bloom all year! 

These are just a few of the many flowers that bloom all year. Need some supplies to help you get started or just to top off your stash? Check out are awesome supplies! 

Spring is finally here! Which means warmer weather, longer days and gardening. Gardening can be a fun  way to get out of the house and get into the sun! With so many different types of flowers, bushes and trees to choose from, how can you know which ones are right for you and your garden? Here are a few helpful tips on choosing the right plants for you!

Do you know one of the common problems with gardening and planting flowers? Getting plants that are too big! It's really easy to look at the current size of a plant in a pot and plan accordingly to that! But did you know that plants actually grow bigger once they are in the ground? You don't want to crowd the plants because then you're going to have do extra work of moving them around later. Just make sure when you are purchasing the plants, you know how big they will be once full grown.

This is an easy one! We all know that plants need some type of nutrients to help them grow. Soil is a main factor! With soil being such an important factor, two great soils are intelli-soil and soft soil. Our intelli-soil is great for house plants, hanging pots and even outside plants! It's specially formulated growing mix to help your plants grow and great looking plants with little maintainance. It's also enriched with wool pellets  to help through whole growing season! Soft soil which is another great option it is packed with nutrients and it's great for raised garden beds! Don't forget your wool pellets! Wool pellets help your gardens by holding up to 20% their weight in water so it reduces the amount of time spent watering, they also wick away water to help reduce overwatering and they increase porosity for optimal root growth!  

There are definitely more tips and tricks when it comes to picking flowers for your garden and these just a few! Always remember that it's your garden, so you do what you want! Make it your own, add your style, interests anything! Show us pictures of your gardens in the comments below!