WILD VALLEY FARMS
  • Home
  • WHY WOOL?
  • Products
    • Home Garden Products >
      • Wool Pellets
      • Nurtiwool Pots
      • Woolly's Frost Guards
      • Scented Soap
      • Super Compost Tea
    • Landscape Products >
      • Intelli-Soils
      • Natural Barks
      • Terra Zest
      • Colored Mulches
      • Manures
    • Commercial Products >
      • Bulk Wool Pellets
      • Spore Block
  • Retail Locations
    • Become a Dealer
    • Retail Marketing help
    • Store location map
  • Store
  • Healthy Gardening Blog
  • Contact
    • Partners
  • About
    • In The News
  • Privacy Policy
  • SDS Documents
  • Return Policy/Terms and Conditions

Healthy Gardening

how to's  & Tips for your garden

Terra Zest Premium Organic and All Natural Compost - Wild Valley Farms Product Highlight

4/27/2018

0 Comments

 
By Cindy Cloninger
Picture
Premium all natural and organic compost is an essential part to creating a great garden. Learn all about Wild Valley Farms, Terra Zest in this article.
Picture
Since the creation of the earth, decomposition has been in play. Rock, trees, leaves, grasses, foods, and all types of organic matter have been broken down over time to create the soils that surround us.
Because the minerals, bedrock, climate, moisture, and plants vary depending on geographical location, soil content and make up varies too.
Ideally, you want to create a soil that helps retain moisture and has adequate aeration. Ideal soil is dark and has the full range of organic nutrients that release slowly over time. Soil like this allows for deep root growth and ideal environment for your plants.
If your soil doesn’t look like this, or you are combatting hard and compacted soil. ​
​

Terra Zest is the solution you have been looking for.

Picture
Terra Zest compost blend is the solution for softening your soil.

What is Terra Zest?

Our premium organic and all natural Terra Zest is a special blend of manure, sawdust, and hygroscopic fiber (wool).  
​

There are two main components that make up any compost. 'Greens', or table scraps and yard waste, and 'Browns', or manures.
​
The main difference in any compost is feedstock or the materials that you start with.  You need "Greens" and "Browns" or Nitrogen and Carbon. There are many different sources of "Greens" or Nitrogen and using the best sources yield the best results.
The quality of materials used are a key component in the making of a great compost.
We combine these products carefully to ensure your plants, lawn, trees or garden vegetables can get the full nutritional value needed for root development.
​

Because our Terra Zest compost blend is ‘cooked’, and not just made with the right ingredients, otherwise harmful components have been eliminated.

This compost blend has a  40:1 ratio of Carbon to Nitrogen, 50% moisture, maintains a temperature of 160 degrees for three weeks - cooking out seeds and pathogens. Terra Zest compost blend  is guaranteed 99.5% seed free.

​Our compost is on site for over 8 months being turned and screened to make a perfect product full of humus, ready for gardens.
Picture
Picture
Terra Zest is screened to remove and debris, then carefully tested to make a uniform product.
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 it won’t burn your lawn or plants. This premium compost blend is safe for use around children or pets immediately after use.
Wild Valley Farms is committed to delivering all natural, organic, and safe products to our customers. Special care is taken in every stage of development to ensure you receive a nutrient dense, long lasting, and uniform compost soil.  
We also make a special Golf Course blend that helps green up grasses faster and helps keep high traffic areas softer.
Picture

What are the Benefits of Wild Valley Farm Terra Zest compost blend?

  • Helps soils retain moisture  
  • Adds the full range of nutrients not just the big three (NPK){Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur, Boron, Zinc, Copper, Iron}
  • NPK is N=30 lbs per ton P=34 lbs per ton K= 12 lbs per ton
  • A true compost so it will not burn your plants from high salts or unbalance your pH like manure (pH=6.1)
  • No need to add lime like with commercial fertilizer. (saving you money!)
  • Terra Zest is a slow release fertilizer so nutrients are available all year long not just for six weeks like commercial fertilizer
  • Adds organic matter to help build and loosen soils.
  • Screened through a 1/4 inch screen so no trash, big rocks, or other garbage
  • All Natural, Organic, and Local ​
We not only sell Terra Zest in bulk and deliver in Northern Utah, we also offer installation so the back breaking labor is done for you.  You can also find it at many garden retailers in the US and Canada.

Terra Zest

$35.00

Terra Zest for your garden, flower beds, or anywhere you want to improve your soil and retain moisture. Try planting your tomatoes straight into Terra Zest, you will love the results!

Price is per cubic yard(a yard is about a pickup load), and will cover about 162 sqft 2 inches deep. 


Read more about Terra Zest and how to use it in your garden and flowerbeds:Terra Zest Premium Organic and All Natural Compost - Wild Valley Farms Product Highlight


Shop

Product Installation

$29.00

Any of our products installed in your already landscaped yard. The Installation price includes delivery of the product. This is a great option for those who aren't sure how much product they need as we only charge for what is used. The $29 price is per cubic yard of product installed.

(Your total price will be product price plus install price)

In the notes please say which product you would like installed.

Shop
Picture

Proven Results

Utah's own Matt McConkie used Wild Valley Farms compost & Wool Pellets in his Giant Pumpkin growing attempts this year and it paid off, making him the new record holder for Utah!

McConkie smashed the old record by 200 lbs bringing in his prize pumpkin weighing a whopping 1,974 lbs!!

He also placed as the Number 16 grower in the World for 2017!!!!

​You could say that using our special blend of Terra Zest compost and Wool Pellets brings GIANT results.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Tomatoes thrive when planted straight into Terra Zest. They love this nutrient rich compost. Tomatoes in containers filled with this compost blend will have the moisture retaining benefits and the room for their roots to grow deep. These 6 tips for Growing Tomatoes in a Container are the perfect guide.
Picture
Picture

Cindy Cloninger

Virtual Assistant, blog manager, email & social media marketing assistant, web development. I enjoy hiking, fresh fruits & veggies, planting flowers, and cooking great meals. But I love being a wife and mother the most.  When I'm not doing all of those, I love to read and try new things.   Despite the forecast, live like it's spring.

0 Comments

Plant a Memory Garden - Planning Your Garden

3/30/2018

1 Comment

 
By Cindy Cloninger
Picture
The best varieties of heirloom seeds and plants to put in your garden and flowerbeds.
A resurgence in heirloom varieties of flowers and vegetables provide a unique opportunity to add a bit of nostalgia and family connection to your garden and flowerbeds.
Picture

Smells Like Nostalgia

Have you ever gone somewhere and smelled something and instantly you were transported to another place and time? So many of our memories are tied to smells.  Actually, researchers have discovered that smells travel through the nose, cranial nerve through the olfactory bulb to help the brain process smells. The olfactory bulb and amygdala are both part of the limbic system, the emotional center of the brain. This close relationship between the olfactory and the amygdala is one of the reason odors cause a spark of nostalgia.
Dr. Ken Heilman, James E. Rooks Jr. Distinguished Professor Neurology and Health Psychology at the University of Florida and a member of AAN says,
Smells do bring back memories, smell goes into the emotional parts of the brain and the memory parts, whereas words go into thinking parts of the brain.      
Whether it’s pumpkin pie, freshly baked bread, or your mother’s perfume, smell can invite sweet memories into our lives is pleasant.  This got me thinking about all the things I have loved about my childhood home and sharing a backyard with my grandparents who enjoyed 4 acres of crops, blooms, and orchards.

Terra Zest

$35.00

Terra Zest for your garden, flower beds, or anywhere you want to improve your soil and retain moisture. Try planting your tomatoes straight into Terra Zest, you will love the results!

Price is per cubic yard(a yard is about a pickup load), and will cover about 162 sqft 2 inches deep. 


Read more about Terra Zest and how to use it in your garden and flowerbeds:Terra Zest Premium Organic and All Natural Compost - Wild Valley Farms Product Highlight


Shop

Colored Mulches

$40.00
Our premium colored mulch is made from kiln dried wood which is why it holds it's color for 2 years before fading.  Price is per cubic yard(a yard is about a pickup load), and will cover about 162 sqft 2 inches deep.  
Choose which Color you want by checking the small color box, then you can choose your Quantity.  Quantity is by the yard.  Delivery is only available in Utah and Western Wyoming.
Add in the comments when your prefered delivery time would be and we will call to finalize. 
Shop

NutriWool Organic Wool Pellets

$10.99

Wool Pellets are 100% Raw Wool from sheep, that adds nutrition to your plants. Wool Pellets are a 9-0-2 grade fertilizer. Wool Pellets will help hold water helping to reduce watering by 25% while still keeping the porosity in your soils. An 8 oz bag will cover about 15 square feet and is enough for at least 6 gallons of soil if used as directed. Free Shipping on orders of 4 or more!

Shop
Picture

Plant a Memory

Like me, many of you may have fond memories of making your way up the walkway of your grandparents' homes and all of the vibrant colors and smells that invited you into their hearts and homes.  Join by remembrances of lessons taught by your grandfather as he pruned trees and bushes or taught tips for a good harvest in his overalls. I loved being in my grandparents garden and all of the yummy smells that are such a part of my childhood. Delicious raspberries, peaches, and lilacs. So much of what I have in my flowerbeds and garden have been influenced by generations past.
If every time you get your hands in the dirt or smell those long forgotten scents, memories come flooding back, you may enjoy planting a memory garden.
Picture

Gardening in the Past

There is much we can learn from generations that have gone before about gardening.
I have been inspired by the wartime efforts of citizens in both WWI and WWII.
In March 1917, just weeks after the US entered WWI, the National War Garden Commission encouraged Americans to contribute to the war effort by planting, harvesting and donating from their gardens. During WWI a huge food crisis had emerged with Europe's crops turning into battlefields. The burden of feeding millions fell to the United States.
Picture
Promoting "sow the seeds of victory" to housewives and become "soldiers of the soil" to school children, 3 million new garden plots were planted in 1917 alone, and more than 5.2 million were cultivated in 1918 Victory gardens.
Victory gardens were again promoted in WWII with the loss of laborers to fight in the war. Nearly 20 million Americans answered the call.The US Department of Agriculture estimates that more than 20 million victory gardens were planted. Fruit and vegetables harvested in these home and community plots were estimated to be 9-10 million tons, an amount equal to all commercial production of fresh vegetables. It's amazing what a few people working together in small ways can do!!
Picture

Times Change

In the US alone, there are many varieties of flowers and crops that have gone out of fashion and have all but gone extinct. The reason for this may lie, in part, to the way our suburban lifestyles have changed through the decades.

1920's

During the 1920’s most homes didn’t have fences, but walkways and separation between houses were lined with perennials.  Popular choices included, Canterbury bells, irises, foxgloves, phlox, pyrethrum, coreopsis, hollyhocks, roses, columbine, delphinium, poppies, and carnations and annuals,  such as California poppies, cosmos, petunias, snapdragons, verbena, bachelor’s buttons, Centaurea (sweet sultan), strawflowers, marigolds, Drummond phlox, asters, etc.  Shrubs were boxwood, holly, yews, and abelia.
Picture

1930's

In the 1930’s the Great Depression stifled many flowerbeds, but large rose gardens were still popular along with hostas, lilacs, and hydrangeas.
Picture
Many in this era had their own compost piles to provide nutrient-rich soil for optimal growth and production.  Today, this practice is less common. You can still get those same organic benefits and reap the same harvest because we’ve taken the time-consuming process and done it for you. Soft Soil, Wild Valley Farm’s premium blend of topsoil and premium is ready and easily available to add to your garden. 
Buy Soft Soil Here
Picture

1950's

With the booming economic and suburban growth in the 1950’s, consumerism made its mark.  Boxed hedges, gnomes & flamingos dotted landscapes, while garden flowers were over-sized, vibrant and colorful, for instance, large tea roses like Garden Party roses, Tiffany roses, and Chrysler Imperial roses were popular choices.
Picture

Giant Zinnias were another popular choice for fence lines. This video shows how to grow them and a few other heirloom varieties. 

1970's

In the 1970’s Homeowners sought to do more with the land they had. As a result, vegetable and herb gardens, along with shrubs and trees that produced fruits became commonplace in home landscapes.
Picture
While adding smell, beauty, and eye-catching design, that may not have been all that dictated some of the choices of flowers and plants in Grandpa’s garden.  Many in generations past understood some of the unique relationships held between plants. Often, plants can mutually benefit each other through pest repellent or environmental factors. This is known as companion planting. Learn more in our article Companion Planting for the 8 Most Popular Plants in Your Garden.
Time spent in our gardens and yard space can pay off in bountiful crops and hearty harvests. To ensure that end, focusing on the condition of the soil they are planted in is essential.  Gardens love our wool pellets, providing porosity for optimal and deep root growth while keeping away fatal crop pest like slugs and snail. Read more about wool pellets and the natural release fertilizer they release in 6 Reasons You Should Be Using Wool Pellets in Your Garden Soil.
Picture

Heirloom Seeds And Plants

Have you already planted a memory garden or at least a few blooms into your flowerbeds? If so you are joining a movement that has been growing to bring back and keep from extinction many plant varieties.  This resurgence has created an industry of heirloom seeds and plants. If you are wondering where you can get your hands on some of these older and less common varieties, we suggest Heritage Flower Farm and Select Seeds. There are also many seed swapping groups that are worth looking into.
Picture
Picture
Picture

Plant in a container

Give your favorite flowers a place of prominence by planting them in a Nutri wool pot. Different from most potting containers, Nutri Wool Pots are made of natural materials, that protect your plants from overheating and better insulate them from extreme temperatures.
Picture

NutriWool Organic Wool Pellets

$10.99

Wool Pellets are 100% Raw Wool from sheep, that adds nutrition to your plants. Wool Pellets are a 9-0-2 grade fertilizer. Wool Pellets will help hold water helping to reduce watering by 25% while still keeping the porosity in your soils. An 8 oz bag will cover about 15 square feet and is enough for at least 6 gallons of soil if used as directed. Free Shipping on orders of 4 or more!

Shop

Nutri Wool Pot

$11.99
Nutri Wool Pots are a 2.5 Quart fabric pot that are made in the USA.  Nutri Wool pots will help air prune roots, and will hold water better than any other fabric pot.  Are 100% bio-degradable and will help feed plants when pots are placed in the soil.  
Shop

Soft Soil

$40.00
A perfect blend of our screened topsoil and our premium compost. This is a great product for raised bed gardens!

​Price is per cubic yard (about a pickup load), and will cover about 162 sqft 2 inches deep.
Shop
PictureNutri Wool Pots are available for purchase at www.wildvalleyfarms.com
​We already know the benefits that wool can provide as it breaks down over time releasing the perfect amount of nutrients to your tender plants and the barrier to pests like slugs and snails.  Now you can have the added convenience of planting directly in these colorful Nutri Wool Pots. They look beautiful on any porch or balcony and because of their dense fibers, they hold the water making them the perfect container for your blooms and crops.
​An added benefit of the completely organic pots is the biodegradable factor. These little beauties can be planted directly in the soil when you are ready for making a more permanent home for the plants that grace the steps of your porch. The bright colored pots and beautiful smells from your flowers will bring sweet memories each time you step onto your porch. Read about other great container plants in 
15 Plants to Grow in a Nutri Wool Pot or Container.


Flowers from my grandparents and even great-grandparents that I have planted in my own garden are violas or Johnny jump ups, irises, and buttercups.  Each time I see or smell I am intrinsically tied to a time in the past and surrounded by sweet memories of those I love.
Picture
Violas or Johnny Jump Ups
Picture
Great Grandma Hill loved her Irisis
Picture
Irises in purple, yellow, and white
Picture
Buttercups for Great Grandma Jones
Picture
Buttercups or Allamanda

What flowers or plants bring back memories to you? We’d love to hear from you!

Picture

Cindy Cloninger

Virtual Assistant, blog manager, email & social media marketing assistant, web development. I enjoy hiking, fresh fruits & veggies, planting flowers, cooking great meals. But I love being a wife and mother the most.  When I'm not doing all of those, I love to read and try new things.   No matter the forecast, live like it's spring.

1 Comment

Companion Planting for the 8 Most Popular Plants in Your Garden

3/2/2018

0 Comments

 
By Cindy Cloninger
Picture
Like all good friends, 'vegetable friends' help each other out. Did you know that onions & leeks repel carrot flies? Or that lettuce tenderizes summer radishes? Knowing which plants benefit the other is a secret to successful gardening. And who doesn't love hanging out with a good friend?
​​

There are lots of combinations of plants that grow really well together and have beneficial components for one another.  We’ve narrowed this overwhelming and sometimes confusing process down for you. We've compiled a list of the most common crops, with the most beneficial plants to put together to take the guesswork out of companion planting and guarantee you’ll reap the benefits.
Picture

What is companion planting?

While you may not have tried it, companion planting is all around us. The most common practice today comes from industrial farming where it is a common practice to plant vetch or legumes in the fall after harvest.  Native Americans used this practice but called it, Three Sisters, planting corn, beans, and squash together.
So why go to all the trouble to plant next to each other or in the same space?  The main benefits of companion planting are to provide mutually beneficial outcomes in soil nutrients, erosion control, weed control, deterring or attracting insects, and providing shade.
Picture

Tomato

Tomatoes grow tall and can provide shade for the more sun sensitive lettuce, cabbage, and other leafy greens. Basil repels common pests and if basil goes to seed will attract pollinators.
Other beneficial plants are carrots, asparagus, beans, celery, chive, cucumber, garlic, marigold, mint, onion, parsley, peppers.
​❌ Tomatoes do not like 
? corn, dill, fennel, potato, kohlrabi, and pole beans.
Tomatoes love our Terra Zest, it's our premium organic and all natural blend of manure, sawdust, and hygroscopic fiber (wool).  
Picture
Picture

Carrots

Picture
Carrots are a great friend to have around as they help tomatoes, onions, garlic, shallots, lettuce, leeks, and beans. They are loved in turn by those same plants in addition to chives, rosemary, wormwood, sage, and flax. Onions and leeks help out by repelling carrot flies.
​❌  But not friends with dill, parsnip, and radishes.
Naturally repel slugs and snails by mixing Wool Pellets into your soil. The microscopic wool fibers are little-barbed shields for all your garden plants.  Read 6 Reasons You Should Be Using Wool Pellets in Your Garden Soil to learn more.
Picture

Lettuce

Lettuce loves tomatoes as we mentioned above, but lettuce and chives are a great combo too. The strong smell of chives will deter Aphids who would attack your lettuce.  Adding Asylum will attract those beneficial insects that eat those munching on your leafy greens.
Lettuce is a help to beets, beans, okra, radishes, onions, broccoli, and carrots.
Lettuce is helped by onions, beans, carrots, cucumber, strawberries, broccoli, dill, beets, thyme, and cilantro.
​ 
​❌  But lettuce does not like ? celery, parsley, cress, and cabbage.
Picture
Picture

Peas

Picture
Cucumbers, carrots, beans, corn, radishes, early potatoes, lavender, and turnips are good friends to your peas.
​ 
​❌ However, peas do not like ? garlic, onions, leeks, and shallots.
Giving your plants great friends is just one layer in the making of a plentiful garden.  If you really want to have success, you'll need to make sure the soil is prepped and giving the right nutrients.  Starting your plants in Soft Soil, a blend of premium topsoil & compost, your garden will thrive on the full range of nutrients needed to maintain root health.
Picture

Cucumber

To repel cucumber beetles, sow cucumber and radish seeds together. Get the most from your cucumbers by planting them with marigolds, beets, garlic, celery, dill, carrots, peas, beans, sunflowers, and radishes. Cucumbers also provide benefits to beans, kohlrabi, and lettuce.
Cucumbers and squash spread fast and benefit from being planted in a nutrient-rich soil.  Learn how to soften your soil and the benefits and differences in compost in the articles. How Do I Soften My Soil? and ​Are There Differences in Compost and What are They?
Picture
Picture
Our last three have been planted together for hundreds of years so we’ve kept them together.

Squash, Beans, & Corn

Picture
Why not follow the tried and proven process engineered by Native Americans? 
The broad leaves of pumpkin and squash spread out reducing weeds and holding moisture. Beans ingeniously convert atmospheric nitrogen into a ready-to-use form for it’s plant friends. And corn gives the beans a place to climb.   
​
Squash is also benefited by marigolds, radishes, and buckwheat which will flower and attract needed insects.
Beans are also enhanced by beets, cucumbers, carrots, cauliflower, marigolds, potatoes, rosemary, peppermint, and mustard.
Picture

Flowers

Adding if flowers around the borders of your garden and in between can attract pollinators, insects that will eat those that are a nuisance, and add beauty and color to the overall appearance of your garden beds.

Watch this great little video to learn why marigolds, buckwheat, lavender, daisies, and hollyhocks are great in your garden. And what some of the best flowers you haven’t even thought of to plant in your garden are.

What are your favorite garden combinations?

Picture

Recap the best vegetable friends with this quick slideshow:

Cindy Cloninger

Virtual Assistant, blog manager, email & social media marketing assistant, web development. I enjoy hiking, fresh fruits & veggies, planting flowers, cooking great meals. But I love being a wife and mother the most.  When I'm not doing all of those, I love to read and try new things.   No matter the forecast, live like it's spring.

0 Comments

Planning Your Garden: Starting Seeds Indoors

2/2/2018

0 Comments

 
By Cindy Cloninger
Picture
Starting seeds indoors or germinating seeds inside is the next segment in our Planning Your Garden series. 
It’s time! Time to start those seeds to sprouting for your summer garden and springtime planting. You’ve been dreaming it up all winter long and the time is finally here. What better way to shake off those after Christmas, ‘winter will never end’ blues than to start planting your seeds now! Be sure to read the first article in our series Planning Your Garden - 5 Things to Consider When Planning Your Garden ​to map out all you need.
Picture
You’ve got your lists, you’ve got your seeds, now here’s your go to resource with the next steps you'll need for your perfect garden.  There are several different approaches you can take in this part of the process, but don’t worry, we’ve got it all laid out for you and you can customize the best approach for your space, lifestyle, and equipment you have available. That makes it SO EASY!

PRE-SPROUTING

Pre-sprouting is the process of placing seeds in between layers of a moisture rich and warm environment free of soil.  This technique allows you to see the actual germination of seeds as they sprout before you place them in a growing medium.
Pre-sprouting can cut germination time significantly. If you have packets of seeds that are older and you’re questioning whether they are worth planting, this can help you easily test and plant those that are still viable. This is a great way to avoid waste and frustration in using materials and space for seed ‘duds’.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
To do this, simply place seeds in between two layers of moistened paper towels. Muffin bakery containers are the perfect place to sort, label and observe your seeds while they germinate. Or you can simply place them in a ziploc bag.  Most seeds need between 65º to 75º to germinate, making the top of your refrigerator, a heated seed mat, or near another warm heat source the ideal place. Left in this humid, warm environment you’ll be pleased to see how quickly germination happens.  Check daily to make sure the paper towels remain damp and spritz with water as needed.
I love skipping the thinning out process!  When seeds have sprouted, carefully transfer to containers filled with moist potting soil.
If pre-sprouting is not for you, this step can be skipped and you can plant un-germinated seeds directly in moist Intelli-soil potting soil.

​CONTAINERS 

Picture
Salad, berry, and bakery cartons have a readymade lid.
Picture
Picture
Don't forget about condiment & yogurt cartons.
Let your imagination and inner recycler run wild here. Gather containers from around your home, the possibilities are limitless. Some favorites are: egg cartons, plastic cups, salad and bakery containers from grocery store, toilet paper rolls, berry containers, muffin tins, milk jug, rotisserie chicken container, ice cube trays, newspaper trays, NutriWool Pots or more traditional seed starting trays.  
Whatever choice you make to house your little plants, be sure to wash them using warm, soapy water and rinse well. If the container you choose does not have a lid, cover with plastic wrap or place in a rubbermaid container with lid. Skip the covering if you pre-sprouted your seeds.
Picture
Egg cartons make transplanting easy.
Picture
Muffin trays & ornament boxes make separating seeds easy.
Picture
Put a few holes in the bottom & plastic cups are an instant go to.
Picture

SOIL

New seedlings are especially vulnerable to disease and pathogens. This makes it important to provide the right soil, rich with nutrients and free from introducing potential threats to cultivation and harvest of your new plants.  Because of this, it is best to steer clear of soil from your existing garden or reusing potting soil from other plants.  We suggest you start with Intelli-Soil, a  premium premixed potting soil. This nutrient rich soil is now available,  just in time for all your spring and summer potting needs. Mixing Wool Pellets into your soil add the tri-fold benefit of nutrients, root boosting porosity, and water wicking - protection from overwatering.

LIGHT

Now that you’ve got germination and your seeds in soil, let’s get them into the light for growing. New seedlings need at least 12-16 hours of light each day. ​ You can choose natural or artificial light.
ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
If you have space and are interested in setting up a more permanent system to use year to year, learn how to build a grow light system for starting seeds indoors.  Plants should be placed at least 2 inches below lights.
Picture
Picture
WINDOW SEAL
Don't have the extra space or cash for lighting? No problem. Just place your seedlings on window seals or near widows in a heated room.
Picture
Picture

ROOT GROWTH & FERTILIZING

Keep the soil damp but not soggy in the earliest stages of growth. This is where the addition of wool pellets really makes a difference. Water from the top, initially, using a turkey baster, spray or condiment bottle. As the seedlings grow, encourage root growth by adding water to the bottom of the leak proof container. Be careful not to let the soil become waterlogged and drown new plants. Wool pellets help to wick away water from your tender and susceptible seedlings, protecting them from harmful mold growth. Thin plants so that just one plant, the strongest, remains in each container. You get to skip this step if you pre-sprouted you seeds. Yay! At this stage you can remove and coverings for seeds planted directly in the soil.
Seedlings get nutrients from the seed's endosperm when it is newly sprouted and begins to grow. When the second leaves, or ‘true leaves’ appear you may begin fertilizing with Super Compost Tea or another organic fertilizer.
PictureWhen the second leaves, or ‘true leaves’ appear you may begin fertilizing.
The wool pellets you mixed into your soil will start doing some serious work here.  Over time, wool pellets break down releasing a fertilizer value of 9-0-2 NPK. (NPK refers to the Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (N,P,K) it contains) 
These 100% organic waste wool pellets absorb water creating porosity that helping create needed space in the soil for root growth. If you're not convinced to add these little gardening superheroes to all of your garden and flowerbed soils, this next function in their makeup will do the trick.  Wool pellets have the added benefit of decreasing watering by 25% saving you time and energy. Bonus!  Wool pellets are available on website and garden centers across the US and Canada. 

Buy Wool Pellets Here
Plants can absorb nutrients in Super Compost Tea 10 times more efficiently through their leaf surfaces than through their roots. As a result, spraying foliage with Super Compost Tea can produce remarkable yields. For best results, spray plants especially after transplanting,  and during blooming time and just after fruit sets. Find out more by reading What is Compost Tea? ​
Picture
Many plants will require transplanting into new pots before they are ready for outdoors as they outgrow their containers.  When the need for watering is almost constant or roots fill up their current containers, move them into something bigger, like the colorful NutriWool Pots. Keep reading to learn more about these little garden gems.

TRANSPLANTING OUTDOORS

Strong and healthy plants are our end goal, and after all the hard work you’ve put in thus far, you won’t want to miss this important step. When plants are ready to move outdoors it’s time to allow a weeks worth of time for ‘hardening’ or getting the plants ready for the harsher environment found outdoors. No longer will they have the soothing and consistent warm temperatures, watering and fertilizing will be less, along with wind, rain, stronger heat from the sun, and colder temperatures at night
Picture
Picture
Picture
Begin by allowing your plants a few hours outdoors each day in a protected and preferably shaded area.  Decks and patios make the ideal spot. Gradually move and expose seedlings to more and more direct sunlight, gentle breezes, and time outdoors while still bringing them indoors and away from the colder night air. Check the soil frequently to avoid drying out throughout the hardening process.
End the hardening off process by allowing seedlings to remain outside overnight when nighttime temperatures stay above freezing.  
Cool loving vegetables such as peas, beans, beets, lettuce, and broccoli can endure frosts once they are planted and like nighttime temps around 45 degrees.
Warm loving vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and melons only tolerate nighttime temps around 65 degrees, so keep these plants indoors longer or grow them entirely in containers inside.
Picture

Prepare your soil for transplanting ahead of time:

At this point you've invested a large amount of time and tender care in nurturing the growth of you plants.  You may feel your work is almost done, but prepping the soil outdoors is vitally important to reap the benefits of a great harvest.
Check off these items in your preparation:
  • Address issues of soil that is hard and learn about fixing it by reading How Do I Soften My Soil?
  • Find out the best types of compost and why it is an important part of your soil in Are There Differences in Compost and What are They?
  • How best to use wool pellets in your garden and the 6 Reasons You Should Be Using Wool Pellets in Your Garden Soil.
  • Should you add compost and mulch and what is the difference? Read What is the difference between compost and mulch?
  • We’ll have your garden and flower beds looking beautiful in the final layer by understanding Why Does Mulch Fade in the First Season? And what you can do about it.
Picture

GROW IT IN A CONTAINER

If you have a very short growing season, no room for planting, or want to double your growing times, you can grow and harvest your plants entirely indoors in containers.
​
Some of the easiest plants to grow in containers are tomatoes, herbs, peppers, strawberries, squash, melons, beans, and most of you leafy greens. In addition,  root vegetables like potatoes, onions, carrots, and beats love container growing too.
​You can start your plants in the same manner as other seedlings, transferring them into a large enough container for full growth.  
Using Itelli-soil, and planting in NutriWool Pots your plants will thrive. Given the added nutrients absorbed through the wool pots, add in Wool Pellets to save your watering by 25 times (which is always a hassle with indoor plants) and balancing their nutrition with Super Compost Tea you’ll be on your way to a lush and plentiful harvest in no time.
Picture
New from Wild Valley Farms this year are NutriWool Pots - these unique containers are made from recycled wool felt and are able to insulate the root zone from hot and cold temperatures as well as allow the root zones to “breathe”.  The tight wool felt will absorb and hold water in the root zone but will not let the water pass through, keeping the outside of the pot dry. Plant directly in them and keep all season long or place them directly in the soil for easy transplanting. Not only are they useful, but NutriWool Pots come in an assortment of beautiful colors to add interest to your front porch, patio, and home.
Picture
Picture
Buy NutriWool Pots Here

Picture
Picture
Have you tried growing tomatoes indoors? Read these 6 Tips for Growing Tomatoes in a Container to get the best results.

What are your favorite seed starts?
Look for our Wool Strips spring of 2018. What are Wool Strips? They are wool with seeds pre-measured, spaced and ready to be added directly to your soil. Gardening has never been easier!  Look for these little garden helpers full of carrots, and herbs in March.

Cindy Cloninger

Virtual Assistant, blog manager, email & social media marketing assistant, web development. I enjoy hiking, fresh fruits & veggies, planting flowers, cooking great meals. But I love being a wife and mother the most.  When I'm not doing all of those, I love to read and try new things.   No matter the forecast, live like it's spring.

0 Comments

Planning Your Garden - 5 Things to Consider When Planning Your Garden

1/12/2018

1 Comment

 
By Cindy Cloninger
Picture
Picture

​Wrapped up in your blanket, wool socks on, and hot cocoa at the ready….Winter is the perfect time to plan your vegetable and flower garden.  

I can’t help but get excited thinking of the digging in the dirt, watching seeds germinate and push through the soil and grow at each stage of their development. How lucky we are  to be a part of the beautiful growing process. 
​​

If like me, you love looking through the seed catalogs and garden magazines and plan acres of blooms and bountiful harvests in the fields of your mind, then this exercise will be a joy for you. Before even a shovel full of soil can be turned, however,  I need to narrow down what I want to plant and what I actually can plant. {smirk here} I readily admit to leaving more of them planted and blooming in my mind the last few seasons. ​
Like my husband’s army drill sergeant used to say, “Prior planning prevents poor performance.”   These 5 P’s pertaining to planning your garden fulfill a couple of great purposes.
  • Dream about spring and summer while huddled up in the winter
  • Allow you to pause and take a look at your existing area, taking stock of the property characteristics: Existing and mature trees, rock outcroppings, good soil, interesting variation in terrain
  • List your desired plants and match up the needs: when to plant, height, sunlight and water needs, and harvest time, and ones that grow well together
  • Determine and work within you budget
  • Stage growing and work effort to get the most out of your growing season
  • Research some new ideas you can add to your garden
  • Plan levels and staged growing to have continued growth

Here are a few major considerations to take note of in planning your garden.
Picture

START WITH THE END IN MIND

In Medieval times, gardens were traditionally used for herbs for medicinal uses and kitchen gardens. Over the years cultivation of gardens has changed to include architectural and water features to the blooming flowers and shrubs of English gardens, to more urban container and vertical gardening, and raised beds for ease of use and containment.
Are you dreaming of walking through the flowering landscapes of a butterfly garden, walking a flagstone path under an arched walkway headed toward your favorite bench, or biting into a freshly harvested salad?  ​
Determining what you want your end harvest to be can help you best plan and execute with great results.  Think about the types of vegetables you like to eat. Do you love a fresh salad? Tomatoes, greens, and lettuce are your choices. If eating jars of salsa is your thing? Tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cilantro are your go tos. Planting a pizza garden with all the garlic, basil, oregano, and tomatoes can be a fun endeavor for kids.
Wherever your preference lies, some planning can help you get the most out of the growing season in your area.
Picture

HARDINESS ZONES

Sing it with me! Zones, the zones, let’s name the zones, let’s name the zones of the ocean….oh wait! Clearly I have a little too much Finding Nemo and Disney movies permanently etched in my brain if that’s the first thing that comes to my mind when the word zones are mentioned.
But that right there, is a great place to start, YOUR growing area, or zone.  Climates vary not only from region and state, but can also vary greatly within your state.  If you live in a mountainous region like me, what may grow well even 20 miles from you could do poorly in your yard.
The United States Department of Agriculture has an interactive map that was updated in 2012 to take into consideration just those things. They are defined by color, and numbered 1 through 11 with one being the coldest and harshest and moving up from there. A letter is also listed in conjunction with the zone numbers to further classify similar areas.
Picture
This great little tool will help you determine what zone you are in. In addition to the map, talk to locals and take note of plants that grow well and in abundance in your town.  The Hardiness Zone Map is designed to tell you the most extremes in your area, those extremes that plants will have to be tough enough to survive through. Knowing your zone, helps you to determine with better clarity which plants will most assuredly survive and thrive. You may be lucky to have some that are on the higher border of your zone that can do well in your garden too.
Picture

GROWING SEASON

Those extreme temperatures and their duration determine the growing season in your area, another HUGE factor in how you go about planning your garden. This knowledge can help you decide if you’d like to get a longer and more bountiful harvest by starting the seed germination process indoors well before the snow melts and freezes aren’t so threatening. Or weather you buy plants that are well on their way from your local garden store at the time of planting. ​
The National Gardening Association has a great little tool to show you the first and last freeze dates based on your zipcode.  Be sure to use this Frost Dates Calculator as part of your planning.
Utah, on average, has approximately 170 days between the last and first frost.  That is a short growing season! Popular crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, for example, require around a 100 days to harvest so you’ll want to transplant those from starts you have grown or purchased.  
That being said, harvest times vary widely on the same types of plants so check the labeling on your favorites and start making a list.
Picture
Picking that perfect spot for your garden and flower bed growing can be tricky.  You may be limited to a certain spot.  Things that need to be noted in this space are:
  • What direction it is facing
  • The type of soil found there
  • The amount of water it gets

Don’t get discouraged right away as there are ways to adjust each of these criteria to help you get the desired results.
Picture

SUN EXPOSURE

Most vegetables require 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. The more sunlight they receive, the more plentiful harvest, bigger veggies, and better taste. We’ll make our way around the sun starting with the least amount of sun to the most.

North facing 🌥🌥🌥🌥🌞

East facing🌞🌞🌞🌥🌥

North facing spaces get the most shade. While most plants will struggle with this, it can still be a good spot for a few crops like lettuce, mint, arugula, kale, oregano, beets, and chives.
If north facing is your only option, you may want to consider adding a greenhouse where artificial lights can be hung.
In east facing gardens the soil and plants get more of the morning sun and cool off in the afternoon shade.  This is ideal for heat-intolerant plants such as your leafy greens, like spinach. Along with carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and beets.  With at least 6 hours of sun, most longer sun requiring veggies will do well here too, think tomatoes.  Adding reflective mirrors to this area will increase the sun exposure.
Picture

West facing🌥🌥🌞🌞🌞

South facing🌥🌞🌞🌞🌞

The direct opposite is a west facing garden. West facing gardens miss the morning sun, but get shade and will then receive the afternoon and evening sunlight. This later sun tends to be the hottest of the day so take that into consideration and provide shade and cooling for more sensitive plants like spinach. However, other full sun plants will do well. Be sure to plant well after any chance of frost in these areas because of the slow warming in the mornings.
If your garden is turned toward the south, it will get the most sun.  The biggest requirement with south facing gardens is the need for water. Often skipping a day of watering can be detrimental to plants facing south, especially if you have any that are growing in containers. Incorporate trellises, A-frames, and mature trees in the area to add shade for heat-intolerant flowers and plants. Then plant away crops like watermelon, okra, squash, peppers, and heat loving fruits. Keep a watch for sunburn and drying out.
Picture
If you are planting up against your home, especially if it is brick, soil temperatures will be much higher and you will need to watch for drying out. This happens because your home is a thermal mass. Natural watering may be affected because of eaves and gutters as well.  Small amounts of PH leach from the mortar in between your bricks too. This is not a big concern for most gardens but may cause problems for PH sensitive plants such as blueberries, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, garlic, and flowering camellias, azaleas, blue hydrangea, and zinnia.  Check this chart to see what your plants love. 

SOIL AND LANDSCAPE, WATER

Plant roots will readily spread through soft soil. What we want is rich, dark, nutrient rich soil that has organic matter, aeration, and porosity. Soil like this allows for deep root growth, an ideal environment for your plants. Enriching your soil by adding in Terra Zest compost, will add the needed nutrients.
Another solution to soften your soil and create oxygen space in your soil is adding wool pellets. Wool Pellets not only provide water holding it in your soil, but they create oxygen space for root expansion that will help your plants be hardy and strong.   
Make sure that the landscape and drainage prevents both drying out and flooding areas.  Ideally, water will absorb through your soil to a depth of about 6 inches. This doesn’t happen in hardened soils, water will take the path of least resistance and you’ll end up with run off, puddles, and a water depth of only a couple of inches. This makes for thirsty plants and muddy messes. For an in depth look at your soil solutions and to get the best results read How Do I Soften My Soil?
Picture

NATURAL PREDATORS - Kids, animals, and wind.

Our last consideration is preventative of the things that can damage your plants by attack. Plant in a stable area where wind won’t destroy your young plants or keep pollinators from doing their job.  There is nothing more frustrating than toiling away and waiting anxiously for that oh, so close harvest only to have them eaten by deer, swallowed up by voles, stomped on, picked, or eaten by the cutest plant predator...kids.  
While some measures can be taken to prevent such attacks, in other cases it may be better to choose less tempting crops.
I had over 300 tulips eaten by deer a few years ago, sigh, I’m still a little devastated by that one. My daffodils have been skipped over every time.  I have reluctantly given over to having less and less tulips in my springtime flower bed.
So what are those preventive measures? Eliminate moles by eliminating their food of grubs in your lawn. Also, castor oil sprayed on plants and lawns is a natural deterrent. Mixing wool pellets into your soil will naturally cut down on slugs and snails in addition to providing aeration, plant nutrition, and watering aid. Read 6 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Wool Pellets in Your Garden for more information. Other tactics that help with most pest and small predators is to remove hiding places in your garden, think broad leaves and tall grasses. However, wrapping and fencing are still the best deterrents to deer, rabbits, and most other predators.
Many plant labels have more information on just how tempting they may be to common predators, so check labels and add as many resistant blooms as you can.
And for kids… hide your strawberries where the neighborhood children can’t find them and keep your long stemmed delphiniums far from common walkways.  But in the end, just smile that your garden has attracted such young enthusiasts.
Picture
Now that your creative and horticulture juices are flowing, you can easily take notes and have those ready for the next article in our  Planning Your Garden series where we’ll discuss the different ways to map out and determine what type of vegetable garden is best for you.

What is the biggest challenge you face in your garden?

Cindy Cloninger

Virtual Assistant, blog manager, email & social media marketing assistant, web development. I enjoy hiking, fresh fruits & veggies, planting flowers, cooking great meals. But I love being a wife and mother the most.  When I'm not doing all of those, I love to read and try new things.   No matter the forecast, live like it's spring.

1 Comment

    Archives

    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017

    Categories

    All
    Compost
    Compost Tea
    Fun Friday Facts
    Gardening Basics
    Meet Wild Valley Farms Who Are We?
    Meet Wild Valley Farms - Who Are We?
    Mulch
    Planning Your Garden
    Wool Pellets

    RSS Feed

Terms and Conditions
Return Policy
Picture

Wild Valley Farms
​Dedicated to 
helping you grow big healthy plants naturally.
All Natural Wool Pellets
All Natural Steer Manure
All Natural Compost
All Natural Compost Tea
 Healthy Garden.  Healthy Life.
From our family to yours.

customerservice@wildvalleyfarms.com

Phone:
801-940-1436

Hours:
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Photos used under Creative Commons from James St. John, BCRP, blumenbiene, USDAgov, lundyd, James St. John, moonlightbulb, Bennilover, vastateparksstaff, okoysm, Miss a Liss, eamoncurry123, blumenbiene, Ajithpoison, Javcon117*, Sumana Khanom, -Merce-
  • Home
  • WHY WOOL?
  • Products
    • Home Garden Products >
      • Wool Pellets
      • Nurtiwool Pots
      • Woolly's Frost Guards
      • Scented Soap
      • Super Compost Tea
    • Landscape Products >
      • Intelli-Soils
      • Natural Barks
      • Terra Zest
      • Colored Mulches
      • Manures
    • Commercial Products >
      • Bulk Wool Pellets
      • Spore Block
  • Retail Locations
    • Become a Dealer
    • Retail Marketing help
    • Store location map
  • Store
  • Healthy Gardening Blog
  • Contact
    • Partners
  • About
    • In The News
  • Privacy Policy
  • SDS Documents
  • Return Policy/Terms and Conditions