Mike's Backyard Nursery

The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Bibs On!

Home » Gardening Tips » Tips On Planting Bulbs

Comments

  1. Karen O'Brien says

    After I dig the hole and drop the bulb in, I take a few clippings from my cedar hedge and put them on top of the bulb before filling the hole. If squirrels dig, they smell the cedar and give up. Since starting this process, I’ve never lost any bulbs to rodents.

    Reply

  2. Joe Catania says

    Mike should I dig up my lily bulbs now and store them in the garage and replant them in the spring I live in New Jersey

    Reply

    • Mike says

      Joe,

      I’m not an expert on them but as long as they are hardy in your zone they should be fine. If they are Canna Lillies they need to be dug and stored above freezing.

      Reply

  3. Joy Maas says

    Mike, I love your videos and wealth of information you give for free. I just had to pass on this information about a Deluxe Garden and Yard Auger Set. I work for a city and am in charge of planting about 6000 annuals and perennials each spring. I discovered this auger at a garden show. It has an extender so you don’t have to bend over. I usually till my beds earlier and have them raked out. It makes getting them even and spaced easy. I got mine from Sporty’s Tool Shop. I highly recommend it if you plant a lot of annuals.

    Reply

  4. Thomas Suttles says

    Mike. How do you plant Peace’s & Plum’s from seed.I Have ask this number of times and never got an answer?

    Reply

      • Clifton Keller says

        I think he is talking about plants in the Genus, Prunus such as Peach, (Prunus persica). Answer. when you can a bushel of peaches, plant all of them 4″ deep near your chicken yard. When they come up use the plants for rootstork. If you let them grow you may be lucky to discover a new variety. GOOD LUCK!

        Reply

  7. Dan says

    I bought some bulbs at the end of the season last year,
    and lost track of them. I live in Oregon in foot hills
    of Mt Hood at 1150 ft. Can I still plant them or should I wait for spring? We have had some snow but all melted now, but we can still get snow here up to Easter.
    Thanks, Dan

    Reply

    • Cayla says

      Thank you for your video. I’ve used the mesh to protect from Voles and glad to know that squirrels like to eat bulbs as well. After watching the video and being really helpful, I clicked some of your other links- Next, I learned about Grubs and how to get rid of them. They have been a problem in my yard. Also, I’ve been thinking about ordering your backyard gardening. I have an acre that I’ve enjoyed landscaping and have been potting up trees and plants to potentially sell but I’m not sure how to get started or if I have the time. Thank you again! Your tips are extremely helpful. It seems to me that you are a kind person to share your knowledge. 😊

      Reply

      • Mike says

        Cayla,

        You have time, just start small, do a few kinds of plants and have fun with it. Our members have had an incredible year selling plants this year. Amazing results really.

        Reply

    • Clifton Keller says

      Interesting comment. Mike do you think it will work? Do you have to do it every year? Deer and squirrels ar problems.

      Reply

  13. Carla says

    Mike, loved the video. I’m like a kid in a candy store when I see you’ve posted a new video. They are so informative!!! I’m still thinking about joining your backyard nursery system, but I’m alittle scared. It’s hard to take the leap. If you want, you can try and talk me into it! Ha, Ha! I’m on your mailing list. I live in Dover, Arkansas. Please talk me into it!

    Thanks

    Reply

    • Duston says

      Hey Carla it’s Duston, Mike’s son…

      I’ll give it a try (talking you into it) :-). First off, there’s no risk for you.
      If you purchase it, go through everything and find out it’s not for you,
      we’ll give you a full refund no questions asked!

      But I can promise you that you’ll love it. Listen to what some of our
      backyard growers have to say about it…
      http://www.freeplants.com/testimonials.htm

      Reply

  14. kerry says

    thanks for all your videos, alot of wisdom i bought my first action hoe thanks to you and i love it
    i did 4 hours worth of weeding in 30 minutes.

    Reply

  15. Rita says

    I always forward your helpful videos to a young landscaper who really doesn’t have all the answers…………Thanks

    Reply

  16. I always forward your notes to a young landscaper who really doesn't have all the answers! Thanks....Rita says

    I always forward your wonderful videos to a young landscaper who really doesn’t have all the answers he professes……..Thanks….Rita

    Reply

  17. shannon says

    Hey Mike I wasn’t sure I would like your program I purchased and I am feeling very excited and overwhelmed all in one. Where to start and I live in a rural area as well in Michigan don’t have a clue what sells or where to start. HELP!!

    Reply

  18. rosie says

    Thanks Mike for answering a question i always asked myself when i planted bulbs. Whey don’t the plants look great when they pop up…I have been planting them like you said one here one there, now I know better and I am going to plant some on Monday and I will be planting them next to each other in large groups.
    thank You again! Happy Holidays!!

    Reply

  20. Gail Huffstutler says

    Dear Mike,
    I am unable to watch your videos, but enjoy when I can at least read your tips. The deer have me defeated — we planted two plum trees, one has been stripped of its leaves through the summer. I spent a lot of money on bulbs which the squirrels (I think) dug up and ate. I have one rock rose which has had a few blooms, which I spray with a stinky spray to try and keep the deer away, but it has to be renewed each time it rains. I think I’ll just buy some artificial flowers!
    Thanks, anyway.
    Gail

    Reply

    • Martha says

      dig a hole about 8″ deep for your tulips & big enough to accommodate your bulbs. line it with screen wire & re-fill the hole with dirt inside the screen wire & plant your tulips inside there, as it’s probably voals that are in the ground that eat the bulbs. I had 50 one year that grew up, bloomed & fell over, bitten off at the ground by the little thugs. If indeed it was dug up, then it probably was squirrels & in that case you would have to put some screening above ground. Maybe a chicken wire screen would do. Or plant in containers & cover with screen till they start growing in the spring. Good luck.

      Reply

  21. donna gagne says

    Mike, I really like your videos, thank you. The only thing that bothers me is that sometime the video doesn’t run straight through. It keeps hesitating, like the tape has to catch up with it then it will play alittle, then stop again until it catches up again. This is probably hard to understand what I and saying and prehaps someone else can discribe it better. but other then that I really look forward to seeing them and using the info.
    Keep up the good work.
    thanks donna

    Reply

    • Martha says

      I found that it takes more time to download on the computer if I use the full screen, & it pauses often, but I put it back on the small screen & it played straight through without taking time out to download. You might try the small picture on your computer & see if it doesn’t stop the pausing.

      Reply

    • Anonymous says

      Donna, the video is “rendering” which means it is just trying to catch up to the speed that it was recorded in…

      Reply

  22. Cindy Shaw says

    Hi Mike:

    Really love the way you cheat, however, I planted about 500 spring bulbs this fall in two segments and unfortunately, between the deer and the crows, my plastic stakes, telling me I planted what where, were pulled out and blown in the wind. So when I went to plant the remaining 200 tulip bulbs, it was by guess and by golly. I had the misfortune of splitting my big allium bulb, so I tucked it together real tight and took 12 tulip bulbs to help hold it together, so next spring, I’ll be buying or making better stakes to know what really is where. But I still need to deer fence my garden until the tulips finally do come into bloom, cause we all know, it’s the deer’s favourite breakfast. Do you think the allium will make it, well I keep you posted in the spring. Thanx for the video Cindy

    Reply

  23. Anonymous says

    Mike –wish I had three friends, I am 89 and all my old gardening pals
    have shovelled off to the blue above — Neil Hunter

    Reply

    • Kathy says

      Oh Neil, your comment was so bittersweet. I garden for people full-time, and a lot of my customers are around your age. I think the greatest reward I get is being able to do for them what they can’t any more! I can’t imagine how hard it will be to have to look out the window and not be able to get my hands in the dirt. It probably won’t happen, though, because I’ll probably just end up as compost one of these days! Until then, I’ll keep plugging along!

      Reply

  25. Della says

    Mike. HELP! I can’t watch the video. I click on the title and nothing happens. I used to be able to watch your videos. Any tips from you or computer savvy people out there? Della

    Reply

    • Martha says

      Call a computer repair place & ask them what you need on your computer to see the videos. I’m no expert, but imagine it’s a program that you need to put on your computer. The computer place will tell you what is wrong.

      Reply

  29. Murph says

    I need some pointers, on growing “hens and chicks”. I have them planted in stones and dirt, and are on the SW corner of the house, in Wisconsin..

    Thanks

    Murph

    Reply

  31. Joyce Mickalson says

    Thanks Mike, The drill is a nice touch to save some time. I still would like to know how and when to take starts from my Gunnera Mantis plant. Thank you.

    Reply

  32. Daid Jensen says

    Tulips usually do their best for me the first year. Each year in the spring I take pictures of my tulip beds when they are in bloom; then, in the fall I add bulbs that match to each of the beds where needed. That way I maintane or even increase my spring tulip display. A big mass of bulbs is much better than several sparse plantings. I also like to wait until bulbs are marked down to 1/2 price or less and plant in early November.

    Reply

  34. dick hoyer says

    mike,

    cAN YOU SUGGEST WHERE WE MAY BE ABLE TO BUY SOME crepe myrtle. We are looking for velma”s delight, dwarf style. Thest to be planted on Cape Cod.

    Thanks,

    Dick Hoyer

    Reply

  36. Colene says

    I enjoy your short informative videos..thank you!! Are you on FB?

    I’m trying to find you but so far can’t find the right Mike…

    Reply

  39. Mike says

    Hey everybody, it’s Mike McGroarty. Leave a comment if you like. I don’t get on here to answer questions as much as I’d like, I spend a great deal of time on the Backyard Growers Message Board interacting with the members there and I don’t have much time to do anything else.

    Lately I’ve been buying plants from the members. Last weekend I bought $927 worth of Japanese Maples from a member and $365 worth of Harry Lauder’s Walking Sticks from another. The walking sticks were only $3.65 each so I grabbed 100 of those and the Japanese Maples were really rare varieties and I only paid about $8.00 for each of those.

    What will I do with them? I’ll plant them in my nursery and sell them for at least $75 each once I’ve grown them out. Some of the Japanese Maples I’m sure I’ll get $150.00 for those.

    Our members are doing an incredible job of tracking down wholesale deals on really rare, hard to find plants and they are selling them to their fellow members at really low prices and the nice thing is you can buy in small quantities. But you have to be a member of the Backyard Growers Message Board and you have to start by purchasing my Backyard Growing System, then later joining the group.

    Many people tell me that my system has changed their life. We’d love to have you in our club.

    Reply

    • Sonja Choate says

      Mike,
      I just wanted to say thank you for the tips and videos.They have been alot of help.I like your ideas,they have alot of help for me and my husband.Thanks again,Sonja

      Reply

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