Mike's Backyard Nursery

The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Bibs On!

  • Home
  • Recommended Tools
  • Products
  • Categories
    • Business
      • Backyard Nursery
      • Bestselling Plants
      • Marketing
    • Gardening Tips
      • Compost
      • Containers
      • Diseases
      • Fertilize
      • General
      • Landscaping
      • Lawn
      • Pests
      • Protect
      • Pruning
      • Weeds
    • Nurseries
    • Plant Propagation
      • Cuttings
      • Division
      • Grafting
      • Seed
    • Rural Living
    • Tools
  • Contact
  • About Mike
You are here: Home / Archives for 2014

Archives for 2014

Hydrangea Endless Summer

Updated : March 29, 2019

92 Comments

Hydrangea Endless Summer bloom.

We have four Hydrangea Endless Summer in our landscape at home and they truly are bloom making machines. They are resilient and they respond well to pruning. Since they are in front of the porch railing we can’t let them get too large so we trim as needed and it doesn’t slow down the blooming… Click here to read more…

23 Landscaping Ideas with Photos.

Updated : April 9, 2025

104 Comments

Huechera and Lavender Twist Weeping Redbud used in an island planting.

On this page, I will do my level best to share with you 23 of the best landscaping design ideas that I’ve used over the years. Many of these photos are from my yard, but I will probably include designs from other places that I’ve been involved with as well.  Let’s start with this. A… Click here to read more…

What Kills Poison Ivy?

Updated : May 2, 2017

275 Comments

It is estimated that almost 85% of people have some type of allergic reaction to poison ivy.   Poison ivy contains a clear liquid called urushiol that is found in all parts of the plant. The urushiol is responsible for the itchy, blistering reaction that poison ivy is famous for.  Some people have mild reactions… Click here to read more…

Transplanting Japanese Maple Trees in 3 Easy Steps

Updated : April 22, 2019

190 Comments

Transplanting a Japanese maple is not difficult, but there are a few key things to know to prevent doing serious harm to your tree. The two most important factors in successfully transplanting Japanese maple trees are depth and timing. If you can at all help it, only dig your Japanese maple when it is dormant…. Click here to read more…

Growing Pink Dogwood from Seed.

Updated : November 10, 2014

24 Comments

Pink Dogwood Seeds.

 Growing Pink Dogwood Trees from Seed. Is it easy?  Is it even possible?  Can you really grow Pink Dogwood trees from seed? Hmmmmmmmm.  Difficult questions for sure.  Here’s the deal, I am going to give it to you straight and some are not going to like what I have to say.  I don’t care.  I… Click here to read more…

Flat Head Spray Nozzles for Plant Propagation.

Updated : June 17, 2024

2 Comments

We use these flat head spray nozzles that are specially designed for outdoor use.  They deliver a pattern of water that is almost perfectly horizontal.  The water is atomized, but only to a point. What makes these nozzles unique is that the droplets of water are tiny, yet just large enough to not be easily… Click here to read more…

How to Root Purple Sandcherry, prunus cistena from Hardwood Cuttings.

Updated : October 27, 2019

66 Comments

Purple Flowering Sandcherry, prunus cistena, is an extremely popular flowering shrub.  Covered with tiny pinkish white blooms in the spring and deep purple leaves all summer long make this an all time favorite shrub.  But unlike many flowering flowering shrubs, this one is a bit tricky to propagate from softwood cuttings.  The softwood cuttings fail… Click here to read more…

Which Plants Are The Most Deer Resistant?

Updated : June 17, 2024

109 Comments

Many of us spend a great deal of time working in our gardens and perfecting our landscaping. We spend hours on end planting, trimming and watering. We take pride in our hard work. We literally reap the fruits (and flowers) of our labor. Waking up one morning to find that hungry deer have ravaged our… Click here to read more…

Top Secret Irrigation Tips for Your Yard.

Updated : April 29, 2015

31 Comments

This is called a Wiz Head Sprinkler

This isn’t really top secret stuff about setting up simple irrigation for your gardens and yard area, but they might as well be, because few people ever really think about this and they often make the most basic mistakes when buying hoses, sprinklers etc. If you want to see these Wiz Head Sprinklers in action,… Click here to read more…

Mike and Duston McGroarty are Giving Away the Farm!

Updated : June 17, 2024

27 Comments

Mike and Duston McGroarty sharing plant selling strategies via Webinar.

I think we have completely lost our minds! We set out to help our Backyard Growers discover new and exciting ways to sell more plants.  The idea was to do eight simple weekly webinars where we would share our expertise in the area of marketing and Internet marketing to help our members sell more of… Click here to read more…

A Tip for Selling the Plants that You Grow.

Updated : October 2, 2014

11 Comments

Point of sale plant sign advertising the virtues of Gold Flame Spirea.

People often ask me; “Mike, how can you sell plants that don’t even have leaves on them?  They look dead.”  And the  answer is, we use point of sale signs, often called bench cards. These point of sale signs really help the customer make buying decisions.  They want to know what the plant looks like… Click here to read more…

Lawn Installation. Hand Seeding, Hydro Seeding or Sod? Which is better?

Updated : October 2, 2014

109 Comments

Mike’s Plant Farm 4850 North Ridge Road Perry, Ohio 44081 It doesn’t matter whether you are installing a new lawn at a new house, replacing an old lawn at an existing home, or rejuvenating the lawn that you have, you have options of how the grass seed is applied or whether or not it makes… Click here to read more…

Mike and Duston McGroarty Offer Live Training for Small Business Owners.

Updated : June 17, 2024

11 Comments

Duston and I are doing 8 weeks of live training for Small Business Owners.  This training will cover all aspects of Internet Marketing as well as a Wealth of Information about Marketing and Promoting a Small Business, both Offline and Online. Recently we did a one hour, forty minute live training event and so far… Click here to read more…

Winter Time Plant Propagation Techniques.

Updated : June 17, 2024

113 Comments

February in Ohio

I took most of these snow covered tree photos early in the morning. Winter Time Plant Propagation Believe it or not, the dead of winter is the ideal time to make hardwood cuttings of many deciduous plants.  Sounds crazy doesn’t it?  However, with many plants it really is the ideal time.  We do most of… Click here to read more…

Everything You Know about Composting is Wrong???

Updated : March 9, 2015

163 Comments

One of my customers shared this video of Mike McGrath with me and I found it to be interesting and informative and thought I’d share it with you.  Lots of good information about composting.  Some of it contradicts what we’ve been told. Without a doubt compost is one of natures miracles.  It has so many… Click here to read more…

A 15th Anniversary and a 58th Birthday

Updated : November 10, 2014

2,462 Comments

An important message from Duston McGroarty (Mike’s son): I can’t believe it’s been 15 years (I guess time flies, right?). 15 years ago, this January, my Dad started FreePlants.com. He didn’t know it then but his life would never be the same. Over the course of the next 15 years he went on to change… Click here to read more…

Paying off all of your debts is a life changing, liberating experience.

Updated : November 10, 2014

2 Comments

(the links on this page are affiliate links) My good friend Leo Quinn is an expert when it comes to debt reduction and he has helped thousands of people, including Pam and I.   Leo has an excellent program that you can follow at home and I talked him into offering to my friends, customers and… Click here to read more…

Homemade Mobile Potting Bench. It has Removable Wheels!

Updated : June 17, 2024

22 Comments

The legless potting bench with wheels added.

Let’s see if I can put this photo in perspective for you.  Our potting soil pile is off to the left, over there by the Donkey Barn.  Many of our container grown plants are way out back by that beige building you see way in the background.  But we’ve also got a smaller container area… Click here to read more…

How to Propagate Grapes from Hardwood Cuttings.

Updated : October 22, 2019

269 Comments

Propagating grapes using hardwood cuttings.

Grape plants are easy to propagate from cuttings. Most of the time they are done during the winter months when the plants are dormant.  Cuttings taken in the late fall and winter are known as hardwood cuttings because just as it sounds, the wood is much harder during the fall and winter than it is… Click here to read more…

How to Make Homemade Plant Propagation Flats.

Updated : November 27, 2020

96 Comments

Homemade Plant Propagation Flat.

This is a good winter project.  At least it was for me. These wooden plant propagation flats are really quite simple and easy to make.  I used pressure-treated wood so they would last and I’ve never had a problem with treated wood around my plants or rooting cuttings so don’t be concerned about that.  Everything… Click here to read more…

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Young trees planted in organized rows, sunny landscape.

15 Fast-Growing Trees to Transform Your Yard Quickly

Posted On March 23, 2025 By Duston

The Donkey Bucket Challenge (Watch Video)

Posted On December 6, 2024 By Duston

How to Make Money Growing and Selling Mums (Chrysanthemums)

Posted On September 28, 2024 By Duston

Hydrangea cuttings stuck close together.

My Month-By-Month Plant Propagation Guide

Posted On August 24, 2024 By Duston

Mike’s Plant Farm Spring Ad

Posted On May 15, 2024 By Mike

Mike’s Big Perennial Bed by the Month.

Posted On April 27, 2023 By Mike

$180.00 per Square Foot? Is it really possible?

Posted On March 28, 2023 By Mike

Rooted cuttings of variegated weigela in bunches to harden off.

Over Wintering Rooted Cuttings.

Posted On January 8, 2023 By Mike

Mike's Big Perennial Bed.

Mike’s Big Perennial Garden

Posted On January 8, 2023 By Mike

A Profound Thank You from Mike.

Posted On September 1, 2022 By Mike

Recent Posts

Finnegan keeping the sun off his head.

An Old Guy, Two Donkeys, a Puppy and a Hammock. What could possibly go wrong?

… Read Full Article

This upside down donkey is a hoot!

An Upside Down Donkey and Cute Puppy.

You can see more of the donkeys here. And more silly donkey stuff here. Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond. Until then, by any and all means stay inspired! … Read Full Article

'Rockin Raspberry' Bee Balm.

‘Rockin Raspberry’ Bee Balm.

Wow! I planted four of these 'Rockin Raspberry' Bee Balm in the perennial garden at the nursery last summer and look at them now. They are in bloom right now, end of June here in northern, Ohio and every person that sees them asks about them. This beauty … Read Full Article

'Bubblegum Blast' Bee Balm.

‘Bubblegum Blast’ Bee Balm

This beautiful Bee Balm is part of the 'Sugar Buzz' series. I planted these in my perennial bed last summer and this year they are beautiful and blooming like crazy! They grow from 16" to 24" tall, are hardy from zone 4 through zone 8. They love full sun … Read Full Article

Blue Angel Hosta.

‘Blue Angel’ Hosta.

'Blue Angel'hosta is by far one of my favorite blue hostas. A big hosta like this in a perennial bed covers a lot of area and that keeps a ton of weeds at bay! These giant heart shaped leaves are very slug resistant. We have this plant in full sun. With … Read Full Article

Copyright © 2025 · Hill Country Digital Media, LLC · Privacy Policy · Earnings Disclaimer · Terms of Service