I joined The Backyard Growers Business Center in September of 2013. I had been researching how to propagate Crape myrtles, found Mike’s site, and it seemed like an interesting place to learn something new. I don’t know if I meant to start growing for profit, but that’s what happened, and here we are three years later.
Today, I am probably the most tired that I have ever been. It was our last weekend sale of the Spring, 57 customers, had a number of familiar faces, and sold about $1,700 worth of plants. It’s not the biggest number in the group, I know many of you have done much better, but for a guy that wasn’t even sure of his path, it is confirmation.
Newer members, older members that may be struggling…this works if you follow the secret formula. Root plants for free, sell them, rinse, and repeat. It doesn’t matter of you have 20 plants or 20,000, folks love plants and will give you money for them. What folks love even more is buying plants with a story and a personal connection. We have a unique opportunity to give people a REAL person that loves plants, growing plants, and selling plants. They will never get that anywhere else.
Anybody you might perceive as competition…they got nothing on us.
Follow Mike’s marketing advice. It works! the ads, they work. Get on Facebook and figure it out, it works. It is a goldmine.
To Mike, I thank you for what you do here. To Mrinali, Neil, Nathan, Scott, and others, I thank you for being here and your contributions in plants and knowledge. A super special extra thank you to Mrinali. You always send the best plants and our customers just eat them up! You are a real gem!
Mike says it all the time. Keep making baby plants!
Derrick **********, Sprindale, Arizona
Cleo Hales says
September 5, 2018 at 1:35 amOh my gosh. This is what is so great with you people. Love the animals.You make gardening so much fun.I still have and have given many copies of “I Know You Are Hooked on Gardening”
Keep these fun videos coming please! Love all of your family. Cleo
Gene Shaffer says
July 2, 2017 at 3:27 pmI wish you took pay-pal as I don’t have a credit card as they charge a horrible interest rate.
Mike says
July 3, 2017 at 7:55 amGene,
Duston and take your paypal payment, just contact him in the office. [email protected]
Mary Van Lear says
December 21, 2016 at 8:18 pmThank you for showing me your “furniture” mover. After you told me the names of the parts, I knew I could make one myself.
Emmanuel Mhlanga says
November 3, 2016 at 9:22 amYour story could actually make the Oscars should you decide to make it a movie ! I know , you never thought right ? You see its the character in the story – the die hard , its the audacity to hope , to want to make it , to achieve – against all odds .
Tell you what ? There a little caption , a little quote about seeds that reads ” they buried us , and forgot that we are seed ” and there’s this image of seedling just sprouting .
You deserve to enjoy every bit of the success and the money that comes with it .You worked hard God be praised ! God blesses the work of your hands – ” observe the ant you sluggard ” that’s the bible .
My story almost runs like yours difference being I am black , 47 years old , lazier or slothful , live in Zimbabwe a country in Southern Africa , jobless , in debt right to my neck , married to an amazing woman and have 6 amazing kids , but you have inspired me encouraged me to make a step towards being financially independent and to being what a father should be , responsible and win the bread !
The good thing about life stories is that they are real and living and something real and living it always inspires, imparts and impacts . And like the plant , you begin again , from dry seed to the freshness of life – lush and green , the promise of something new .
The story of the plants is pretty much your story … its the story of life …. the struggles of it all … and the hope to make it better and worth living … just like the plants…they make it better …
Yes they buried us and forget we are seed ..we grow we begin again …
Mike says
November 4, 2016 at 6:50 amEmmanuel,
Thank you for your very kind, very charming comment. If you have an amazing wife and six amazing kids that’s a lot. That’s wonderful. I wish you the best that life has to offer!
Guy H. says
October 3, 2016 at 7:36 amHi Mike, Am 74 Central Ma and recently retired. I stumbled upon your site this past weekend and would like to join your mailing list and contests. My interest is perennial flowers which I have been growing for years for friends and family and finally have the time to expand and grow full time. Thank you! Best, Guy
Mike says
October 3, 2016 at 8:07 amWelcome aboard Guy! Enjoy the ride.
Michael Fowler says
September 21, 2016 at 8:38 pminter me to win membership, into your give away. I am just an old Veteran on a limited income, please help I live in Florida, I have been a member of your news letter for a long time your information is great and so is your news letter, GOD BLESS YOU ALL, PUT JESUS FIRST EVERY DAY.
John says
August 11, 2016 at 12:33 pmI stumbled across your youtube videos the other day. I was fascinated that you have done about exactly what I started in my backyard 30 years ago. Amazing what I can grow in only and acre. Good money from the start by simply growing my own trees from seed or cuttings and selling them in driveway then. Now local wholesale nursery depends on me for 2 types of trees: Japanese Maples and Cedar of Lebanon (he just comes and picks these up when a customer calls for these), These and the rest of odd and ends I grow I just sell in drive way on Saturdays and Sundays. The compost I make is my secret. My only workers besides me are compost worms and earth worms!
Mike says
August 11, 2016 at 6:04 pmJohn,
That’s awesome and congratulation on your success!
Nuella Luther says
July 4, 2016 at 12:55 pmI’m so glad I stumbled upon your background nursery, I’m eighty one and love to play in dirt, some say I have a green thumb…after placing azalea and gardenia cuttings in the wet sand, I began to wonder how long I can leave them in the shade . I am in Georgia mountains, I doubt I could sell them before spring. The two big obstacles I face are, we are overrun by dear and the fenced area available is small. I plan to purchase your video
Thank you, Nuella
Anonymous says
June 25, 2016 at 8:01 amMike are you still around? Haven’t seen a youtube video in months. Hope you are ok
Mike says
June 26, 2016 at 10:06 amI’m around, crazy busy, make sure you’re on the mailing list we just sent out a video yesterday. I spent an insane amount of time in our members area, http://backyardgrowers.com/join and I’m here everyday answering questions. But we haven’t done a lot of new videos lately.
Ken says
May 29, 2016 at 6:46 pmreceived – thank you!
Mike says
May 16, 2016 at 7:40 amDerrick,
I appreciate your kind words. You have been a valuable, sharing member long enough to know what a great group of people we have. You acknowledged a few of our members but I know it’s impossible to mention everybody that contributes on a regular basis.
It’s people like you and the others that make the http://backyardgrowers.com/join so special.
Thank you for working hard at this! -Mike