Mike's Backyard Nursery

The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Bibs On!

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You are here: Home / Archives for Business

The Ten Minute Plant Show.

Updated : June 17, 2024

4 Comments

Annabelle Hydrangea.

In Our Members Area we are always discussing new and interesting ways to sell more plants.  Many people live in an area where it’s just not feasible to invite a bunch of people to their house for a plant sale, so they are always looking for new ideas. This simple idea starts with a simple… Click here to read more…

The Magic Candy Dish

Published : December 4, 2016

4 Comments

The Magic Candy Dish

How to sell hundreds if not thousands of plants with “The Magic Candy Dish”. Crazy right? Crazy like a fox.  Follow along. I am actually doing this blog post for Our Members, not really interested in showing it to the general public, but putting it here is the easiest way for me to convey my… Click here to read more…

The Wrap Around Potting System.

Updated : June 17, 2024

8 Comments

The Wrap Around Potting System.

My life of potting benches truly has involved.  For years and years I used a “Legless Potting Bench” and I pretty much made that bench famous when I shared it online so many years ago.  That started with me resting one end of the bench on my potting soil pile and supporting the other end… Click here to read more…

Shindig 2016 at Mike’s Plant Farm in Perry, Ohio

Updated : June 17, 2024

11 Comments

Mike and Pam McGroarty with Duston McGroarty.

Every year, for many, many years now, we hold an annual event at our nursery here in Perry, Ohio for our Backyard Grower Members.  It’s a big deal for all of us because we spend all year communicating online, buying and selling plants to and from one another, helping each other growing problems, but seldom… Click here to read more…

This is Why I Do what I Do.

Updated : June 17, 2024

39 Comments

Dancing Queen Hosta

It was early Sunday morning, the third day of our fall plant sale and I was walking through the nursery.  It was a beautiful September morning, very quiet except for the birds chirping, even the Donkeys were Quiet, just watching me stroll through the nursery when suddenly it hit me;  What an amazing thing it… Click here to read more…

We are Giving Away Two Memberships to The Backyard Growers Business Center!

Updated : June 17, 2024
Backyard Growers Shindig 2016 at Mike's Plant Farm, Perry, Ohio

Each membership is a $610 value! Be sure to throw your name in the hat. Entering this contest is easy, simply post a comment below.  On October 5th, 2016 we will randomly pick two people from those that posted a comment and you will be given a permanent, membership free of charge. What is the… Click here to read more…

Achillea ‘Saucy Seduction’ common name ‘Saucy Seduction’ Yarrow. PP20782

Updated : June 17, 2024

4 Comments

Achillea 'Saucy Seduction', common name 'Saucy Seduction' Yarrow.

This deer resistant perennial is an excellent addition to any garden.  This perennial is extremely hardy in zones 4 to 8 and loves sun.  They start blooming in early summer and bloom right on into fall. They get 18″ to 24″ tall but what we do is let them flush out in the spring, then… Click here to read more…

Enchanted Eve Coreopsis, commonly known as Tickseed.

Updated : June 17, 2024

3 Comments

Enchanted Eve Coreopsis, common name Tickseed.

Here at Mike’s Plant Farm in Perry, Ohio we root tens of thousands of cuttings.  Mostly flowering shrubs but we also do some evergreens as well.  But in addition to that I buy plugs from wholesale suppliers that we can grow on and resell at a nice profit.  I share my wholesale sources with Our… Click here to read more…

It’s all about Arithmetic and Believing in You.

Updated : June 17, 2024

16 Comments

A note to my backyard growers. Here’s something to think about. We are all here, in this group, growing plants, because about 20 years ago some blue collar knucklehead took a chance and bought a personal computer when almost nobody had one.  He didn’t know how to use a computer. Then the brazen jerk decided… Click here to read more…

An Open Letter to Mike McGroarty and the other Members.

Updated : May 16, 2016

16 Comments

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…. Click here to read more…

The $5.97 Plant Pricing Model.

Updated : June 17, 2024

18 Comments

Do not look at Pam's hair!

I’ve been at this plant selling thing a long time and if You’ve Read My Story You Know That. But I want people to know . . . When I started I was scared. How do you know you can sell what you grow?  That’s always the million dollar question.  The answer is simple.  If… Click here to read more…

Blue Rug Juniper! Growing them, propagating them and using them in a landscape design.

Updated : June 17, 2024

89 Comments

Blue Rug Juniper

Blue Rug Juniper, Juniperus horizontalis ‘Wiltonii’ This an absolutely awesome plant to grow, sell or use in a landscape design.  They are hardy, tough as nails, will grow in just about any kind of soil and they do well in zones 3-9.  How’s that for adaptability? When I was landscaping and re-landscaping homes I put no… Click here to read more…

We are Giving Away a Free Backyard Growers Membership.

Updated : June 17, 2024
Mike McGroarty hugging miniature donkey Finnegan.

We will begin accepting new members on April 1st, but only for a few days, so mark your calendar! You Can Learn All about Our Members Area Here. One person is going to win a Permanent Membership to Our Private Backyard Growers Business Center.  This is a $497.00 value.  Members routinely pay $497.00 or more… Click here to read more…

Forever Pink Hydrangea

Updated : June 17, 2024

56 Comments

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Forever Pink'

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Forever Pink’ I love this hydrangea!  I bought 200 rooted cuttings for 55¢ each, potted them up in mid-May and by mid-summer they had flushed out and were blooming like crazy. I didn’t get these two photos until September so by that time the blooms were going away, wish I had gotten the… Click here to read more…

Blue Mouse Ears Hosta

Updated : June 17, 2024

22 Comments

Blue Mouse Ears Hosta

Blue Mouse Ears Hosta is a “Rock Star” in any garden!  And the leaves really do look like mouse ears.  The plant that I photographed for this article was growing in pretty heavy shade so it doesn’t has as much color as it would if it were out where it would get more sun. It… Click here to read more…

Mike’s First Backyard Nursery

Updated : June 17, 2024

88 Comments

A customer giving Pam money for plants?

Actually I first started growing plants back in 1980 but I had to quit.  I tell that story here.  Then we bought a house in 1988 and in 1989 I started growing in the backyard at that house.   And that’s really where my whole backyard nursery concept came from. Our lot was 1/2 acre and… Click here to read more…

Our Family of Backyard Growers.

Updated : June 17, 2024

6 Comments

Something must be funny!

I spend a great deal of time in Our Backyard Growers Members Area and most days it’s all about hustle and bustle, members asking questions, members offering up advice and ideas and of course all of the buying and selling that goes on.  I answer as many questions as possible, but often the other members… Click here to read more…

Growing, Selling and Propagating ‘Pink Whisper’ Potentilla

Updated : June 17, 2024

44 Comments

Pink Whisper Potentilla Flower.

Botanically known as Potentilla fruiticosa ‘Pink Whisper’ this is an excellent plant to put in your yard.  It’s easy to grow, easy to care for, flowers all summer into the fall and it’s really easy to propagate. Pink Whisper Potentilla loves full sun and maybe a little bit ofvshade.  But it’s not a good selection… Click here to read more…

The One Gallon Plant Conspiracy.

Updated : June 17, 2024

35 Comments

All Summer Beauty Hydrangea.

This is a huge opportunity as far as I’m concerned. Seriously, I truly believe that this could be really big.   Okay, so maybe it’s not really a conspiracy, but it’s close to that. I’ve been working in the green industry for a long time.  Since 1972 I believe.  Back then it was really, really… Click here to read more…

Proper Nursery Plant Tagging.

Updated : June 17, 2024

32 Comments

Hand written aluminum plant tags.

Even Fergus knows how important proper plant tagging is.  Lately we’ve been sticking thousands of hardwood cuttings right along the Donkey Fence and let’s face it, right now they all look like sticks so making sure they are properly tagged is extremely important. There are a couple of things you need to know about tagging… Click here to read more…

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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

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