Mike's Backyard Nursery

The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Bibs On!

  • Home
  • Recommended Tools
  • Products
  • Categories
    • Complete Guides
    • Gardening
    • Growing
    • Landscape Design
    • Plant Care
    • Propagation
  • Contact
  • About Mike
Home » Gardening Tips

Gardening Things You Should Know for Spring.

Updated : February 12, 2020

35 Comments

Black-eyed Susan

Beautiful spring weather means a lot of things, but for gardeners it means that we finally get to get out and get our hands in the dirt. We all have projects on the clipboard, things we’d like to do in the yard this spring. In this post I am going to compile a list of… Click here to read more…

Creating Winter Storage for Canna Lilly’s or other roots, bulbs or seeds.

Updated : October 20, 2018

7 Comments

Some growers stratify seeds like dogwoods or Japanese maple seeds in a cold, but not freezing space.  Some actually put them in a cloth bag and hang them in the well, far above the water level but at least a few feet down because the air in the well is never cold enough to freeze…. Click here to read more…

The Correct or Proper Way to Trim Shrubs.

Published : June 25, 2017

71 Comments

Mike McGroarty, teaching how to trim shrubs.

I made you a movie about trimming shrubs.  Enjoy! When pruning shrubs in your landscape it’s important to understand a few things.  It really makes no difference when you prune most plants.  The plants flat out don’t care and the sooner you prune them, if they need it, the sooner they can be on their… Click here to read more…

2017 Spring Plant Sale at Mike’s Plant Farm in Perry, Ohio 44081

Updated : April 28, 2017

53 Comments

Mike's Plant Farm, the first days.

This is a walking tour of our spring plant sale.  Sorry about the wind blowing across the camera.  We don’t have the luxury of picking the perfect day to shoot video so sometimes the wind is an issue. Questions, comments, mean things to say?  Post them below and I will respond. A little history of… Click here to read more…

Review of the NorthStar High-Pressure Tow Behind Tree/Orchard Sprayer — 21-Gallon Capacity, 2 GPM, 12 Volt

Published : April 22, 2017

14 Comments

NorthStar High pressure tree/orchard sprayer.

I purchased this NorthStar High Pressure Tree and Orchard Sprayer to use around the nursery for spraying and watering plants in remote areas where there is no easy way to get water to them.  I’ll pull it behind the ATV. There are a lot of other pull behind sprayers on the market, some sold locally… Click here to read more…

How to Separate Used Nursery Containers (pots) Easily.

Published : April 20, 2017

9 Comments

Separating "stuck" used nursery containers (pots) the easy way.

This question comes up a lot in Our Members Area because a lot of members, including myself, recycle used nursery pots.  Why?  Because it’s crazy not to!  These plastic nursery containers have no business in our landfills if small backyard growers like us can recycle them, make good use of them, and keep them out… Click here to read more…

A Review of the Field Tuff ATV Cultivator.

Updated : April 20, 2017

2 Comments

Side view of the Field Tuff ATV Cultivator.

Recently I purchased the Field Tuff ATV Cultivator to keep a small field as weed free as possible.  In this brief review of this product I will tell you exactly what I like and dislike about this piece of equipment. When I unpacked the parts of this cultivator I found that many of the components… Click here to read more…

How to Sell Plants from Home.

Published : April 19, 2017

5 Comments

Roger Higgins standing in container growing area.

Roger Higgins of Roger’s Backyard Nursery in Cranesville, Pa has really impressed me not only with how successful a plant propagator he has become after Joining Our Backyard Growers Group, but with how efficiently he uses the limited space in his yard.  I think I like Roger’s place because it reminds me of My First… Click here to read more…

Braiding Golden Curls Weeping Willow Trees for Patio Planters.

Published : April 19, 2017

13 Comments

Braiding Golden Curls Willow.

Golden Curls Willow is a very attractive plant with branches that twist and turn like a pigs tail, but they can get big.  One of Our Members, Roger Higgins from Roger’s Backyard Nursery in Cranesville, Pa has a very unusual approach to growing and selling this tree. A late friend of mine discovered and brought… Click here to read more…

The Simplicity of Rooting Thousands of Cuttings in Your Backyard.

Published : April 15, 2017

25 Comments

48" Golden Curls Willow Cuttings rooting in nursery containers.

Recently Duston and I took a trip to western Pennsylvania to visit One of Our Members, Roger Higgins in Cranesville, Pa.  Roger has an amazing backyard nursery in a really small area and it is packed full of plants that he is growing. It was pouring rain that day and cold, 37 degrees!  So we… Click here to read more…

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 24
  • Next Page »

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

Finnegan keeping the sun off his head.

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

Posted On July 17, 2022 By Mike

This upside down donkey is a hoot!

An Upside Down Donkey and Cute Puppy.

Posted On July 14, 2022 By Mike

'Rockin Raspberry' Bee Balm.

‘Rockin Raspberry’ Bee Balm.

Posted On June 26, 2022 By Mike

'Bubblegum Blast' Bee Balm.

‘Bubblegum Blast’ Bee Balm

Posted On June 26, 2022 By Mike

Blue Angel Hosta.

‘Blue Angel’ Hosta.

Posted On June 25, 2022 By Mike

Complete Guides

Growing, Rooting and Propagating Dappled Willow in Tree Form from Cuttings.

Growing Seeds, Winter Sowing, in Milk Jugs and Kitty Litter Jugs.

The Correct Way to Pot Rooted Cuttings, Nursery Stock Liners and other Plants.

Training Arborvitae and other Conical Evergreens to Grow with a Single Leader.

How to Propagate, Root Cuttings, of Dwarf Alberta Spruce.

Recent Posts

'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

Big Daddy Hosta.

‘Big Daddy’ Hosta

'Big Daddy' hosta is one of my favorite big hostas, mostly because it's big, it's blue and it has very interested leaves that are a bit dimpled. Big Daddy hosta gets about 24" tall and 36" wide. It's hardy in zones 3 through 9, the flowers are blends of … Read Full Article

'Humpback Whale' hosta.

‘Humpback Whale’ Hosta.

We sold out of 'Humpback Whale' hosta pretty early this year. Humpback Whale is pretty impressive hosta and this one really hasn't matured yet because they can get three feet high and 7 feet wide. I've also seen photos of them that show them to be a lot … Read Full Article

Copyright © 2023 · Hill Country Digital Media, LLC · Privacy Policy · Earnings Disclaimer · Terms of Service