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Home » Plant Care

Which Fertilizer Is Best?

Updated : October 3, 2018

62 Comments

Which fertilizer is best?

I was sitting out on the front porch admiring the Impatiens that Pam and I planted. What a blast of color! Then I thought about what I feed them. Before I get into that, let’s do a fertilizer crash course. On a bag of fertilizer you will see three numbers like 12-12-12 or 18-6-4 or… Click here to read more…

Digging Bare Root Japanese Maples to be Potted.

Updated : April 19, 2018

22 Comments

Recently dug Japanese maple trees.

This is a “Monday’s with Mike” segment.  Our Members like to know what I am up to in my nursery at any given time so I try to keep them updated and at the same time, offer up information on plants, caring for them etc. In this segment it’s spring and we are digging Japanese… Click here to read more…

How to Prune Flowering Bushes the Easy Way

Updated : July 24, 2017

71 Comments

Here’s a quick lesson on how to easily prune Tango Weigela and other flowering shrubs. I’ve also included a crash-course on how to make softwood cuttings. People All Over the Country Are Getting Paid to Grow Plants Right In Their Own Backyards! It’s Easy to Get Started… Here’s How… The video below shows how nicely… 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

12 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…

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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

Big Daddy Hosta.

‘Big Daddy’ Hosta

Posted On June 25, 2022 By Mike

'Humpback Whale' hosta.

‘Humpback Whale’ 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

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

Ice Plant, delosperma

Ice Plant, delosperma

How pretty is that? And it's a ground hugging perennial that comes back year and year. These plants were new to our nursery last year so Pam and I planted three of them in our landscape at home. Not only did they do really well last year but they wintered … Read Full Article

Electric Red Dianthus

‘Electric Red’ Dianthus

I've been working on my perennial bed at the nursery and this Electric Red Dianthus caught my eye and was screaming "make my picture". So I did! Dianthus in general are great perennials for your garden. They are super winter hardy even here in cold … Read Full Article

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