Mike's Backyard Nursery

The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Bibs On!

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She’s Getting Sued By Her Neighbor For Having Backyard Chickens

Updated : August 14, 2015

10 Comments

The woman who sued her neighbor over her backyard chickens and garden says she doesn’t hate chickens, doesn’t hate gardens and doesn’t hate her neighbors. Lynn Perry says she just loves her home and her neighborhood — and wants to protect its integrity. How would you feel if you were in their shoes? Read the… Click here to read more…

How to Sharpen Pruning Shears

Updated : June 17, 2024

3 Comments

These Corona pruning shears are one of my favorite tools to use all year round, and I work the heck out of them! After a while, the blades become gunked up with sap, and nicked from cutting hard branches so it’s very important that I regularly maintain the shears so they will perform properly. I… Click here to read more…

Stock Plants and Growing in Containers

Updated : June 17, 2024

4 Comments

Stock plants, rooted cuttings, cuttings, that’s my business. Up against the donkey fence, I have planted several stock plants to take cuttings from. They are my gold mine. I have Anabelle Hydrangea and Gold Flame Spirea among many others. The Gold Flame Spirea is just a phenomenal plant. It is easy to propagate and it… Click here to read more…

Spider Mites Eating Your Plants?

Updated : June 17, 2024

14 Comments

Most Spider Mites, especially the Two Spotted Spider mite love hot weather and dry conditions, so the race is on!  Batten down the hatches and Katie bar the door, it’s Spider Mite season! Spider mites attack a variety of plants in your landscape including Burning Bush, Dwarf Alberta Spruce, Boxwood, almost all spruce varieties and… Click here to read more…

Stuffed Squash and Zucchini Blossoms Recipe

Published : August 11, 2015

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If you started your garden back in May, then I am sure that you, like me, are beginning to harvest your squash and zucchini. I found this very unique recipe for actually stuffing and frying the blossoms themselves!  Take a look:

“Skeleton Flowers” Become Transparent When It Rains

Published : August 11, 2015

30 Comments

The "Skeleton Flower"

“The “Skeleton Flower” (Diphelleia grayi), is a white woodland blossom that turns transparent when it gets wet. This plant can be found in three parts of the world. The plant grows on moist, wooded mountainsides in colder regions of Japan, China and the Appalachian Mountains in the United States, and it’s very easy to spot… Click here to read more…

Strawberry Growers Are Forced to Use Ozone Killing Pesticides

Published : August 11, 2015

1 Comment

Farmers have been using methyl bromide since 1961, but in 1990 the Montreal Protocol mandated farmers to stop by 2005 because of its ozone destroying ways. Several government exemptions allowed farmers to continue using the fumigant, but these will all expire at the end of 2016. That sounds like a good thing — that farmers… Click here to read more…

Lawn Rust

Updated : June 17, 2024

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A lot of people have been wondering about the orange powder that’s getting all over their feet and shoes when they walk across their own lawn. It’s called Rust.  It’s a turf grass fungus that forms on lawns when the temperatures are warm and  the air is humid.  It’s much worse if you water your… Click here to read more…

Can You Make $100,000 From Yard Waste?

Updated : June 17, 2024

9 Comments

Rooted Cuttings Waiting To Be Potted Up

Can you REALLY make $100,000.00 from yard waste?? Sounds like one of those bogus get-rich-quick scams, right? I’m sure I’ll catch some flack for even suggesting it’s possible. But guess what… I don’t care. Before I dive into that, I wanna let you know what’s been going on at my nursery. We just finished up… Click here to read more…

Backyard Nursery Success Story

Updated : June 17, 2024

1 Comment

When Mike McGroarty of rural Perry, Ohio said to his wife; “From now on, all of our plants are $4.97. We’re selling everything at that price.” he had no way of knowing how that decision would change his life and lives around the world. At the time, McGroarty was just growing some plants in his… Click here to read more…

What’s Hot in August? Balloon Flowers

Updated : June 17, 2024

16 Comments

Balloon flower, also known as Chinese bellflower, has been a favorite of many plant enthusiasts for more than 50 years, yet it’s still not found in many gardens. I hope this article and my video increase it’s popularity. Balloon-shaped flower buds pop open into beautiful blue, white, pink, or purple flowers in summer. They emerge… Click here to read more…

390-Year-Old Bonsai Tree Survived An Atomic Bomb

Updated : August 7, 2015

3 Comments

This 390 year old Japanese White Pine was donated to the National Arboretum in Northeast Washington for the Arboretum’s National Bonsai and Penjing Museum. Think about it! This tree has survived since the 16th century and also survived an atomic bomb! The bonsai tree’s history is being honored this week, as Thursday marks the 70th… Click here to read more…

Don’t Touch This Plant… You Could Go Blind!

Updated : November 9, 2018

47 Comments

Giant Hogweed is a phototoxic plant. Its sap can cause phytophotodermatitis (severe skin inflammations) when the skin is exposed to sunlight or to ultraviolet rays. Initially, the skin colors red and starts itching. Then blisters form as it burns within 48 hours. They form black or purplish scars that can last several years. Hospitalization may… Click here to read more…

What is the Backyard Growers Business Center?????

Updated : June 17, 2024

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Hi, Sharon here. I am Mike’s assistant and also an administrator on the Backyard Growers Business Center forums. I thought I would share this dialogue with you to give you an idea about what goes on there. Thanks everyone!  July 28, 2015 12:59 am Sarah12417 Member Members Forum Posts: 5 Member Since: June 27, 2015… Click here to read more…

Growing Japanese Maple Trees in Pots

Updated : June 17, 2024

64 Comments

Many people enjoy the beauty of Japanese Maple trees, but some folks don’t have room for another tree in their landscape, or they may be apartment dwellers who don’t have a yard. Fortunately for these folks, there are many dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties of Japanese Maples that can be grown quite well in containers. Any… Click here to read more…

Gardening Tips for August

Published : August 5, 2015

2 Comments

Gardening Tips for August From the Farmer’s Almanac 5th-7th Good days for transplanting. Root crops that can be planted now will yield well. 8th-9th Any seed planted now will tend to rot. 10th-11th Plant seedbeds and flower gardens. Good days for transplanting. Most favorable days for planting beets, onions, turnips, and other root crops. 12th-16th… Click here to read more…

The Never-Fail Annabelle Hydrangea

Updated : June 17, 2024

32 Comments

Annabelle Hydrangea are the hydrangea that never fail to bloom. They bloom on current growth so the flower buds are never affected by frost or freezing temperatures.   My plants and my cuttings did just fine last winter even though it got down to -21 below zero, so they are tough as nails. The unrooted… Click here to read more…

Can Planting More Trees Prolong Your Life?

Published : August 4, 2015

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A recent study published in the journal, Scientific Reports, compiled data from multiple cities in Toronto and came to the hypothesis that adding 10 trees to your neighborhood could result in the equivalent of feeling $10,000 richer or even 7 years younger! Trees do add beauty and shade but they also remove pollutants from the… Click here to read more…

Lightweight Expandable Hose That Never Kinks

Updated : August 4, 2015

2 Comments

A few years ago the expandable pocket hose hit the infomercial scene.  Maybe you were one who called in to order not one, but TWO expandable hoses if you acted right then. It didn’t take long for the consumers to find fault in the too good to be true lightweight hose.  Consumer Reports tested the… Click here to read more…

Tips for Growing and Producing Flowers on Hydrangea

Updated : July 16, 2015

7 Comments

Hydrangea macrophylla, the pink and blue hydrangea are commonly known as Big Leaf or Mophead.  Most of these bloom in July or August  in either blue or pink, although a few varieties are white. If you have pink blooms and would like them to be blue, simply amend the soil with aluminum sulfate.  Your local… Click here to read more…

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Recent Posts

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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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