Mike's Backyard Nursery

The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Bibs On!

Giving Yourself Permission to Fail

Updated : June 17, 2024

68 Comments

Giving Yourself Permission to Fail I know, this is a crazy topic for a gardening website, but this website is really about people and plants and their love of plants.  And the one thing that I hear from people all of the time is; “Mike, I should have done this sooner!” This guy, he walks around the… Click here to read more…

Propagating Potentilla from Cuttings

Updated : June 17, 2024

187 Comments

Propagating potentilla from cuttings is really easy to do and when done as softwood cuttings during the late spring early summer they root quite quickly, usually in two to three weeks.     What I am going to show you in this post is propagating potentilla late in the season when the wood is much… Click here to read more…

Starting a Plant Business

Updated : June 17, 2024

94 Comments

Starting a plant business is much easier than you think.  It requires a lot less of a commitment than you think.  Getting started growing and selling small plants from home is as simple as this; Start propagating some plants from cuttings, get some pots and potting soil, start selling some plants.  Not a lot, but… Click here to read more…

Propagation From Cuttings

Updated : December 4, 2014

294 Comments

 I’ve been busy here in the nursery trying to squeeze in a few last events before winter arrives.  In this video you’ll discover the simplicity of propagation from cuttings.  For the most part I start taking cuttings around June 1st and continue taking them right up until the sand in my propagation boxes freezes.  You… Click here to read more…

How to Get Rid of Poison Ivy

Updated : July 10, 2024

509 Comments

I often get asked how to get rid of poison ivy. And because I’ve got a situation on my property that has a really good stand of poison ivy that I have to deal with, I made you a video. A while back I showed you How to Identify Poison Ivy.  This video is all… Click here to read more…

How to Start a Nursery

Updated : June 17, 2024

45 Comments

How to Start a Nursery Getting started in the nursery business is much easier than most people think.  In the video that we have posted here I show you how simple it can be to get started in the nursery business.  Following the strategy that I explain in this video it can be as simple… Click here to read more…

Why do plants have to be inspected?

Updated : June 17, 2024

14 Comments

I should have titled this how to grow and sell rooted cuttings instead of “why do plants have to be inspected?” This is really about plants that I bought from one of my customers. In another post, somebody asked me why plants have to be inspected and how can we make any money growing and… Click here to read more…

‘Fireworks’ Fountain Grass

Updated : June 17, 2024

55 Comments

‘Fireworks’ Fountain Grass  (Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’)  PP18504 This is why I love plants! Like most mornings I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to our sun room to read and enjoy my coffee.  As the sun was coming up I looked outside and through the porch railing I see this spectacular display of red… Click here to read more…

Shindig at Mike’s Plant Farm!

Updated : June 17, 2024

57 Comments

Shindig at Mike’s Plant Farm 2012! This is a members only event! Start Growing and Selling Small Plants from Home Right Now! For many, many years now each summer I invite members to visit us here in the northeast corner of Ohio and each and every year we have a great turn out.  This year… Click here to read more…

Free Backyard Growing System

Updated : June 17, 2024

3,171 Comments

I am giving away three copies of my Brand New Backyard Growing System! Here’s the deal.  Right now my Backyard Growing System is not available, I’ve taken it off the market.  Because . . . Duston and I have been working on a completely new and revised edition of the Backyard Growing System and the new version… Click here to read more…

Mike McGroarty on the Economy.

Updated : June 17, 2024

15 Comments

People have Money to Spend! Start Growing Small Plants Now So You Too will have Plants to Sell! No matter what they tell you on the news, there are a lot of people who have plenty of money to spend and they are willing to spend it on small plants because plants bring them joy!… Click here to read more…

How to Repair a Drought Damaged Lawn

Updated : June 17, 2024

98 Comments

Repairing a Drought Damaged Lawn is Fairly Easy to do. People say to me; “I don’t water my lawn during the summer, I just let it go dormant.  It will come back.”  Well . . . there’s a fine line between dormant and dead and this year I’m seeing a whole lot of dead. There… Click here to read more…

How to Plant Grass Seed

Updated : June 17, 2024

186 Comments

Planting grass seed. Planting grass seed is a pretty simple process, but there are a few things that you should know. What Kind of Grass Seed Should I Buy? There are People in Your Town that Would Love to Buy Small Plants from You.  Seriously!  Click to learn more. First, let’s start with selecting a good… Click here to read more…

Techny Arborvitae

Updated : June 17, 2024

92 Comments

Techny Arborvitae, also known as Mission Arborvitae Thuja occidentalis ‘Techny’ This by far my favorite Arborvitae!  It has a beautiful dark green color, it grows very dense, it’s a medium fast grower.  Some say it’s a slow grower and compared to a lot of other Arborvitae it is slower growing.  However, you will hear me… Click here to read more…

What is Mike McGroarty Reading?

Updated : June 15, 2015

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This page contains affiliate links from Amazon.com    I know some people will be curious about what I’m reading so here we go. Let’s see, what have I read lately . . . I’m just finishing up this book by Tina Fay.  I saw it on a book stand at the airport and it looked fun… Click here to read more…

What has Pam been up to?

Updated : November 25, 2014

31 Comments

Many of our members have met Pam when they come to events that I’ve had at the nursery exclusively for our members.  She usually shows up with a carload of homemade cookies and is the hit of the party. Right now she is making Jewlery like crazy!   I don’t know much about Jewelry, but… Click here to read more…

Emerald Green Arborvitae

Updated : June 17, 2024

278 Comments

Emerald Green Arborvitae-Thuga occidentalis ‘Smaragd’ Hardy in zones 3 through 8. All pyramidal Arborvitae are not created equal!  Some look similar but they grow and perform over time very differently.  There are two upright, pyramidal Arborvitae that I really like because the look great, and over time they perform exactly as you expect them to.  They are very different and… Click here to read more…