Mike's Backyard Nursery

The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Bibs On!

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Home » Mike's Plant Farm

My Landscaping and Remodel of the Old House

Updated : June 2, 2015

27 Comments

Today Duston and I made a little video to show you the progress I’ve made on the rental house that sits at the front of my nursery. The plants I’ve chosen really serve a dual purpose, one, they make the yard look really nice, and two, I plant things that I will be taking cuttings… Click here to read more…

DIY Irrigation System for Lawn, Garden or Greenhouse

Updated : May 28, 2020

44 Comments

People have been asking me how I water all of my plants. The best thing that I have found, and that all the nurseries around me use, is the Nelson Whiz Head sprinkler. (<– that’s an affiliate link) It’s fairly inexpensive and it fits right onto a ½ inch fitting on a ¾ standpipe. I… Click here to read more…

How to Apply Preemergent Herbicide

Updated : August 18, 2015

17 Comments

Preemergent herbicides are designed for application before the targeted weed germinates, and are an effective preventative method for controlling weeds. People always ask me what type of preemergent herbicide I use and I tell then Snapshot DG.  You’re only going to find this at a place that sells to nurseries.  I would check AM Leonard… Click here to read more…

Backyard Growers Enjoying a Visit to Mike’s Plant Farm in Perry, Ohio

Updated : December 1, 2014

8 Comments

Backyard Growers discussing plant propagation with Mike McGroarty.

Once or twice a year we invite our Backyard Growers to my place, Mike’s Plant Farm, here in Perry, Ohio.  Each year we have a group of wonderful people.  We enjoy the day talking plants, plant propagation, growing and selling plants and we eat.  And of course the donkeys love the company. We also do … Click here to read more…

How to Grow and Trim Japanese Maples.

Updated : October 26, 2018

124 Comments

Crimson Queen Japanese Red Maple.

Crimson Queen is by far one of the most beautiful of the Laceleaf Weeping Japanese maples on the market.  However, I see so many of them that are improperly pruned and cared for.  It’s not so much that they are improperly pruned, they are not pruned at all.  Which is really about the worst kind… Click here to read more…

2013 Shindig at Mike’s Plant Farm in Perry, Ohio

Updated : November 11, 2014

11 Comments

Mike McGroarty explaining a growing process to customers.

I have been doing these summer get togethers for customers for so long I don’t even remember when we first started them.  Years ago I know that.  The first few were at my house on Middle Ridge, then we had a few at the house we live in now and for the past three years… Click here to read more…

Three Generations of McGroarty Nurserymen

Updated : June 7, 2019

14 Comments

Lunch Break at McGroarty's Nursery

My father would be so proud to see the three generations of McGroarty Nurserymen. I’d love to add at least one McGroarty girl to this crew but so far we have three little boys in the family.  We’re counting on Kevin and Grace to add the girl or girls to the mix.  Time will tell. EDIT… Click here to read more…

Mike’s New Nursery… From The Beginning!

Updated : May 7, 2017

117 Comments

This is what we started with in 2010.   This fun little video documents our progress through the spring of 2012. The front container growing area is just to the right off the donkeys.  This photo was pretty much taken from the same vantage point as the above photo where the ground is snow covered…. Click here to read more…

Landscape Design Ideas

Updated : November 25, 2014

34 Comments

Growing Japanese Maples

Updated : May 20, 2015

101 Comments

Tips on how to grow your very own Japanese Maples from the seeds on the tree in your yard!

'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

Ice Plant, delosperma

Ice Plant, delosperma

Posted On June 9, 2022 By Mike

Electric Red Dianthus

‘Electric Red’ Dianthus

Posted On June 9, 2022 By Mike

Flower bulb care after they bloom.

The Right Way to Treat Your Flower Bulbs after they Bloom.

Posted On June 9, 2022 By Mike

Miniature donkey shenanigans.

Power Equipment, Pain in the Backside!

Posted On June 9, 2022 By Mike

Ice Plant, Delosperma

Photos, Landscaping Ideas from My Butt Ugly Landscape. Worst Landscape Design Ever!

Posted On June 8, 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

Flower bulb care after they bloom.

The Right Way to Treat Your Flower Bulbs after they Bloom.

Me and the donkeys made a movie for you about caring for your flower bulbs after they bloom. It seems to be that the standard practice is to roll the tops into a ball, put a rubber band around them and wait for them to turn brown before you cut them … Read Full Article

Miniature donkey shenanigans.

Power Equipment, Pain in the Backside!

Listen up, me and the donkeys, Finnegan and Fergus, made a video for you that just might save you a giant headache when it comes to your power equipment. I made this giant mistake and hopefully this will make sure that it does not happen to you. Not … Read Full Article

Ice Plant, Delosperma

Photos, Landscaping Ideas from My Butt Ugly Landscape. Worst Landscape Design Ever!

A couple of years ago I posted a video and some photos of the landscaping around our house and one guy said something like, "It's a good thing you know how to grow plants because your landscape design skills are terrible. So when I did an update I titled the … Read Full Article

Busting Gardening Myths!

One of Our Members, http://backyardgrowers.com/join, shared this article with the other members. It's a great article about long held gardening beliefs that just flat out are not true. I'd love to display the article here but I just don't have permission to … Read Full Article

How to Move Heavy things the Easy Way.

It's that time of year when I have to put balls on the Japanese maples that we dug earlier this spring. On this page, https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2021/04/how-to-put-a-ball-and-burlap-on-a-bare-root-tree-that-has-been-previously-dug/, I show you how I put … Read Full Article

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