Mike McGroaty's Gardening Newsletter????

I was wondering if any of you get the Newsletter he sends out, and if anyone has ordered his E-Book on starting a backyard business selling shrubs?? I am so tempted, I have an annual plant sale, and I could use his techniques to raise more shrubs, (always a good seller)! I just wonder if there is 39.95 worth of new information in it???? Legit

I used to get the letter, and even took part in the forums at one time. I think Mike is a good fellow, but a huge ego.

I get the newsletter, and I downloaded (is that the right terminology ?) his Ebook. His farm is not far from where I live. I enjoy the newsletter and find it very helpful. He is very down to earth (no pun intended). Does things the easy way without a lot of commercial products you have to buy and with the least amount of back breaking labor. And you can email him and ask him anything, and he gets back to you with an answer really fast.

does he have a website?

His name on Google should do it.

His site is www.freeplants.com He can also be reached at McPlants@ncweb.com

Honeygirl, did you find the E-book to be useful, was it worth 39.95 to you?? Thanks, Legit

I downloaded the free Plant Propigation Ebook. No, I didn't pay for the $39.95 book. He has a lot of free info on the site. And his free newsletters are always interesting.

Any body have more info on this now. I have a friend that found this thread while doing a search on this guy. He was wondering if there was any more info on him now.

I just started getting his letter a few months ago and really enjoy it. I too did the free e-book. I want to print out more of his articles for my files too.

I too have been eyeing his site for over a year now. I am seriously considering purchasing his Backyard Nursery system for $300.00. I just found this site tonight and can't believe all of the information and all of the friendly folks. I just paid my $5.00 for 2 months on this site and I know that I will continue to be a member. If you have any info on his system please let me know.

Thanks so much!

I bought the $300 nursery system and I'm about half way through all of the information. I think it is fantastic and I plan on using it starting very soon. Worth it's weight in gold. IMO

chickychat, have you started the system? what do you think of it? I'm dying to know.

I bought the system also and then bought the Permanent Membership to the Growers Board. In my opinion, it is so worth it. Mike is so knowledgeable and those people on the Growers board are so nice and helpful. I recommend it highly!

Have a great day and Happy Early Weekend!

Thanks guys for this link!
I will check it out for sure.
Karen in Austin, TX

any new comments?

must be less effort writing the book than raising shrubs huh? or should i say more profitable?

Agree with Len ... (-:

I just bought Mike's system back in the spring. I now have a mist bed set up and I have a little over 500 cuttings and they have roots. It is so exciting. Mike shows you step by step how to do everything and then it is up to you to progress. I am even a member on the Growers Board that he has - there is so much help. For me, it was well worth the money! I am enjoying every minute of it. If anyone has any questions, I would be happy to answer those on d-mail. Have a great day!

AND will your 500 cuttings compete with Home Depot, etc.?
Don't think so.
Just my opinion ...

I don't think so either, because HD doesn't sell cuttings. I rooted a hundred or so Azaleas from what I learned on McGroarty's site, and it didn't cost a dime.
Anybody who wants to make money propagating plants, or writing about it is okay by me.

Around here the HD mostly sells patented cultivars anyway - I guess it's more profitble for them. Cutting propagation is great for varieties you can't find in the stores too.

This message was edited Aug 15, 2007 2:13 PM

Well good luck!
Tell me though how do you root 100 cuttings without it costing you a dime? Did you root them in air with no water? Oh, and what about your labor and time?
I guess you can proprogate plants and then find a nursery to buy them, but I do not see a profit there. Trust me I have done a little research because I love growing things, but I have recently heard it is even against the law to sell them out of your garage. I guess if you live in a rural, unincooprated area you might could do it. Oh, and don't forget your liability if people come on to your property and get hurt.

I don't disagree with his methods, because i don't know what they are. i'm not going to pay $300 for his "system" when i'm sure that everything in his system and more is available for free on dg forums.
for $30 you can buy an ahs propagation book.
when he quits his day job as a meter reader supervisor, and goes in to it on a much grander scale I might consider buying his book at border's for $15. it might be a fun read.
until then i think he needs to have a little more credibility. imho.

Thanks for the good wishes, but my profit will be growing a bunch of Azaleas in my yard. I don't think I could part with them! I guess the potting soil cost $2.50, you're right about that. I have a rain barrel for watering container plants, but water isn't too expensive here, either.
The 'labor' involved was minimal, maybe an hour.

Around here you don't need a license to sell plants in your yard, as far as I know. Lots of yard sales have plants for sale. In PA, a phytosanitary inspection from the state is $40, which is not exactly prohibitive for a small business, if someone wanted to do that.
Most homeowners insurance would cover someone getting hurt on your property, but if you're selling to a nursery, why not just load them on a truck and take them there?

I don't know anything about what McGroarty is selling, but the info he's giving away was helpful to me, that's all. I agree Len, much of the info is probably available elsewhere, but I can't fault the guy for trying to make a buck, and nobody's complaining that I know of... I wonder if he's in the DG Watchdog?

I was just giving my opinion on this System. I am very excited about everything that I am doing and no one here is going to rain on my parade. I was just sharing my experience with everyone and then some people want to just go and be negative. If you were a member, all of your questions that you have above would be answered - ALL OF THEM. I am just glad that he put this together for those of us that just want it laid out step by step and do not have to go and research different people's way of doing things. Since you do not know what is on the other side of the membership - then you can't judge people for joining. You just have no idea. I guess this thread is just not meant for me since it just seems so negative. Now go and have yourselves a great early weekend.

Sweetie,
I was not meaning to be negative but real

Kpoore - while I agree with "buyer beware" I will state that Mike is a good guy and his system apparently works for many and Yes! lo and behold, people are making money!

For the record, I have no affiliation with him. I have met some people in my area who are using his system, who have all the correct permits and inspections to sell plants and are living in a variety of situations from rural to small urban plots. I have asked him questions directly and he has answered. Where else do you get THAT kind of service? What kind of homework did you do on his business before you made up your mind? I'd be curious to know...

Perhaps you should check something out before you dump on it. Seems like your "real" (in your quote above) is synonomous with "negative". That's not true for everyone. There are still good people doing good things out there and yes - even making a living and having fun doing it.

And stuff the "sweetie" business. Puh-leeze . Could you get any more patronizing?

Downtownjen ...
Sorry for the term "sweetie". I picked that up as a term of endearment (sp) from Florida. The first time I heard it I did not like it, but it grew on me and stuck.
Sorry, I did not mean to sound negative. I just do not see this as making any real profit without competing with the big boys. I could be wrong ...
Have a good day,
Karen

Karen, i think someone thought you was a man! rofl!

Well, then they did not read the whole thread because I signed my name way up.
That's okay ...
Everyone have a great weekend and enjoy the moment.
Karen
www.kpoore.smugmug.com

Karen (and others):

There are several "backyard growers" on Mike's forum from TX that seem to be doing quite well. I know that here in AZ I can compete with the "big box" stores easily if I pick my plants wisely - the big boxes tend not to carry natives or if they do they're of marginal quality and more expensive than local nurseries. Talks with the owner's of my favorite nursery have already yeilded the names of several plants that are in high demand (and low supply) by landscapers and the public.

Every part of the country has some plants that are staples that will sell no matter what. Networking with others in the same area gives you an opportunity to build on each other's successes and avoid mistakes. Plus there's the feeling of earning some $$ doing something you love.

There are only a few of us "backyard growers" in AZ - but we're starting our own network thru Mike's website and it's pretty cool.

I'd encourage anyone to give Mike's program a second look. He's a good guy and even hosts get-together's at his house at least once a year. Personally I don't think someone who was an internet scammer'd be too keen on having people come to his house! But maybe I'm wrong. Time will tell.

Oh - so far I've invested about $500 for stock plants, misting system, propogation flats, good soil (our dirt here is pretty crappy), and misc other stuff. Pots I got free from a local nursery and I traded some of those pots to another member for some rooting medium that works well in our environment. That's not much investment in my book - and I've learned more from the people in his forum than I have from years of reading and gardening in all types of climates.

Again - I think his system deserves a second look and I hope that some of you can fulfill your dreams of starting your own backyard nursery and making a living selling plants. Even if you can't sell from your home there's always farmer's markets, etc! Doing nothing or sitting "dreaming" is just time not spent acting on fulfilling your dreams. Do your own research, ask questions - and yes - it may cost you a little money. Most things in life do.

downtownjen

Thanks Downtown ...
I'll look in to it more.
Karen

I recently read about a soil that is composed of clay, pottery shards and charcoal. It was used by the South-american indians for centuries and is supposed to contain all the nutrients needed for good growth and plant health. The charcoal is wood charcoal but not the comercial Briquets we see in hardware stores. Many south-american and american indian cultures used a slash and burn policy for their crops, and while it seems wasteful at first, it did replenish the mineral content of their soils so that after a few years they could replant again and thus renew the cycle. Since it enabled them to feed their populations for centuries it is certainly nothing to scoff at.
Anyone tried this soil type yet? Any comments??

Maybe by accident. I have a clay loam, and the other day was digging a hole for a rose bush and found pieces of broken plates and coffee cups, which was probably an old burn pile. The charcoal would be for potash. Clay is very nutritious.
They used to have prairie burns but that was to get rid of the weeds and allow the native grasses to come back for the buffalo, but remember they lived in teepees and not wooden homes! if the fire got too close they just packed up their house and got out of the way.