Perfect lawns are a great business model and a terrible way to spend your weekends. We’re pushing back on the endless cycle of pre-emergents, blanket weed killer, multiple fertilizer rounds, and “technician” visits that make homeowners feel like they need a chemical calendar just to own grass. If you’ve got kids running around, pets rolling in the yard, and friends coming over for a barbecue, you don’t need a golf course. You need a lawn that holds up, looks pretty good, and doesn’t put your family in contact with stuff you’d never choose on purpose. 

We walk through an anti-chemical lawn plan built for normal people: mow high to shade out weeds and keep soil cooler, fertilize lightly (usually once in the fall) to support healthy turf without creating dependency, and stop blanket spraying herbicides. We also talk about why a “living lawn” with some clover, violets, or dandelions isn’t failure. It’s biology, and it can support pollinators, birds, and a healthier neighborhood ecosystem while still fitting in visually. 

You’ll get practical guidance on overseeding thin spots for thicker grass, watering smarter by season (deep when it matters, shallow when it counts), and using spot treatment only when noxious weeds truly require it. If this approach resonates, check out our Anti-Chemical Lawn Blueprint at abetteryard.org, then subscribe, share the show with a neighbor, and leave a review so more people can build safer, simpler lawns.

--> Grab the $7 Anti-Chemical Lawn Blueprint

--> ABY Member Blueprint and Show Notes access

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Audio from our free seasonal tasks masterclass on March 31  

Spring makes people want to rush outside and “fix” the yard, but we’ve learned that the fastest way to a healthier landscape is slowing down. We kick off with a practical Upper Midwest spring gardening checklist: last-chance dormant-season pruning for shrubs and fruit trees, a clear warning to leave oak trees alone once temperatures warm, and a gentler spring cleanup that protects overwintering native bees, caterpillars, and other beneficial insects. If you only tidy one spot, we suggest keeping it near high-visibility areas and leaving the rest of the habitat intact a bit longer. 

From there, we get into planting and maintenance decisions that actually make life easier. We talk about timing for perennials and native grasses, early cool-season vegetable seeding, and why “leave the leaves” still applies in spring. We also share our take on bed edging, why we minimize dyed mulch, when bird feeders should come down, and how lilacs are getting thrown off by climate patterns plus when to prune them without losing blooms. You’ll also hear how we aim for a realistic sweet spot with natives while still leaving room for fun color like dahlias and gladiolus. 

Then we shift into spring lawn care: overseeding a bee lawn with clover and other pollinator-friendly plants, mowing higher for deeper roots, why we skip No Mow May here, and the hard no on Weed and Feed. We cover irrigation timing, power raking myths, and a simple organic fertilizer approach including the half-pound nitrogen guideline. If you want a yard that saves water, stores carbon, and feeds pollinators, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a neighbor who loves their lawn, and leave a review with your biggest spring yard question.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

I've been getting a lot of questions lately on the timing of spring gardening tasks. In this episode we talk through the timing on spring gardening tasks and how you want to accomplish them.

Download the Seasons Calendar at MinnesotaGardening.com for a list of gardening tasks and when to do them.

Join Minnesota Gardening today and get Two Weeks Free!!

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

In this episode of Minnesota Gardening Podcast, host Brad Tabke speaks with Stephanie Rose, author of 'Regenerative Garden.' They discuss Stephanie's journey into gardening as a form of self-healing, the principles of regenerative gardening, and the importance of community involvement in gardening. Stephanie shares insights on understanding soil health, the role of weeds, and how gardens can foster connections among neighbors. The conversation emphasizes accessible gardening practices for everyone, regardless of physical ability, and the joy that comes from nurturing both plants and community relationships.

Grab Regenerative Garden by Stephanie Rose on Bookshop.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Madeline Wimmer is a guru of Upper Midwest fruit tree in the UMN Hort Department specializing in grapes and apples.

Lucky to have Madeline with us to talk care for midwest fruit trees.

Show notes, links, and transcript for members at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Owen Wormser is the author of a wonderful book called Lawns Into Meadows  a "how-to book on growing your own wildflowers and native grasses is also about sustainability, regeneration, and beauty."

Show Notes, Links, and Transcript at MinnesotaGardening.com

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Show notes available to members at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Minnesota Gardening's 2025 Seed Starting Cohort is NOW OPEN!

The Seed Starting Cohort is FREE to Minnesota Gardening members and $197 for the cohort alone.

Check it all out including the Seed Starting Course, one-on-one Q&A, and the 2025 Seed Starting Cohort kickoff on Feb 16, 2025 at 8 pm. Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Unveiling the renewed Minnesota Gardening focused on sustainability and helping Upper Midwest homeowners switch to more environmentally-friendly landscape and lawn care practices.

Right now, you can get an annual membership for only $127! That is 71% off the regular price.

Join today at MinnesotaGardening.com. 

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Connie Fortin and Kyra Oliver join me for a BONUS episode of Minnesota Gardening Podcast to talk all about Winter Design and efforts to reduce salt use and water pollution.

Connie Fortin has been working for 20 years with winter maintenance professionals trying to reduce salt by integrating science into winter maintenance. Now she finds herself in an engineering firm, Bolton & Menk, working to integrate low salt concepts into infrastructure design. Improved winter design is the most cost-effective way to get on top of the chloride problem and she is energized to share this new strategy. 

Kyra Oliver is a Water Resources Design Engineer at Bolton & Menk with a background in Landscape Architecture.  She began her career at a landscape design and build firm, with a focus in native plantings and rain garden design, construction, and maintenance.  In 2019, she earned a master degree in water resources engineering and now works to improve the health of the environment in urban areas by bringing water resources, landscape architecture, and natural resources together to create quality solutions.  She has gained experience in stormwater management in rain gardens, grading, vegetation, GIS mapping, site assessment, design, and construction documents.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Heather Holm is an amazing author on native pollinators and has an incredible Instagram Page sharing her love of native pollinators, bees, and wasps.

In this episode, we talk about the need for protecting native pollinators, competition from non-native bees, and what we can do for our local ecosystems.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Meg Cowden is the author of Plant, Grow, Harvest, Repeat - an incredible resource for all gardeners. 

We are replaying this episode with Med all about succession planting from our Spring 2022 season. Right now is a great time to be thinking about succession planting and how you can make the most of your food gardens.

You can find Meg at SeedtoFork.com where she has a lot of information and join her gardening club Modern Gardening Guild.

You can check out her book - along with all other books we've featured on Minnesota Gardening Podcast - at our Bookshop.org book store. 

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Pasque flowers are blooming in this transition to spring. I’m out hiking with Scout along the Minnesota River on federal land at the Louisville Swamp, narrating what we see as the prairie wakes up. You’ll hear why those fuzzy, pale purple native wildflowers matter, how quickly bees find them, and what the first blooms of the year teach us about building real habitat, not just pretty landscaping.

As the trail shifts from open prairie to woodland edge, the conversation gets more practical and more opinionated. I share why Minnesota Gardening became A Better Yard, and why my focus has moved toward sustainable landscaping: reducing chemical use, saving water, feeding native pollinators, supporting songbirds, and storing carbon in ways homeowners can actually pull off. We also dig into buckthorn, the invasive shrub that leafs out early and steals sunlight from spring ephemerals. I talk about what large-scale buckthorn removal looks like in the real world, including the trade-offs and the frustrating “collateral damage” when helpful natives get hit too.

Then we zoom out to the bigger stressors showing up on the trail, especially declining burr oaks and how hotter, wetter nights can accelerate fungi and disease. That leads to a key takeaway for climate-resilient yards: genetic diversity matters. If we fill our landscapes with cloned, named varieties, we limit adaptation right when conditions are changing fast. Choosing seed-grown native plants and regionally appropriate genetics gives nature more options.

If you like this kind of on-the-ground yard advice, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. What’s the first sign of spring you look for every year?

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Tim Clemens of Ironwood Foraging joins me for this week's episode of Minnesota Gardening Podcast. Tim was awesome to talk with about foraging in an urban setting .

Tim and I talk about the ethics of foraging, what people need to know getting started, and why foraging is a critical part of our culture.

Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Purchase STILL: The Art of Noticing on Bookshop.org

I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this interview. Mary Jo Hoffman started StillBlog.net with a personal project in 2012 to post one photo of nature each day on a white background.

It was met with resounding praise and she is still going. Having been featured on Marth Stewart, Midwest Living, Better Homes & Gardens and many more, Mary Jo is just a treasure.

In this episode of the Minnesota Gardening Podcast, we explore nature, Mary's process, and - my favorite part - the six seasons.

Enjoy!

Brad

PS: Please subscribe and give us a glowing review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

You spend hours on your lawn killing weeds, fertilizing, and spending tons of cash. Do you want an easier way that is safe for your kids, saves you money, AND helps the environment?

Embrace MinnesotaGardening.com's Lazy Lawn Care system to use less chemicals, water, and save you time.

Download the free Lazy Lawn Care Guide here -> MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Winter is an unfortunately forgotten season in our cold-climate landscapes. Today, Cathy Rees is guiding us on how to best take advantage of winter in our newest episode of Minnesota Gardening Podcast.

Cathy takes us on a deep dive through her new book Winterland and how we can best utilize this wonderful and beautiful season.

Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

We have had an incredibly unseasonable December with temps many degrees above normal across the state.

In some places, this has caused plants to break dormancy and start growing. In this episode I teach all about how plants enter and exit dormancy and what consequences we may face for the plants breaking dormancy early this winter.

Learn more.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Our family has a tradition of winter sowing every year between Christmas and New Years. It is a wonderful - CHEAP - way to grow native perennials that are ready to plant in early summer.

Michelle Mero Riedel, a master gardener and teach on Winter Sowing - joins me today to share all about winter sowing and how you can find success for your landscape.

Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

50 degrees on Christmas Eve?! This December 2023 has been more than twelve degrees above normal in parts of Minnesota with more heat to come. I am BEYOND honored to have Climatologist Dr. Mark Seeley join us for today's episode discussing this winter's weather expectations, climate change, and what it means for the future of our Minnesota landscape.

Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Earlier this month, the USDA released new hardiness maps that made many changes in Minnesota. Author and podcaster Mary Schier shares what we need to know about those changes and how to deal with them.

Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Apply this weekend to Minnesota's Lawns to Legumes program and get up to $400 in reimbursable grants to plant Native Plants at your home and community.

Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com!

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

The leaves don’t wait for frost—they’re already counting the night. We dive into the quiet timing system inside trees that decides when the colors ignite, why some years burst into crimson while others fizzle to brown, and how weather and latitude shape the show right above our heads. It’s a guided tour of photoperiodism, phytochromes, and the pigments that paint fall—carotenoids hiding under summer’s green and anthocyanins that arrive late to set maples and oaks on fire.

We break down how plants measure darkness rather than just daylight, why the red vs. far‑red balance matters, and what “cool nights, sunny days” really does to sugars in leaves. Then we follow the story to its elegant conclusion: the abscission zone, a microscopic tear line that lets a tree reclaim nutrients and drop each leaf cleanly. Along the way, we connect the science to practical gardening—how healthy soil, reduced chemical use, and smart fall cleanup can protect pollinators, save water, and set up stronger color displays next year.

This is a nerdy, satisfying look at the biology behind peak color season, told through the lens of our Minnesota landscapes and the broader mission to build resilient, pesticide-free yards. If you’ve ever wondered how trees “know” when to turn, or why reds pop only in certain years, you’ll come away with answers and a toolkit of simple, high-impact steps you can put to work at home. Subscribe, share with a friend who chases leaf-peeping weekends, and leave a review to help more neighbors find the show—and consider joining our community to grow healthier landscapes together.

Join Minnesota Gardening as a member today for just $77 a season (this promotion ends today!)

--> Click here to join for $77 a season.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Professor Tallamy was extremely generous with his time. In Part Two (recently re-discovered after I thought I'd lost the recording), Doug Tallamy discusses his new book, Nature of Oaks, and takes us through a year in one of Mother Nature's most critical trees.

Professor Tallamy's Books

• Nature's Best Hope
• Bringing Nature Home
• Nature of Oaks

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

This is a great weekend to get your tree wrap on fruit trees, ornamental trees, and young shade trees. This protects trees from bunnies and sun scald.

Minnesota Gardening Club members can watch the new how-to video for everything tree wrap at MinnesotaGardeningClub.com.

Have a great weekend!!

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

I am beyond honored to re-air this episode with Doug Tallamy as a guest this week on the Minnesota Gardening Podcast. He is a world-renowned entomologist teaching how we can save nature. This episode is full of action items and steps people can take to make the world a better place for birds, insects, and our entire ecosystem.

Show Notes

Professor Tallamy's Books

• Nature's Best Hope
• Bringing Nature Home
• Nature of Oaks

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

This is a continuation of my rant (?) episode on Tuesday about invasive plants. Minnesota Gardening Club members should work to remove invasive plants in their landscape this weekend. Even if you love them.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Is this a sorry, not sorry moment? I think it is.

It really does suck though. Many plants that we have long known as great landscape plants are becoming invasive due to climate change and other factors. We must remove them from our home landscape. Again...sorry.

In this episode, we discuss what plants you need to remove and why.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

November is notorious for temps going up and down and teasing us with the final throes of Fall versus the full on winter months.

There are two things you should do this weekend if you haven't yet:

Plant Garlic

If you haven't planted any garlic yet, I suggest giving it a try. It is definitely one of the easier food garden plants to grow.

How to grow garlic

It is really pretty easy and we have a great podcast episode you can listen to --> Grow Garlic.

Here are the basics:

1. Head to one of the final Farmers Markets in your community of the year and grab some hardneck garlic.
2. Split the head up into cloves.
3. Toss the clove in the ground about 6" apart and ½" deep.

COOOLD

Garlic needs a winter cold period to create a head of garlic for next year. If it doesn't get a cold period, it will just grow as one weird giant clove. The cold gets it to grow in multiple cloves.

However, garlic does not need a cold period to sprout and will toss a new shoot up in the fall if you plant it too early and we have warm weather. So wait until your fingers will be frozen while planting. That is the time.

Hardneck

There are two types of garlic: hardback and softneck. Sometimes - been there / done that - garden stores will try and sneak soft neck garlic on the shelves. It doesn't work great here but some folks have had success. I haven't.

You'll know it is hardback garlic if the head of garlic has a stem sticking up from the center that is hard. Pretty sweet.

Bulbs

Bulbs are awesome. Many folks wig out this time of year because they bought bulbs and forget them on the garage shelf. Go ahead and plant them. They'll be good.

Here's a long post all about spring-flowering bulbs - Bulbs.

Have a great weekend!!!

Brad

PS: Make sure to check out the new Seasons Calendar I released this week. Would love to get your feedback on it.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

So excited to have Stephanie Thurow and Michele Bruhn on the Minnesota Gardening Podcast today!

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Help your native insect, pollinator, bee, and caterpillar friends survive the winter; don't remove  the leaves and stems that grew on your property this year.

This is going to save you a ton of time!

We have been learning more and more about the importance of emulating our natural forests and prairies to protect overwintering insects.

Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

This weekend is a great weekend to make sure your tomatoes have the support they need and aren't growing too many side shoots that reduce production.

Minnesota Gardening Club members watch the video here --> This Weekend: Prune and Support Your Tomatoes 

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Thank you so much to Emma Schultz from the Minnesota DNR for being our guest this week discussing Emerald Ash Borer. I have seen so much damage this year across the metro and state.

What are you seeing in your area?

Check out photos of EAB and learn more at --> MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

This episode is the audio from our October Masterclass: Key to Healthy, Living Soil and focuses on the importance of soil health in gardening, emphasizing the role of organic material, soil organisms, and sustainable practices. Our community discusses the EFS framework for maintaining healthy soil, the significance of understanding soil structure, and the impact of community engagement in gardening efforts. The session also highlights the need for eliminating chemicals and fostering a supportive gardening community.

October MG Membership Drive

We are holding member drive through the month of October with the goal of reaching 100 Minnesota Gardening Members. 🎉🥳🍾

With just 100 Minnesota Gardening Members moving from standard landscape practices to a healthy, thriving landscape, together in ten years we could:

• Eliminate 7,500 gallons of herbicide used (!)
• Support 90,000 birds (!!)
• Provide habitat for over a million pollinators (!!!)

Together, our Minnesota Gardening Members make a HUGE difference!!!!

If you are listening when this goes live, you can join Minnesota Gardening with an annual membership for only $197. This is the best price we will ever have and is available today only.

Save 56% off the normal monthly price!!

Your price will never go up, never change. It is yours forever if you act now.

Please join our community on our journey switching to healthy landscapes from our feral era. Together, we are making the world a better place through all the chaos.

--> Click here to become a Minnesota Gardening Member and save 56%.

Brad

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Yesterday, the Twin Cities National Weather Service tweeted a crazy statistic about how dry we have been the last 31 days. So dry that is the is driest May 15 to June 15 that we have had (at the MSP Airport) since 1871!!!

Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com!

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Caterpillars are an important part of the ecosystem and most often aren't doing any harm to your landscape.

Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

We prune lilacs after they are done blooming and then don't touch them again the rest of the year. They bloom on the previous year's growth so any time you touch them, you're cutting off blooms.

Learn more as a member of the Minnesota Gardening Club at --> https://minnesotagardening.com/posts/pruning-lilacs.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Reposted: In this mini-episode, Brad discusses how to handle deciduous shrubs that are looking pretty dead. Do you cut them back? Pull them out?

Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Elizabeth from our Minnesota Gardening Club had a great question asking what to with spring-flowering bulbs after they are done flowering.

Most bulbs that you plant in the fall are hardy in cold climates and will come back year after year if cared for properly.

After your tulips, daffodils, and any spring-flowering bulb is done blooming, you need to leave the leaves on the plant until they start to turn yellow if you want them to come back the next year.

Do not braid them or tie them back, just let them grow. I like to put bulbs in with perennial and ornamental grass beds so they can be on full display when they are blooming and then hidden by the growing plants as they die back. 

When they start to turn yellow, they are done with that season of growth and you can cut off those leaves at soil level. It is also a good time to dig some up and transplant them if you'd like. Store them in a cool, dark place until fall when you plant them in their new home.

Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Honored to have Kevin Espiritu of Epic Gardening on for this final episode of the Spring 2022 Season of the Minnesota Gardening Podcast teaching all about Grow Bag Gardening.

Check out his book Grow Bag Gardening: The Revolutionary Way to Grow Bountiful Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Flowers in Lightweight, Eco-Friendly Fabric Pots.

This is a bonus episode for the Spring 2022 Season of the Minnesota Gardening Podcast all about starting seeds and food gardening at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Meg Cowden just released her first book, Plant Grow Harvest Repeat: Grow a Bounty of Vegetables, Fruits, and Flowers by Mastering the Art of Succession Planting, and it is incredible. I highly recommend it for gardeners at any level.

In today's episode, Meg teaches us about succession planting and how to think about your garden and it's food production for an entire season.

Enjoy

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Now is the time to get gardening and I'm so excited to hear how you're doing. Join us at MinnesotaGardening.com to share photos, ask questions, and grow together.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Michelle Bruhn is a wizard at finding ways to extend the seasons and get a longer growing season in the Upper Midwest.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

In this episode of the Minnesota Gardening Podcast, host Brad Tabke reflects on personal challenges and the importance of community in gardening. He introduces the Minnesota Gardening EFSS's Framework, which focuses on eliminating chemicals, feeding pollinators, saving water, and storing carbon. Brad discusses the Landscape Wellness Stages, guiding listeners from standard maintenance to thriving landscapes. He emphasizes the significance of community involvement and announces a membership drive aimed at fostering healthy landscapes and environmental stewardship.

Minnesota Gardening is holding a membership drive in the month of October to gain 100 new members. This week only - you can join with an annual membership of just $197.

--> Click here to save 56% off our monthly membership at MinnesotaGardening.com.

With just 100 Minnesota Gardening Members moving from standard landscape practices to a healthy, thriving landscape, together in ten years we could:

• Eliminate 7,500 gallons of herbicide used (!)
• Support 90,000 birds (!!)
• Provide habitat for over a million pollinators (!!!)

--> Click here to save 56% off our monthly membership at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

This final seed-starting episode takes you through the final steps in getting your seed babies and toddlers out into the world PLUS a lot of other gardening chat.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

This second of three episodes with Kelsey Love is all about growing your babies including what light you need, heat, watering, and what to watch for.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

Kelsey Love is so much fun to talk with. We recorded three full episodes on seed starting with nearly EVERYTHING you need to know on how to get your babies started. She owns a farm in central Minnesota growing fruits and vegetables on ten acres.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.

The incredible Crystal Schmidt joins us to talk about how we should be planning for preserving our summer and fall harvests. Crystal is a wealth of knowledge on preservation and many other homesteading topics. You can find her at @WholeFedHomestead on instagram.

Learn more about getting your own Rebel Garden at ABetterYard.org.