Minnesota Gardening Podcast

We continue our 3x3 series with the final installment focusing on planting helpful plants to feed pollinators, save water, eliminate chemicals, and store carbon. This free course from Minnesota Gardening provides nine keystone actions for creating a healthier lawn and landscape.• Introducing the concept of "helpful plants" as an inclusive alternative to the native/non-native divide• Explanation of keystone plants that provide the most ecosystem services for local wildlife• The importance of reducing lawn areas by converting 20-30 square feet annually to helpful plant spaces• Why starting with smaller plants is more cost-effective and often produces better long-term results• Bonus action about reducing salt use to protect waterways (one tablespoon permanently impairs five gallons of water)• Tour of the Minnesota Gardening platform and membership benefits• Community support for transitioning to environmentally responsible landscaping practicesHead over to MinnesotaGardening.com and click on 3x3 to download the workbook, see photos, and access the complete course materials. This course is free for now but won't be forever, so check it out today.Want to switch to more environmentally-responsible landscape and lawn care practices but don't know where to start?Join our movement bringing together Midwest homeowners so that we can to make the world a better place for our kids and grandkids by building up strong local ecosystems for songbirds, pollinators, and our families to thrive. Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Fall is the perfect time to implement environmentally friendly practices in your landscape that support local ecosystems while reducing your workload. We explore part two of our 3x3 program on environmentally responsible landscaping, focusing on practical steps that make your yard more sustainable.• Leave fallen leaves in place to provide essential overwintering habitat for pollinators and return nutrients to the soil• Keep hollow plant stems standing through winter as they house native bee eggs and larvae• Use the PlantNet app to identify what's growing in your yard and remove invasive species• Pull weeds properly by removing the entire root system using tools like a weeding fork• Recognize when selective use of chemicals might be necessary for persistent problems like thistles• Join our free masterclass on Tuesday, September 9th at 8pm to learn three things to stop doing this fall in your landscapeCheck out the complete 3x3 program with videos, workbooks and photos at MinnesotaGardening.com while it's still available for free.Want to switch to more environmentally-responsible landscape and lawn care practices but don't know where to start?Join our movement bringing together Midwest homeowners so that we can to make the world a better place for our kids and grandkids by building up strong local ecosystems for songbirds, pollinators, and our families to thrive. Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Today is a wonderful day! Releasing our free course called 3x3: Nine keystone actions you can take today for a healthier lawn and landscape.Here is the audio of the first lesson for you. The workbook, videos, and graphics are all available for free at MinnesotaGardening.com.Want to switch to more environmentally-responsible landscape and lawn care practices but don't know where to start?Join our movement bringing together Midwest homeowners so that we can to make the world a better place for our kids and grandkids by building up strong local ecosystems for songbirds, pollinators, and our families to thrive. Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Spring plant sales and swaps are a great time for jumping worms to spread in our landscapes.Laura Van Riper, the Terrestrial Invasive Species Coordinator at the Minnesota DNR joins me for this replay episode of Minnesota Gardening Podcast. We discuss all aspect of Jumping Worms from where they're currently invading, what to do if you find them, how to locate them, and lots lots more.Check out current maps and learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.Want to switch to more environmentally-responsible landscape and lawn care practices but don't know where to start?Join our movement bringing together Midwest homeowners so that we can to make the world a better place for our kids and grandkids by building up strong local ecosystems for songbirds, pollinators, and our families to thrive. Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

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!!Want to switch to more environmentally-responsible landscape and lawn care practices but don't know where to start?Join our movement bringing together Midwest homeowners so that we can to make the world a better place for our kids and grandkids by building up strong local ecosystems for songbirds, pollinators, and our families to thrive. Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

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.Want to switch to more environmentally-responsible landscape and lawn care practices but don't know where to start?Join our movement bringing together Midwest homeowners so that we can to make the world a better place for our kids and grandkids by building up strong local ecosystems for songbirds, pollinators, and our families to thrive. Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

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.Want to switch to more environmentally-responsible landscape and lawn care practices but don't know where to start?Join our movement bringing together Midwest homeowners so that we can to make the world a better place for our kids and grandkids by building up strong local ecosystems for songbirds, pollinators, and our families to thrive. Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

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.comWant to switch to more environmentally-responsible landscape and lawn care practices but don't know where to start?Join our movement bringing together Midwest homeowners so that we can to make the world a better place for our kids and grandkids by building up strong local ecosystems for songbirds, pollinators, and our families to thrive. Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

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.Want to switch to more environmentally-responsible landscape and lawn care practices but don't know where to start?Join our movement bringing together Midwest homeowners so that we can to make the world a better place for our kids and grandkids by building up strong local ecosystems for songbirds, pollinators, and our families to thrive. Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

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. Want to switch to more environmentally-responsible landscape and lawn care practices but don't know where to start?Join our movement bringing together Midwest homeowners so that we can to make the world a better place for our kids and grandkids by building up strong local ecosystems for songbirds, pollinators, and our families to thrive. Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

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.Want to switch to more environmentally-responsible landscape and lawn care practices but don't know where to start?Join our movement bringing together Midwest homeowners so that we can to make the world a better place for our kids and grandkids by building up strong local ecosystems for songbirds, pollinators, and our families to thrive. Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.

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.QUICK HUDDLE!!!!Excited to bring you MinnesotaGardening.com's Quick Huddle! Schedule a quick, ten minute FaceTime or Zoom call (a time may even be available right now) with Brad to get your home landscape question answered quick for only $17.Schedule now --> Quick Huddle from MinnesotaGardening.com

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. QUICK HUDDLE!!!!Excited to bring you MinnesotaGardening.com's Quick Huddle! Schedule a quick, ten minute FaceTime or Zoom call (a time may even be available right now) with Brad to get your home landscape question answered quick for only $17.Schedule now --> Quick Huddle from MinnesotaGardening.com

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.QUICK HUDDLE!!!!Excited to bring you MinnesotaGardening.com's Quick Huddle! Schedule a quick, ten minute FaceTime or Zoom call (a time may even be available right now) with Brad to get your home landscape question answered quick for only $17.Schedule now --> Quick Huddle from MinnesotaGardening.com

Purchase STILL: The Art of Noticing on Bookshop.orgI 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!BradPS: Please subscribe and give us a glowing review wherever you listen to podcasts.QUICK HUDDLE!!!!Excited to bring you MinnesotaGardening.com's Quick Huddle! Schedule a quick, ten minute FaceTime or Zoom call (a time may even be available right now) with Brad to get your home landscape question answered quick for only $17.Schedule now --> Quick Huddle from MinnesotaGardening.com

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.Give the Gift of GardeningSave 60% with an annual Minnesota Gardening Club gift membership for only $47!! The price goes back up soon.Purchase today at MinnesotaGardening.shop.Want a membership for yourself? --> MinnesotaGardeningClub.com

Give the Gift of GardeningSave 60% with an annual Minnesota Gardening Club gift membership for only $47!! The price goes back up soon.Purchase today at MinnesotaGardening.shop.Want a membership for yourself? --> MinnesotaGardeningClub.com

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.Give the Gift of GardeningSave 60% with an annual Minnesota Gardening Club gift membership for only $47!! The price goes back up soon.Purchase today at MinnesotaGardening.shop.Want a membership for yourself? --> MinnesotaGardeningClub.com

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!

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 BooksNature's Best HopeBringing Nature HomeNature of Oaks

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!!

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 NotesProfessor Tallamy's BooksNature's Best HopeBringing Nature HomeNature of Oaks

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.

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.

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 GarlicIf 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 garlicIt is really pretty easy and we have a great podcast episode you can listen to --> Grow Garlic.Here are the basics:Head to one of the final Farmers Markets in your community of the year and grab some hardneck garlic.Split the head up into cloves.Toss the clove in the ground about 6" apart and ½" deep.COOOLDGarlic 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.HardneckThere 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.BulbsBulbs 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!!!BradPS: Make sure to check out the new Seasons Calendar I released this week. Would love to get your feedback on it.

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

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.

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 

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.Wednesdays at 10 am in June at MinnesotaGardening.com.

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!Wednesdays at 10 am in June at MinnesotaGardening.com.

Caterpillars are an important part of the ecosystem and most often aren't doing any harm to your landscape.Learn more at MinnesotaGardening.com.Wednesdays at 10 am in June at MinnesotaGardening.com.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Minnesota Gardening Podcast host Brad Tabke talks with you about planning your seed starting and the two types of garden planning people.

John Reynolds of Seed Savers Exchange and I chat about seed starting trends, what has changed in gardening, and what to think about when saving seeds at home.

Dream of Wild Health is doing incredible work. Many native seeds were tragically lost during colonization. I am honored to welcome Dream of Wild Health Community Outreach and Cultural Teacher Hope Flanagan and Farm Director Jessika Greendeer to Minnesota Gardening Podcast discussing native seeds and gardening.