A Better Yard

Latest Episodes:

Spring Yard Reset Apr 13, 2026

Show notes

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.

Spring's First Flowers While Hiking the Louisville Swamp Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

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.

How Trees Know When to Turn: The Science of Fall Color 🍂🍁🍃 Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

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.

The Key to Healthy Soil Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

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.

The EFSS Framework and Minnesota Gardening's Landscape Wellness Stages Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

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.

Plant Helpful Plants: Part III of my 3x3 Course Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

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 practices
Head 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.

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

Environmentally Friendly Landscape: Part II of my 3x3 Course Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

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 landscape
Check out the complete 3x3 program with videos, workbooks and photos at MinnesotaGardening.com while it's still available for free.

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

Sustainable Lawn Care: Part I of my 3x3 Course Aug 20, 2025

Show notes

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.

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

All about jumping worms with Laura Van Riper from Minnesota DNR May 06, 2025

Show notes

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.

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

When can I do Spring Gardening tasks? Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

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.

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