Minnesota Gardening Podcast

Winter interest in our landscapes

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.

Dormancy Distress: Warm weather causes plants to grow out of season

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.

Grow native perennials with Winter Sowing

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.

Minnesota's Wacky Weather with Climatologist Dr. Mark Seeley

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.

The Art of Seed Saving with Como Community Seed Library

New Hardiness Zones with Mary Schier

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.

#ThisWeekend: Apply for Lawns to Legumes Funding

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!

Keystone Plants with Professor Doug Tallamy

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

#ThisWeekend: Tree Wrap

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!!

Second Nature with Professor Doug Tallamy

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

#ThisWeekend: Remove your invasive plants

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.

You Probably Have Invasive Plants

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.

#ThisWeekend: Plant Bulbs and Garlic

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: Head to one of...

Small-Scale Homesteading

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

Leave Your Leaves & Leave Your Stems

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: Prune & Support Your Tomatoes

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 

The Devastating Effects of Emerald Ash Borer in the Upper Midwest

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.

This Weekend: Water Your Trees!

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!

This Weekend: Leave the Caterpillars

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

June 7, 2023 Live Q&A

This Weekend: Now is the time to prune lilacs

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.

[MINI EPISODE] What about dead shrubs?

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.

What do I do with bulbs after they are done flowering?

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...

Grow Bags with Kevin Espiritu of Epic Gardening

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.

The Beauty of Succession Planting with Meg Cowden

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

So excited to hear how you're doing!!

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.

Extending the Growing Season in the Upper Midwest

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

Hardening Off, Transplanting, and Growing

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.

Growing Our Seed Babies

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.

Getting Your Seed Babies Started

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.

Planning for Preserving Your Harvest

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.

Planning Your Seed Starting

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

Trends in seed starting...and saving

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.

Indigenous Seeds with Dream of Wild Health

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.

Of Ecology and Minnesota Gardening

Identifying the connections between our landscape and the future of Minnesota Gardening. Excited for you to join the ride!

2022 Trends in Gardening

The face of gardening is changing. Consumers are expecting more focus on whole gardening, more native plants, and building community. Heidi Highland of Heidi's Growhaus joins me today to discuss consumer trends in gardening.

Battling Oak Wilt

Oak Wilt is a fungus killing oak trees - particularly Red Oaks - in Minnesota. Fortunately, it hasn't spread through the entire state. Brian Schwingle from the Minnesota DNR joins me to talk all about oak wilt, how to prevent it, and what's happening next.

Taking action for nature with Doug Tallamy

I am beyond honored to have 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.

Growing Mushrooms at Home

I recently finished an amazing book all about mushrooms and other fungi called Entangled Life (affiliate link supporting local bookstores). It was incredible and opened my eyes to the wonders of mushrooms. Today, Lance Ramm of R&R Cultivation joins me to talk about growing mushrooms at your home. Lance does an awesome job of explaining how they grow mushrooms at R&R and how you can do it at home with one of their grow kits.

Creating diversity in our landscapes.

Angela Grill, a wildlife biologist from Three Rivers Park District, joins me to talk about the importance of diversity in our landscapes.

How to Grow Microgreens

Are you looking for something healthy to grow indoors during our Minnesota winters? Matt Arends of Spring Lake Farms joins me today to teach you how to grow microgreens.

Minnesota Winter Forecast with Sven Sundgaard

Every gardener wants to know our Minnesota winter forecast. Our plants depend on a deep layer of snow to make it through our cold temperatures. Sven Sundgaard details what we can expect this winter for snow and temperatures here in Minnesota.

Protecting Overwintering Insects

Thea Evans from the University of Minnesota Bee Lab joins me this week to talk about overwintering insects in our landscape. We discuss why they are important to protect, how they benefit our ecosystem, and what we can do to support them.

Thankfulness with Megan Gilger from Fresh Exchange

Megan Gilger is the founder of Fresh Exchange and joins us today discussing thankfulness and reflection in our gardening.

Dormant Seeding

Learn how to seed prairie seed, bee lawns, and turf with James Wolfin from Metro Blooms.

Bird feeding in our Minnesota back yards

Bird feeding is a wonderful Minnesota pastime - especially through COVID. The incomparable Laura Erickson teaches us how to best attract birds, what to feed, and how to feed our back yard birds.

Burr Oak Blight Killing Minnesota Trees

Burr Oak Blight is a fungus affecting burr oaks throughout Minnesota. In this episode, you'll learn what you can do about Burr Oak Blight (BOB). 

Grow Garlic in Minnesota

John Larson grows garlic at Linden Lars Farms in Miron, Minnesota. He joins us today to talk everything from purchasing garlic to plant, plant, harvesting, and storing. A great episode with a lot of Minnesota-specific info for you.

The Ethics of Fall Gardening Tasks

I decided to switch the garlic episode to next week and this week we are focusing on fall cleanups - and the ethics of what we do in our gardens and home landscape this time of year.

A new gardener's journey

Today we talk with Jenn Hall. She is in her third year of gardening and shares her journey from knowing nothing about gardening to having awesome visions for her future gardens.