Yard Coach Matt
207 episodes listed below
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DIY landscape education for homeowners who want professional-level results — without paying contractor prices. Yard Coach delivers real-world landscape planning, drainage strategy, hardscape design, planting guidance, and lawn improvement advice built from decades of hands-on experience. No hype. No guesswork. No “pretty pictures” that fail in the rain. Learn how to design, build, and maintain a landscape that increases curb appeal, protects your foundation, improves property value, and actually works long-term. Stop guessing. Stop wasting money. Start building smarter. 🎥 Watch original video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@yardcoach 🌐 Explore checklists, courses, and consultations: htt…
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Coach Matt makes yard projects more legible by connecting design ambitions to installation details, maintenance demands, and predictable points of failure.
Yard Coach turns common yard-project failures into practical decisions a homeowner can make before reaching for a shovel. Coach Matt speaks in a conversational solo format, drawing on specific scenarios rather than polishing landscaping into a parade of finished-yard…
That sad sprinkler zone has Coach Matt counting heads before you blame the lawn.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
Practical irrigation triage for startup failures and weak coverage.
The episode treats irrigation repair like a plain checklist, and that works. It starts with the failures that show up right away after winterization, or the ones that seem to appear overnight: cracks between the valve and the valve assembly, air still trapped in the system, a…
A practical guide to choosing a landscape theme for a yard.
Coach Matt opens with spring in the deep South and uses that setting to anchor a practical look at landscape themes, especially the blank-page problem many DIY homeowners run into when choosing a direction for a yard.
A plainspoken retaining-wall primer that stays focused on slopes, materials, and drainage.
The piece keeps retaining walls at a practical scale. It starts with the basics of slopes, including upslope and downslope situations, along with the materials involved, then moves to the part that most affects durability: drainage before backfill.
A practical pruning guide for homeowners deciding what to cut, when, and why.
Pruning Basics frames yard work as judgment, timing, and safety, not as a tidy checklist. Matt Coach draws on more than 20 years in the green industry and a five-Ws-and-an-H structure, which gives the piece a firm spine as it moves through dormant pruning, deadheading, shape…
A plainspoken pruning talk that ties timing, safety, and plant energy to usable yard sense.
The episode treats pruning less like a rigid rulebook and more like a set of choices shaped by timing, judgment, and plant energy. It moves from late winter cuts before bud break to in season pruning for perennials, emergency safety work, and the ordinary upkeep that keeps a…
Practical coaching on planning for surprises in a landscape project.
The episode treats landscape planning as a steadying exercise: stay calm when the unexpected turns up, and do not let a surprise decide the project for you.
A grounded look at tight landscape budgets and the practical value of salvaging materials.
This episode keeps its feet on the ground. It makes a plain case for stretching a landscape budget by reusing salvaged rock, site material, and sweat equity, and the strongest stretch is the practical math behind it: hauling rocks, backfilling with drainage tailings, and folding…
Practical landscape advice with clear seasonal and budget takeaways.
The episode reads as a practical Q&A roundup, with Coach handling six common landscape questions and keeping the guidance tied to ordinary homeowner problems.
Dumb arguments, weird facts, full commitment.
Housework advice for real-life overwhelm.
Blunt home advice before the costly mistake.
Chattanooga home talk with practical local footing.
Pretty rooms, practical renovation judgment.
Sharp taste, practical interiors, real design examples.
This episode discusses the versatility, durability, and cost considerations of using stone as a landscape element in residential settings.
This episode discusses the critical importance of proper watering habits for residential and commercial landscapes, highlighting how incorrect watering is a common cause of landscape failure.
This episode explains how homeowners can proactively identify and address potential landscaping issues by regularly conducting property walkabouts.
This episode explains how beginners can create beautiful landscape designs without extensive knowledge, focusing on simple approaches and practical tools.
This episode introduces a series on outdoor living, focusing on optional landscape elements like outdoor kitchens and structures that enhance comfort and enjoyment in residential spaces.
This episode discusses the causes and solutions for flooded landscapes, addressing both the inconvenience and potential threats to homes while offering DIY advice.
This episode introduces a two-part series on a 15-step DIY landscape project checklist, focusing on the first seven steps and emphasizing the importance of knowing your physical and mental limits as a homeowner.
This episode discusses the pros and cons of using sod versus seed for lawn installation, helping homeowners make an informed decision based on their specific needs and experiences.
This episode covers steps eight through 15 of a DIY landscape project checklist, focusing on installing an irrigation system and planning for future water needs.
This episode of Yard Coach focuses on DIY landscaping for large properties, inspired by the host's recent travels and observations of massive lawns.
This episode reviews the Imalaza irrigation sprinkler controller, comparing modern cloud-based wi-fi technology with traditional mechanical timers and discussing its app-based programming.
This episode discusses water, fire, and lighting elements that enhance outdoor living spaces for residential or commercial landscapes.
A retired landscaper explores how AI can and cannot help with landscape drainage issues like preventing basement flooding and yard ponding in 2026.
This episode addresses common landscaping questions from DIY beginners, starting with advice for a first-time homebuyer with no gardening experience on how to renovate a front yard.
In this episode, Coach discusses landscape screening techniques to address common problems like wind, snow, privacy, and sound, drawing from personal experiences during a cross-country trip and emphasizing practical, no-hype advice for DIY homeowners.
Coach discusses how to handle winter constraints on landscaping by sharing his own garage insulation DIY project, detailing costs and results, and previewing spring plans like excavation and drainage work.
This episode discusses the importance of creating safe, durable outdoor surfaces around your home to prevent trip hazards and falls, especially for vulnerable individuals like children and elderly visitors.
This episode discusses how to properly size driveways and walkways for different property types to avoid costly mistakes in home and landscape planning.
This episode explores three approaches to designing and maintaining outdoor landscapes for seniors, focusing on how their needs and capabilities evolve with age.
This episode explores a cost-effective solution for landscaping projects on a very tight budget, potentially saving thousands of dollars.
This episode discusses how weekend gardeners can adopt a more strategic approach to landscaping to achieve better results and avoid common pitfalls like impulse buying at nurseries.
This episode provides practical advice on preparing garden landscapes for winter, focusing on caring for perennials in containers and raised beds to ensure they thrive next year.
A podcast host shares the story of a subscriber in Kansas undertaking a massive DIY irrigation project using spring-fed ponds, similar to golf course irrigation.
A property owner discusses essential fall landscaping tasks at Brooklyn Pond, including forest cleanup with a chainsaw to prepare for winter.
This episode discusses transitioning to lawnless landscapes to reduce weekly maintenance, water costs, and time commitments for busy homeowners.
This episode offers solutions for homeowners struggling with poor soil conditions that prevent successful plant growth in their landscapes.
This episode discusses the pros and cons of completing a landscaping project in phases, offering practical advice for DIYers to achieve their envisioned results.
This episode discusses the optimal fall planting window for landscaping in colder climate zones, emphasizing the importance of timing to help plants establish before harsh winter conditions.
A horticulturist discusses how to manage landscaping challenges during volatile fall weather with extreme temperature swings.
This episode discusses how to properly plant expensive plants to protect your investment, based on the host's recent experience spending hundreds of dollars on plant materials.
This episode discusses DIY landscaping year-end review and winter preparation strategies, including self-grading accomplishments and planning for the upcoming season.
This episode addresses common homeowner questions about landscaping and controlling erosion on hillsides in residential properties.
This episode is part two of a hands-on tutorial where the host demonstrates the installation of a drainage system, highlighting the good, bad, and ugly aspects of the process, including challenges with trenches, pipes, and soil management.
The host discusses the psychological and practical aspects of fall preparation for homeowners and landscapers, emphasizing seasonal yard work and the unique beauty of autumn in the Northeast.
This episode discusses common frustrations in DIY landscape makeovers, focusing on approaches that can help alleviate them.
This episode discusses how homeowners can design and maintain a landscape that aligns with their lifestyle, needs, and maintenance preferences.
The host discusses maintaining momentum in DIY or professional landscaping projects while sharing progress on his French Drain project and finishing work.
This podcast episode introduces a two-part series discussing the top five landscape frustrations homeowners face, offering professional insights and DIY solutions.
This episode continues a three-part series on landscape frustrations for homeowners, focusing on pruning, garden equipment, and winter protection with practical advice.
This episode explores whether tree staking is truly necessary for ornamental trees, questioning conventional practices by examining natural tree growth patterns and the speaker's professional landscaping experience with wind conditions.
A landscaper discusses the challenges of late winter weather and shares tips on planning and starting seeds for homeowners to prepare for spring gardening.
The host shares his personal experience building a creek bridge and a small deck as hardscape projects, focusing on what he did rather than instructional guidance.
This episode explains how a strong supporting cast of elements is essential for creating a successful, vibrant landscape that stands out in your neighborhood, drawing parallels to famous successful figures.
This episode provides guidance on establishing a realistic budget for landscape projects to avoid financial shortfalls and enjoy the process.
This episode discusses the importance of planning the next steps in landscaping and construction projects before completing current ones, using a backyard transformation as an example.
The host discusses missing outdoor landscaping during winter in northern Maine and asks listeners how they cope with the seasonal shutdown.
This episode provides practical landscaping advice for first-time homebuyers, covering what to look for, avoid, and solutions for minor outdoor issues when purchasing a home.
This episode revisits and updates a beginner's guide to DIY landscaping projects, offering practical advice for new homeowners and those looking to expand their skills.
This episode discusses landscaping projects at Brook and Pond during summer, focusing on using leftover boulders to create a retaining wall on a back hillside.
The host shares the top five common irrigation system problems and their solutions based on decades of professional experience.
The episode teaches homeowners how to troubleshoot and fix common landscape lighting problems without professional help.
The host introduces a comprehensive DIY irrigation system guide for homeowners, emphasizing thorough understanding over quick tips.
This episode teaches homeowners how to manage slope and grade in their landscape to prevent water damage to their house.
The host discusses pruning season, explaining what pruning does for trees, shrubs, and perennials, and advises on timing based on USDA zones.
Yard Coach compares poured concrete with paver stones for patios, walkways, driveways, retaining walls, and DIY projects.
Coach uses his age-19 mistake of identifying purslane as an attractive ground cover to frame horticultural learning.
This episode teaches homeowners how to use plantings to stabilize hillsides and prevent erosion as a cost-effective alternative to hardscape features.
Yard Coach presents DIY irrigation and landscape-lighting wiring as mostly 12-volt work, while reserving household electrical changes for a licensed electrician.
Yard Coach discusses landscape themes to help DIY homeowners overcome creative blocks in designing their yards.
This episode teaches DIYers the basics of building retaining walls for slope control and landscape stabilization.
The host reflects on 2022 highlights and lowlights of the podcast and YouTube channel, previewing bigger plans for 2023.
This episode teaches the basics of pruning using the five W's and an H framework.
Coach Matt on Yard Coach says a landscape should have a "purpose" before any design or construction starts.
Matt says Yard Coach is about "climbing the project hill," where budgeting, planning, designing, sourcing, and scheduling come before the sweat.
Fall is the "blue ribbon season for landscaping," because plants can establish roots before spring.
You can't get in trouble while you're still putting it down on paper.
Matt says the 2010-2015 California drought kept him in business through lawnless conversions and drip irrigation.
Matt says a pool install can destroy drainage, irrigation, lighting cable, gas lines, and electrical lines in one dig.
Matt uses Yard Coach's “If It Were Easy, Everyone Would Be Doing It” to connect landscaping work with breakthroughs like electricity, the wheel, and the internet.
Coach Matt frames pruning with the "five w's and an h," using one system for roses, fruit trees, citrus, grasses, and shrubs.
Matt says the biggest landscape-project risk is the unseen, from an 18-by-20-foot rebar slab to old septic and leach-field surprises under older homes.
Matt, speaking as Coach on Yard Coach, centers this episode on DIY landscape safety and liability, with examples from trenching, demolition, and power-tool use.
Coach Matt uses Weed Patch Ranch and a 20-plus-year green-industry background to argue that citrus can be grown well beyond the usual assumptions.
Coach Matt opens Yard Coach with the question of whether a "maintenance free landscape" exists and answers it with a hard no.
Matt says the biggest step is "think before even lifting a finger."
Quality mulch insulates roots, suppresses weeds, and avoids hazards Coach Matt found in recycled material.
Mass planting creates a "wow factor" by using five or more plants in a residential bed.
Yard Coach’s Matt frames ground covers as a tool for hillsides, boulder edges, retaining walls, and flagstone patios, not just low plants that “hug the ground.” He stresses that a 25-degree, south-facing hillside in zone 8 calls for different selections than a small rock garden or paver filler, and he warns that “the right selection for long-term success” matters more than appearance.
Matt's Yard Coach episode connects successful landscapes to a "strong supporting cast" of irrigation, drainage, lighting, tools, fertilizer, and water features.
"90% of them did not" know landscape costs before the estimate hit the kitchen table.
Matt opens Yard Coach by tying self-reliance to the 2021 cold snap, record low temperatures, and water and power outages across the USA.
Yard Coach’s Matt ranks the Kanga G24 mini skid steer and Rain Bird anti-siphon valves as the most dependable landscape purchases from his contractor years.
Matt says four tools do 90% of residential pruning: hand pruners, loppers, hedge shears, and a pole pruner.
Yard Coach frames a 2021 beginner guide around the five W’s and an H, from “who” and “what” to “how” and “why.” Coach Matt says those questions are “50% of the battle” because they force a project plan before any digging, planting, or concrete work.
Coach says drainage belongs in the “top three” landscape tasks because flat yards can send water into foundations, garages, and family rooms.
Matt, the host of Yard Coach, frames landscape ambiance as something beyond patios, lawns, and walkways, using water features and sound as the first examples.
Matt compares hiring a yard service with maintaining a property yourself, using a $25 monthly service and four broken sprinklers as a cautionary example.