Gardening classes in Sonoma County help you polish your green thumb

SONOMA AND SEBASTOPOL

Area nurseries offer fruit tree trimming clinics

Two Sonoma County nurseries are offering free fruit tree pruning classes today to help you sharpen your skills.

Harmony Farm Supply will welcome Fred Frey from Vintage Tree Care to lead a hands-on pruning class from 9-11 a.m. Frey has more than 25 years of experience in arboriculture, with specialized training in fruit tree care and structural pruning. Participants will learn basic tree anatomy and how it relates to proper tree structure, weight management and fruitwood distribution in a given species. Frey also will talk about handling pruning tools and ladders. The class will be repeated at the same time Feb. 1. Harmony is located at 3244 Gravenstein Highway, Sebastopol. For information call 707-823-9125 or visit harmonyfarm.com.

Also on Saturday, Sonoma Mission Gardens will hold a free pruning clinic for home fruit orchards. Lydia Constantini, manager of the nursery, will talk about the best pruning and cultivation techniques for home orchards. The class is limited to 30 people, so reservations are encouraged. Each participant will receive a free gift. To register, call 707-938-5775 or email info@sonomamissiongardens.com. The nursery is at 851 Craig Ave. (at the corner of Arnold Drive) in Sonoma.

SONOMA

Balanced approach to gardening

Learn how to create a healthy balance in your garden without resorting to toxic chemicals during a free workshop Jan. 25 at the Sonoma Valley Regional Library. A team of master gardeners with specialized training in integrated pest management will cover drip irrigation, less toxic pesticides, compost and beneficial insects. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 755 W. Napa Street, Sonoma. Sonomamg.ucanr.edu

HEALDSBURG

Propagate and prune yard

Come by the Russian River Rose Co. Saturday for a day of hands-on instruction in pruning led by Jan “The Rose Lady” Tolmasoff. She will cover everything from sharpening your shears to various techniques for pruning on all types of roses, including climbers, bushes, shrubs and miniatures. There will be time for hands-on practice in the garden. After the class, participants can stay an extra hour from 3-4 p.m. to learn how to propagate. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. $35 for both pruning and propagation sessions; $10 for propagation only. Participants should dress warmly and bring work gloves, pruning shears and a clipboard. The workshop will be repeated Jan. 25. 1685 Magnolia Drive, Healdsburg. To register visit russian-river-rose.com or call 707-433-7455.

SANTA ROSA

Create a garden to capture rain

There are features you can incorporate into your landscape to help keep rainwater on your property, replenish your groundwater and water your plants. Learn how to turn your yard into a “rain garden” during a free workshop Jan. 25. Master gardener Linda King will discuss how berms and swales and putting the right plants in the right place can save water without sacrificing beauty. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 6959 Montecito Blvd. Sonomamg.ucanr.edu

Send home and garden news at least three weeks in advance to meg.mcconahey@pressdemocrat.com.