Home & Garden Digest – Sentinel of Santa Cruz

SANTA CRUZ

The Center for Agroecology hosts the February courses

Soil Management for Home Gardeners is an online course from 5-6:30 p.m. on February 9. Healthy soil is the foundation of a productive and thriving garden. Darryl Wong, Research Land Manager of the UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology Research, will discuss how to assess and improve soil health in your vegetable beds by explaining recent and relevant scientific findings and how to apply these concepts in practice. It will cover basic soil science concepts, cover crops and why they are important, which ones to use for your particular needs, how to deal with them once they are grown, and the benefits and challenges of zero-sum gardening techniques. ploughing.

Deciduous Fruit Tree Pruning is a virtual screening with live Q&A from 5-7 p.m. February 15. Join Chadwick Garden Manager, Orin Martin, for a viewing and discussion session with live Q&A accompanied by several recorded video segments that demonstrate detailed pruning techniques. This course will cover pome fruits (apples and pears) as well as stone fruits (peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, aprium). To register for these courses, visit agroecology.ucsc.edu

Please note: the seed pruning class scheduled for Sunday has been cancelled.

MONTEREY BAY

The Rose Society organizes a working day in a show garden

The Monterey Bay Rose Society has a public garden at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. They meet monthly on the second Saturday to top, weed and care for over 130 roses. This month’s working day from 9:00 a.m. at noon on February 12. The public is invited to participate; bring gloves and secateurs. Rose experts will be there to answer questions. The rose garden is located near the equestrian arena. Enter through the cattle gate and head to the rose garden. The rain cancels. For more information, visit montereybayrosesociety.org or call 831-345-2678.

SCOTTS VALLEY

Love Apple Farms Announces Plant Sale and Classes

Love Apple Farms’ annual spring plant and gardening supplies presale is now live at growbetterveggies.com. Pre-sale orders reserve your purchase for pickup the week of March 19-25. On March 26, the nursery is open to the public. Love Apple Farms offers a wide variety of courses including Tomato Masters, Designing the Perfect Vegetable Garden, Backyard Beekeeping, Early Spring Vegetable Gardening and more. See website for Spring 2022 dates.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Master Gardeners offers a fruit tree pruning course

Winter is the best time to prune most fruit trees, when they are dormant and their structure is easily visible. Winter pruning invigorates fruit trees to produce and sustain heavy fruit production. This two-part course is taught by Diane Mahan, UC Master Gardener and Professional Landscaper. Learn the whys and wherefores of winter pruning old and newly planted fruit trees, 5-6:30 a.m. February 24 on Zoom. Mahan will look after when summer pruning is recommended. The first class will be presented virtually and a second class will offer a demonstration of pruning techniques at San Juan Bautista State Park Orchard on March 12, look for separate registration. Classes are free for all with the option to provide a suggested donation of $5 or more to support the all-volunteer Master Gardener program. To register, visit mbmg.ucanr.edu.

LIVE OAK

Santa Cruz Garden Exchange holds a meeting

Join the Santa Cruz Garden Exchange from 3-4 p.m. Feb. 19 in the Live Oak Grange parking lot. Bring seeds, volunteers, cuttings, bulbs, plant specimens or anything garden related to donate. It is not necessary to bring anything to receive. Current Santa Cruz County COVID-19 protocols will be followed.

The Garden Exchange was inaugurated in 2011 as a means of exchanging additional plants from local gardens and has grown into a monthly community event with advice, friendship and relationships established each month. For more information, email [email protected]. For private exchanges, join the Santa Cruz Garden Exchange Facebook group.

The Garden Digest is compiled by Susan Salinger. To submit items for the calendar, including events, meetings, resources or anything garden related, email [email protected].

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