Weekend gardening events in Sonoma County

Santa Rosa

Willowside nursery opens

Willowside School re-opens its nursery for the spring season today.

The Middle School nursery is a working nursery with student involvement and sustains itself through plant sales. Gardeners can pick up bargain plants and trees at $4 per gallon container. Look for low-water and drought-tolerant perennials, California natives, a multitude of succulents, grasses, salvias and plants beneficial to insects, butterflies and hummingbirds, as well as more than 15 varieties of Japanese maples. at $25 to $45 per tree. 5299 Hall Road, Santa Rosa. The entrance is on Willowside Road. Information: 707-569-4724l

Cloverdale

Native plant ?workshop

What are the best California native plants for Sonoma County gardens?

Master Gardeners Susan Foley and Mimi Enright will talk about the best natives for this North Bay climate during a free workshop today. They will also discuss how to site them in your garden for maximum success. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 401 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. sonomamastergardeners.org.

SANTA ROSA

Spring garden ?workshop

Food-growing specialists from the Sonoma County Master Gardener Program will be on hand at the Harvest for the Hungry Garden in Santa Rosa March 11 to lead a free, hands-on workshop on “Soils, Seeds and Sprouts.”

The class will offer important information to help you get ready for your spring garden.

It will cover how to provide a sustainable environment for your crops, as well as hands-on activities such as the making of seed tapes and up-potting plant starts. Bring a gardening hat and gloves. Rain or shine. 1717 Yulupa Ave. sonomamastergardeners.org.

HEALDSBURG

Bee colony tour

Master Gardener Denny Pedersen will lead a virtual tour of a bee colony during a free workshop today at the Healdsburg Library. Pedersen will discuss what it is like to be a beekeeper and what you can do to help these fragile pollinators, such as growing plants attractive to honey bees. 139 Piper St.For more information, visit sonomamastergardeners.org.

Guerneville

Dahlia workshop

Learn how to grow great dahlias for beds, borders and cutting gardens from expert Jim Lang, a master gardener who has grown several thousand dahlias over the past 30 years.

Lang, who has exhibited and judged these exuberant blooms for the past 10 years, will lead a free workshop March 11 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Guerneville library, 14107 Armstrong Woods Road. Sonomamastergardeners.Org.

KENWOOD

Wildwood ?launches series

Wildwood Nursery in Kenwood is launching a “Second Saturday” series from spring through fall.

The kick-off March 11 will be a Japanese maple pruning demonstration by Joseph Monte, who has 15 years experience growing maples at the nursery and working as a professional tree-shaper throughout the Bay Area. The class will cover the basics as well as insider tips.

There will also be special spring prices on some plants and raffle prizes.

Admission is free. 1-4 p.m. 10300 Sonoma Highway 12., Kenwood. For information email events@wildwoodmaples.com or call 707-833-1161.

SONOMA

Worm compost?workshop

Do you want to compost but don’t have the space for an outdoors pile? Let worms do the work for you.

Master Gardener Jennifer Roberts will lead a workshop March 18 at the Sonoma Valley Library on how to set up a composting worm bin to generate great organic soil broken down by worms. Roberts will cover the basics of setting up a worm box, as well as what to feed the worms and how to care for them. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 755 W. Napa St., Sonoma. Sonomamastergardeners.org.

UKIAH

New soil amendment

Mendocino Forest Products is introducing a new soil amendment, “Emerald Peat,” made from finely ground redwood bark.

The Ukiah-based company believes the product is a good alternative to imported Sphagnum Peat Moss and Coconut Coir products.

Emerald Peat is made from California-grown redwood, certified as sustainably grown and harvested by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Mendocino Products maintains that fine-ground, FSC certified redwood bark helps conserve moisture through “weed control, temperature stabilization and reduced evaporation, while minimizing topsoil erosion and benefiting soil microflora.”

For more information about the new North Coast-produced amendment visit mfp.com/emerald-peat.

SEBASTOPOL

Rainwater seminar

If you’re interested in capturing rainwater for re-use in your landscape. now is the time to set up a system before the rains dry up for the winter.

Harmony Farm Supply & Nursery will help you get ready with a rainwater harvesting seminar on March 11. Harmony’s own Chad Griffith will lead the short class, covering typical methods for harvesting rainwater, as well as design, typical water tanks and auxiliary plumbing.

The course will be followed by a question and answer session. 10 a.m. to noon. 3244 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol. 707-823-9125 or harmonyfarm.com.

SANTA ROSA

SRJC plant sale

Santa Rosa Junior College’s horticulture department holds another plant sale on Tuesday, in time for spring planting.

The sale, run by students and volunteers, is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Lake Hall Greenhouse, next to the planetarium. Parking is available for a small fee in the Beck Parking lot off Elliott Avenue. Free parking is allowed for up to one hour in the surrounding neighborhood.

Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted. For more information email alisonelizabethhp@gmail.com.

SEBASTOPOL

Soil health workshop

Soil health starts with developing an active biological eco-system for delivering nutrients to roots. A free workshop March 18 at Harmony Farm Supply & Nursery in Healdsburg will deal with “Soil Health, Amendment, Nutrients and Irrigation,” Harmony’s Rick Williams will talk about appropriate nutrient levels and responsible irrigation practices. 10 a.m. to noon. 3244 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol. 707-823-9125 or harmonyfarm.com.

SANTA ROSA

Orchid society ?slide show

Ron Parsons will lead a slide show tour highlighting the orchids of Medillin, Columbia, during the Tuesday meeting of the Sonoma County Orchid Society. Parsons, a grower for more than 40 years and photographer whose images have been published in books, magazines and journals, traveled to Colombia in 2014 to attend a major orchid show. He also visited the famed orchid nursery, Colomborquideas, run by the Posada family.

SendHome and Garden news to meg.mcconahey@pressdemocrat.com or call 707-521-5204. Please submit items at least three weeks in advance of an event.