Classes perfect for home gardeners in the North Bay

SEBASTOPOL

Holiday arrangements from the garden

Gardens offer a wealth of flora for holiday arrangements, wreaths and garlands. Master Gardener Sue Lovelace will show how to collect and prepare plant material and turn it into festive, natural decorations during a free workshop Dec. 7 at the Sebastopol Regional Library. She will focus on tools and supplies to keep on hand and show slides of some of her many creations. The workshop will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 7140 Bodega Ave. Sonomamg.ucanr.edu

Healdsburg

Learn how to keep rain in the garden

Keeping rain from washing off your property can help restore your ground water and water your plants.

Learn how swales and berms and putting the right plants in the right places can help you use water more wisely during a free workshop Dec. 7 at the Healdsburg Regional Library. Master Gardener Linda King will lead the class. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 139 Pipe St.

PETALUMA

Treating your fruit trees with kindness

Master Gardener Steve Ehrmann will talk about the care and pruning of fruit trees during a free workshop Dec. 7 at the Petaluma Regional Library. Ehrmann, who has years of experience growing and grafting fruit trees and serving with the California Rare Fruit Growers, will talk about rootstock considerations, developing alternate tree shapes and strong structural branching and summer versus winter pruning to contain tree height.

Other topics will range from mulch to drip irrigation. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 100 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma. For more information, visit sonomamg.ucanr.edu

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