Learn to deal with invasive plants, make a butterfly garden

Where have all the butterflies gone?

Learn what you can do as a home gardener to help the butterfly population by joining a free Zoom workshop Nov.14.

Master Gardener Suzanne Clarke will answer a range of questions. What is a healthy habitat for butterflies? What does it mean to a have a butterfly garden? Is a butterfly garden the same as a caterpillar garden? Why do some butterflies thrive in urban areas and others choose the country? What can home gardeners do to create a suitable habitat for butterflies and caterpillars?

The workshop will be from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Register by Nov. 12 at sonomamg.ucanr.edu to complete your registration.

Problem plants

Invasive plants are a major threat to California’s native plant communities. They compete with and overpower them for resources such as space, light, water and nutrients. They also can degrade rangeland, increase the risk of wildfire and flooding and reduce habitat for wildlife.

Jutta Burger, the science program director for the California Invasive Plant Council, will lead a virtual one-hour event at 10 a.m. Nov. 14 to talk about the impact of invasive plants in Northern California and what you can do to prevent them from spreading.

Burger is an ecologist and a conservational biologist, interested in understanding invasives from a biological, ecological and evolutionary perspective. She promotes preserving native ecosystems by properly prioritizing and implementing invasive control, developing native seed resources and facilitating restoration. She has worked as a research associate with UC Riverside and UC Irvine and is collaborating with the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program. For information call 650-996-8322. Register by Nov. 12 at bit.ly/35RJHNE

What should you be doing now in the garden?

It may be fall, but there are still important chores to do the garden.

The Sonoma County Master Gardeners will hold a virtual panel discussion Nov. 10 on what you should be doing now to ensure your garden is in top shape once spring rolls around. The free event will include a chance to ask questions of food gardening specialists. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Register for the Zoom workshop at sonomamg.ucanr.edu

Last call at Willowside

The Willowside School nursery will hold one more fall plant sale on Nov. 14. The student-supported garden has lots of native, drought-resistant and wildlife habitat plants as well as a good selection of succulents and other finds. Email mfiddler@ogusd.org to make an appointment for a safe, socially distanced appointment. The nursery also is open Tuesdays by appointment.

You can reach Staff Writer Meg McConahey at 707-521-5204 or meg.mcconahey@pressdemocrat.com. OnTwitter @megmcconahey.