Swap seeds, save your orchids: classes to up your gardening game

Sonoma

Don’t throw your orchids away

If you avoid buying orchids or compost orchids after they’ve bloomed, Tom Pickens has some tips for you.

The orchid expert will give a talk Thursday, Feb. 2, before the Valley of the Moon Garden Club on how to keep orchids alive and coax them to rebloom.

Pickens started growing orchids 12 years ago when he inherited 12 plants from a dear friend who died. His collection has grown to 1,000 plants. He is active in several orchid societies and is an accredited judge in the American Orchid Society.

Orchids are the second-most populous and one of the most highly evolved plant families in the world, with over 35,000 known individual species and more than 350,000 hybrids.

The meeting is at 7 p.m. at Burlingame Hall in the First Congregational Church, 252 W. Spain St., Sonoma. There is a meet and greet at 6:30 p.m. Non-members are welcome to attend for $5. A plant raffle and refreshments follow the meeting. Chairs are spaced, and masks are by choice. Go to vom-garden-club.org for more information.

Petaluma

Healthy fruit trees need the right care

If you want healthy fruit trees that produce delicious fruit, there are certain things you need to know. Daily Acts of Petaluma will hold a free workshop Feb. 4 in its Food Forest Garden that will cover the basics of fruit-tree care and maintenance. Attendees will learn how pruning affects the way trees grow, the effects of pruning in different seasons and proper tools and tool care.

Attendees will be able to practice techniques in this hands-on class. Proper pruning allows trees to produce more and better fruit for more people. The techniques taught can be applied to home gardens and landscapes.

The garden, at the Cavanagh Center, is a public space, so people are free to share in its harvest. 426 Eighth St., Petaluma. Register at dailyacts.org/events-cal/pruningworkshop.

Sebastopol

Take a virtual tour among native oaks

Master Gardener April Lynch will lead a slideshow “walk” among California’s native oak trees during a free presentation Feb. 4 at the Sebastopol Regional Library.

Through photos, Lynch will share information about California’s majestic native oaks and shrubs. She will show microscopic views of oak flowers and focus on the many varieties of acorns and leaves. Lynch took her collection of high-definition photographs over an 11-year period. The talk is from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Sebastopol Regional Library, 7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. The presentation is free but registration is required at bit.ly/3J2QBET or sonomamg.ucanr.edu.

Petaluma

Swap seeds with your neighbors

Petaluma Bounty Farm is hosting a community seed exchange and giveaway Saturday to help people jump start their spring gardens.

People are encouraged to come by the community farm with seeds to swap with each other. Petaluma Bounty also will give away seeds donated by Harmony Farm Supply and Nursery that have passed their expiration dates but still may be viable. The list of free seeds is extensive, from artichokes to zinnias.

Community groups such as schools, churches and nonprofits are welcome between 9 and 11 a.m. The exchange will be open to the full community from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Petaluma Bounty Farm is at 55 Shasta Ave., Petaluma. petalumabounty.org

Send Sonoma Home news to meg.mcconahey@pressdemocrat.com. Submit at least three weeks in advance of an event.