Tricks for growing orchids outdoors, and more home and garden events this week in Sonoma County

SANTA ROSA

Growing orchids in the great outdoors

The Sonoma County Orchid Society on Jan. 8, will help you make your orchids weatherproof –– able to thrive outside the comfort of your home. Orchid specialist Mary Gerritsen will talk about creating suitable growing areas, micro-climates and how to cope with heat and cold. She will also delve into a survey of popular orchids that are grown outside year-round in different parts of the Bay Area. There will be orchids for viewing and purchasing.

Gerritsen has been a fan of orchids since her post doctoral days in the late 1970s in San Diego. She is an independent biotechnology consultant and in her spare time she travels as much as she can to see orchids in their native habitat. In the past 12 years, Gerritsen has traveled to more than 15 countries to track and/or photograph orchids. She has also written articles for orchid magazines, including Orchids, Orchid Digest and the Orchid Review. 6:30 p.m., Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building, 1351 Maple Ave., Santa Rosa. sonomaorchids.com.

SEBASTOPOL

Learn to prune with precision

Most fruit trees and other garden plants require pruning to encourage healthy growth and productivity. A free workshop Jan. 12 at Harmony Farm Supply will cover the variety of techniques, with a special emphasis on the simple, high-yielding “central leader” style of pruning. If weather permits, workshop-goers will get a hands-on experience outside, so dress warmly and bring your own hand or lopping shears. 10 a.m. to noon. 3244 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol. 707-823-9125 or harmonyfarm.com.

SANTA ROSA

Rose pruning demonstration

The Redwood Empire Rose Society holds its annual winter pruning demonstration on Jan. 12. The workshop is free and open to the general public. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the rose garden of the Luther Burbank Art & Garden Center, 2050 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa. Redwoodempirerosesociety.com.

You can send Home and Garden news to Staff Writer Peg Melnik at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com. Send items at least three weeks in advance of your event.