Learn to prune with purpose this weekend

The City of Roseville has scheduled a full program of garden-related workshops this spring, all free. They fill up quickly, but here's one that is coming up soon and is still available: "Pruning With Purpose." There were 10 spots remaining on the registration site today.

The class runs from 10 a.m. to noon this Saturday, Feb. 15, in Mahany Park at the Martha Riley Community Library, 1501 Pleasant Grove Blvd., Roseville.

"Local arborist Lani Houck from Roseville Urban Forest Foundation (RUFF) will walk you through the purpose and techniques of pruning," the Roseville website notes. "In this hands-on workshop, we will explore how to make proper pruning cuts, when to prune, how to prune different forms of trees and shrubs, and what tools to use. These principles will help you gain confidence to prune all types of trees and plants."

Since we invest so much time and money in our trees and other landscape plants, this is an invaluable course for gardeners. Ever seen a badly pruned tree trying to correct itself? A sad sight, indeed.

For questions about the workshop, call the Roseville Utility Exploration Center front desk at (916) 746-1550.

Take note of some other season-appropriate garden education events soon, all free:

-- A hands-on rose pruning workshop will also be this Saturday, outdoors at the El Dorado master gardeners' Sherwood Demonstration Garden in Placerville. (Rain date is Feb. 22.) Runs 9 a.m. to noon. Registration is requested but not required. Register here.

-- Then on Feb. 22 the  El Dorado master gardeners will present "Spring and Summer Vegetable Gardening," 9 a.m. to noon at the Cameron Park Community Center, 2502 Country Club Drive, Cameron Park. Register here.

-- "Right Tree, Right Place" is offered Saturday, Feb. 22, by the Yolo County master gardeners. Runs 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the classroom of the Arboretum Teaching Nursery on the UC Davis campus. Registration required; space is limited. Information and sign-up link here.

-- Roseville in March is offering two workshops: "DIY Drip Irrigation" on March 8 and "Choosing the Right Tree" on March 15. Space is available in both. The full spring schedule can be found here.