Whether you're looking for advice on caring for your winter landscape, going on a mushroom hike during the rainy season, or finding resources to improve your home, you'll find plenty of options at January Home. and a calendar of garden events. .
Pruning fruit trees in winter
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 9th | Webinar hosted by Mountain View Library | Free Registration is required
The best time to prune fruit trees is winter because they are dormant and you can see the structure of the tree. In this hour-long online workshop, UC Master Gardener Alan Buczynski teaches participants proper winter pruning schedules and techniques to ensure your trees produce the best fruit. Allen worked to make harvesting ladder-free in the densely populated orchard at Emma Prusch Park Farm, where the trees are close together and low in height.
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Fun with mushrooms
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Saturday, January 13 and 27 (Part I), 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Saturday, January 20, February 3 and 17 (Part II) | Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills |: $30 per class. Sign up for part one here. Register for Part II here.
Learn about major mushroom species, their identification, sporulation, best harvesting practices, safety concerns, and more in this two-part secret villa.
In Part 1, “Fun with Mushrooms – Basics Part 1,” participants view the slides and observe the specimens they collected. In The Field.
In the second part, participants apply the skills learned in the first part and explore the site as a whole class to look for examples of the different species of mushrooms found in the hidden villa during the rainy season.
Slime molds aren't real mushrooms, but they're included anyway, just for fun. Attendees will look for examples of “mycelial networks” in action, “purple buzz,” fungi that eat other fungi, organisms that live on or in mushrooms, and more.
The courses are divided into two parts. Each course can be completed independently, but a combination of the two courses is strongly recommended.
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Excursion to the playground
Tuesday, January 16, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. 1431 Waverly Street, Palo Alto |: Non-members: $15 for adults, $5 for children under 18. Recommended for participants aged 10 and over. Further information
Step back in time and explore the life of Elizabeth Gamble and her historic gardens. The 90-minute tour begins in front of the house. The water-themed tour explores Gamble's long-gone well and water tower, the optimism of watershed gardening, the property's quiet springs and some surprising irrigation techniques. Note: The tour includes information about the historic Elizabeth Gamble House, but it will not be accessible due to renovations.
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Free gas company safety checks
Pacific Gas & Electric Company accepts online appointments for home gas appliance safety inspections.
PG&E customers can inquire online or by calling 800-743-5000.
The company's mission is to ensure the safe operation of water heaters, boilers and furnaces and to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon dioxide is invisible and odorless.
So far this year, PG&E has responded to more than 6,100 incidents involving suspected carbon monoxide, the company announced Friday.
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Learn plant names as you walk
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Saturday, January 20 | Thornewood Conservation, 707 La Honda Road, Woodside |: free More information.
Join nature guides Frances René and Helena Cohen on an in-depth exploration of plant names. Ferns and herbs in the deep shade of Sequoia sempervirens are the focus of this leisurely 3.5-mile hike. Walk the Schilling and Bridle Trail and learn who named these plants, what they mean and why they are important. Why don't you just say "Sequoia"?
Meet at the Thornwood parking lot on La Honda Road.
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Good open days and plant sales
Saturday, January 20, 9 a.m. to noon Marshall Cottle Park, 5283 Snell Avenue, San Jose | free More information.
The UC Master Gardeners are hosting a wonderful open house and plant sale at the Marshall Cottle Park Show Garden. Visitors can treat themselves to a selection of succulents and other plants starting at $5.
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Webinar for first time home buyers
Noon, Tuesday, February 13th | Free webinar hosted by Stanford Federal Credit Union. Registration:
Registration is mandatory.
Learn how to set your homeownership goals and how to achieve them. How to find and buy a house at the most favorable conditions. Understand the home buying process and financing options. Speakers include a real estate agent and a mortgage advisor. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session.
