Home & Garden calendar

Workshop and Horse Farm Tour: ”Figuring Out Footings &Winter Mud Management” is a free program by Snohomish Conservation District, 9:30 a.m. to noon Oct. 10. This Stanwood horse property is on the tour schedule because of its excellent mud management techniques. See mud-free confinement areas, footing options, manure composting. The event begins with a short indoor presentation on ‘Figuring Out Footings’ to highlight options for setting up horse paddocks and other rainy season management techniques. Register at snocd.org/farmtour-stan. More at www.snohomishcd.org

Incredible Feast 2015: 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 11, Swansons Nursery in Ballard. Hobnob with two dozen Seattle chefs and many local farmers. Each chef creates a signature dish for the event, with raw ingredients supplied by local farmers and fishers. Proceeds support the Good Farmer Fund and Neighborhood Farmers Markets. Tickets, $125, are available at incrediblefeast2015.brownpaper tickets.com.

“Perma-what? How to design your own Permaculture Paradise”: Speaker Jessi Bloom, 7 p.m. Oct. 12, Snohomish Senior Center, 506 Fourth Street, Snohomish. Bloom promotes and encourages sustainable gardening practices and environmental issues to preserve our natural resources. Presented by Snohomish Garden Club

“The Art of Rhododendron Propagation”: Meerkerk’s resident “rhody godmother” Susie Reynolds, 10 a.m. Oct. 17, 3531 Meerkerk Lane, Greenbank, Whidbey. Cost is $10. Reservations requested. Call 360-678-1912 or 360-222-0121 or go to www.meerkerkgardens.org.

Hosting Mason Bees in your Backyard: 5:30 p.m. Oct. 12 Darrington Library; 6 p.m. Oct. 20, Marysville Library; 3 p.m. Oct. 22 Camano Island Library; 6 p.m. Stanwood Library; 11 a.m. Nov. 14 Arlington Library. Do wonders for your garden and help the environment at the same time. Learn how easy it is to host non-stinging, native mason bees in the spring by renting a backyard bee kit. Presented by Missy Anderson of King County Master Gardeners. For all ages. Free.

“Putting Your Garden to Bed”: 1 p.m. Camano Country Club. Master gardener Frankie Dennison will share her program and Kevin Jones from Jordan Nursery will share his fall bloom show. Cost is $5 for nonmembers of Camano Garden Club; free for club members.

Green Building Slam: Featuring 10 presenters with sustainable construction by Northwest EcoBuilding Guild, 5 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 24, Kane Hall, University of Washington, Central Parking Plaza, 1410 NE Campus Way, Seattle. General admission $25; guild members $20. students $10. More at www.eventbrite.com/e/2015-green-building -slam-nw-ecobuilding-guild -tickets-17217295394

Master Gardener training class: Applications are now being accepted for the training class, which starts in January. Training focuses on familiarization and learning how to use resources to research, educate, mentor, and answer horticulture questions for the general public in a collaborative environment. All training is open book and no memorization is expected. Training involves approximately 80 hours of classroom and workshop instruction held once a week daytimes every Thursday January through March. Tuition is $275 plus a volunteer commitment of 40 hours each year for two years working, learning and having fun with other like-minded volunteers on a variety of horticultural and environmental educational projects. Without the volunteer commitment, tuition is $775. For more information and an application, go to the Extension website at snohomish.wsu.edu and look under “News and Announcements,” or call the Extension Office at 425-338-2400.

Growing Groceries Education Series: Series of classes on growing your own food. Classes are 7 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, WSU Snohomish County Extension’s Cougar Auditorium, 600 128th St. SE, Everett, inside McCollum Park. Nov. 11: Healthy Soil = Healthy Plants Part 2. Interpreting soil tests; making &using compost. Cost is $25 per class. Any five or more are $20 each or take all 10 for $175. Register online at GrowingGroceries.BrownPaperTickets.com. For more information, go to snohomish.wsu.edu/growing-groceries, call Kate Halstead at 425-357-6024 or email khalstead@wsu.edu.

Nursery classes

These local nurseries feature gardening classes, guest speakers and special events throughout the year, often for no charge. Check their websites or call for details.

Evergreen Arboretum: July through September monthly gardening classes will be held at Sunnyside Nursery, 3915 Sunnyside Blvd., Marysville, noon to 1 p.m. instead of at the arboretum. Call 425-257-8597.

Christianson’s Nursery and Greenhouse: 15806 Best Road, Mount Vernon; 360-466-3821; www.christiansonsnursery.com.

Falling Water Gardens: Free classes in creating and caring for a pond, 17516 Highway 203, Monroe; 360-863-1400, www.fallingwatergardens.com.

McAuliffe’s Valley Nursery: 11910 Springhetti Road, Snohomish; 360-862-1323; www.mcauliffesvalleynursery.com.

Molbak’s Garden &Home: 13625 NE 175th St., Woodinville; 425-483-5000; molbaks.com.

Li’l Sprout Nursery: 17414 Bothell-Everett Highway, Mill Creek; 425-482-5276; www.lilsproutnursery.com. Upcoming topics include hydroponic gardening, houseplant propagation, garden clean-up, cooking with herbs.

Pine Creek Nursery: 23225 Sofie Road, Monroe; 360-863-8866; www.pinecreeknursery.com.

Sky Nursery: 18528 Aurora Ave. N., Shoreline; 206-546-4851; www.skynursery.com.

Sunnyside Nursery: 3915 Sunnyside Blvd., Marysville; 425-334-2002; www.sunnysidenursery.net. Classes are free.

Wight’s Home &Garden: 5026 196th St. SW, Lynnwood; 425-775-3636; www.wights.com.

To submit an item for the Home &Garden calendar, e-mail features@heraldnet.com.

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