Home and garden events and resources around Snohomish County

Plants for winter pizzazz: How do you create winter interest in your garden when all the leaves have fallen and the branches are bare? Find out how at in class from 1 to 2 p.m. Nov. 16 taught by Trevor Cameron, general manager at Sunnyside Nursery. Meet in horticultural classroom 105 at the garden center, 145 Alverson Blvd., Everett. The class is free for members, $10 for nonmembers. RSVP by calling 425-257-8597.

Holiday Home Tour: Tour north Everett homes decorated for the holidays from noon to 6 p.m. Dec. 2. Hosted by the Assistance League of Everett. Features tastings from local chefs, raffle baskets and a gift boutique. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 on tour day. Purchase tickets at the Assistance League Thrift Shop, 5107 Evergreen Way, Everett. More at www.assistanceleagueofeverett.org.

Snohomish Christmas Parlour Tour: Tour historic Snohomish homes decorated for the holidays from noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 15. Hosted by the Snohomish Historical Society. Tickets are $12-$15. Advanced tickets are available at Joyworks, 1002 First St.; McDaniel’s Do-It Center, 510 Second St.; and Annie’s On First, 1122 First St. Buy tickets day of tour at the Waltz Building, 116 Ave. B. More at www.snohomishhistoricalsociety.org.

Become a master: Applications for master gardener training classes in 2020 are now available. Learn to research, teach and mentor community gardeners and become an environmental steward. All training is open book and no memorization is expected. Training involves about 80 hours of classroom and workshop instruction held once a week on Thursdays, Jan. 9 through March 26. Tuition is $295, plus a volunteer commitment of 40 hours each year for two years on a variety of horticultural and environmental educational projects. Without the volunteer commitment, tuition is $795. Call 425-338-2400 or go to tinyurl.com/y8srkp2y.

Growing tomatoes: Kate Ryan, a coordinator for the WSU Snohomish County Extension’s Growing Groceries program, will lead a presentation on everything you need to know about growing tomatoes. That includes seed starting, transplanting, staking, watering, pollinating, fertilizing and harvest at the Jan. 9 meeting of the Snohomish County Fruit Society. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at The Snohomish Boys & Girls Club, 402 Second St., Snohomish. More at snohomishcfs.wordpress.com.

Winter Speaker Series: The Master Gardner Foundation’s annual Winter Speaker Series runs Jan. 10 through April 3. All classes are from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Mukilteo Presbyterian Church, 4515 84th St. SW, Mukilteo. The charge is $20 per class or $85 for the series. Call 425-357-6010 or go to www.gardenlectures.com for more information. The presentation schedule: Jan. 10, with Richie Steffen on “The Gentle Madness of Ferns;” Jan. 24, with Barry Hoffer on “Stunning Maples for Your Garden;” Feb. 7, with Tobey Nelson on “Pots with Pizazz;” Feb. 14, with Bess Bronstein on “Renovation and Renewal of an Aging Garden;” Feb. 28, with Monica Van der Vieren on “Plant it and They Will Come: Wildlife in a (Mostly) Native Landscape;” March 13, with Marilyn Glenn on “How to Select, Grow and Prune Clematis, the Queen of the Vines,” March 20, with Dan Hinkley on “Forgotten Elements of Good Design;” and April 3 with Jairul Rahaman on “Plants and Fungi: A Match Made in Heaven.”

Master Gardener Hotline & Diagnostic Clinic: Call 425-357-6010 to talk to a master gardener or visit Snohomish County’s walk-in clinic at the WSU Extension office in McCollum Park, 600 128th St. SE, Everett. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, April through September, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, October through March. More at www.extension.wsu.edu/snohomish/garden/master-gardener-program.