LIVE OAK
Winter Garden Exchange at the grange
Join fellow gardeners for the free monthly Santa Cruz Garden Exchange from 8 to 9 a.m. Saturday in the parking lot of Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave. Park in the northern rows of the parking lot away from the building. Gardeners are welcome to bring seeds, bulbs, succulents, houseplants, veggies, fresh flowers, informational material, manure or any garden-related items to trade within the garden community. You do not need to bring something in order to participate and you must take back anything not given out.
The Santa Cruz Garden Exchange 2026 Garden Tour sign-ups are open. Winter workshops sign-ups are also open, with December and January 2026 slots available. Send requests to santacruzgardenexchange@gmail.com. Evening exchanges have ended and will resume in the spring. For questions, call 831-515-7162 or email.
SANTA CRUZ
Fruit tree care and management
A Backyard Series intro to fruit trees will be held Jan. 17, 2026, at the UCSC Hay Barn and Farm from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This workshop will focus on fruit tree care and management, especially for those who are looking to establish and/or care for their fruit trees using organic methods. Although we will be demonstrating on a home garden scale, the techniques and methods are applicable at multiple scales — the basics are the same. This hands-on workshop will cover the run up to planting (site, sun, soil), assessing and improving your soil, sourcing quality trees for your area, planting bare root trees, post plant care and a Q&A session. Park in the Hay Barn parking lot (overflow parking at Lot 116).
This workshop is part of the Backyard Series for home gardeners presented by the Friends of the UCSC Farm and Garden. Members receive a 10% discount on workshop costs. Email agroecology@ucsc.edu with accommodation requests. This workshop is open to all members of the public who purchase a ticket. Find them at center-for-agroecology.company.site/products/Backyard-Series-Intro-to-Fruit-Trees-p798627275.
LIVE OAK
Basic composting returns in 2026
Sign up for a Basic Composting workshop Jan. 24 from 10 a.m. to noon, held outdoors in the gardens and orchard at the Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave. The class will discuss the principles of composting kitchen and yard waste using backyard bins and vermicomposting (worm composting) techniques. You will learn how composting will improve your soil and enhance the health of your plants and vegetables. Composting also reduces organic waste going to the landfill thereby cutting greenhouse gas emissions and slowing climate change. Workshops are led by a certified master composter and sponsored by the Santa Cruz County Public Works Department.
Space is limited at these popular workshops; advance reservation is required. Call 831-824-6484 or sign up online at goo.gl/Fw6BaK. After submitting your request, you will be notified if you are accepted in the workshop.
SANTA CRUZ
Garden Club held Wednesdays
Do you have a green thumb? Or do you want to learn basic gardening techniques? Check out the London Nelson Community Center Garden Club at 9:30 a.m. every Wednesday in the garden at 301 Center St. All skill levels and ages are welcome to join. Projects include pollinator and butterfly garden, as well as utilizing worm and composting bins. Led by local gardeners Tom Fordham and CJ. Community happens here.
Call 831-420-6180 to learn more or stop by and check it out.
The Garden Digest is compiled by Jesselyn Rego. To submit items for the calendar including events, meetings, resources or anything garden related, email sentinelhomeandgarden@gmail.com.
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