Wreath-making event coming

Nothing sings of the holidays like making a seasonal wreath to decorate your space. Birdsong Orchard is hosting a hands-on workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 24 on the farm at 613 Lakeview Road, where you can make your own wreath to take home.

The multi-talented Jessica Tunis will be leading this workshop, and owner Nadine Schaffer will be there for backup help as well.

For beginners who have never made a wreath before, Tunis will guide you through the basic techniques of wreath making and help you craft a unique design.

For more experienced wreath makers, please enjoy an opportunity to try a different design and work with new plants, textures and colors.

All the materials you will need will be hand gathered, foraging extensively from Birdsong Orchard and Tunis’ mountain forest homestead.

Suitable for ages 16 and up. Please wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes, bring a water bottle and your favorite garden snippers or clippers if you have them. To keep things intimate, this workshop is limited to 25 people.

Space is limited, reserve a seat at birdsongorchards.com/products/holiday-wreath-making-workshop-november-24th.

Demystifying drip irrigation systems

Join Garden Club member Dave Somerton for an informational event at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Aptos Grange Hall, 2555 Mar Vista Drive.

Somerton only started using drip irrigation systems after retiring from his job as a fish biologist and moved with his wife from Seattle to Aptos nine years ago.

After hand watering his gardens for the first year, he realized that if he really wanted to travel during his retirement, he needed to invest in a drip irrigation system.

Initially thinking that these systems are “plug and play,” he soon learned that they need constant maintenance and tuning.

The presentation will describe the components and functioning of the irrigation system and focus on the many issues encountered not discussed in most irrigation guides.

For more information visit thegardenersclub.org.

Santa Cruz Orchid Society meets monthly

Join the Santa Cruz Orchid Society at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the meeting hall of the Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave. as Peter T. Lin presents a talk on one of his favorite topics: mini-Catts, also known as miniature Cattleya orchids. Lin will be sharing a fast-paced PowerPoint presentation on these charming flowers.

The journey will begin with a review of the miniature species, early hybrids and then to some of the relevant hybrids of today. He will also review how to grow these wonderful plants.

Meetings are held the second Friday of every month at the Live Oak Grange Hall. Guests are welcome to attend. Meetings include a speaker presentation or panel discussion by an orchid expert(s).

A show-and-tell table of blooming plants will be brought in by members who gladly share information on how they grow them.

There will be chance to win an orchid from the opportunity table, along with light refreshments.

For more information visit santacruzorchidsociety.org.

Community Center Garden Club welcomes all green thumbs

Check out the London Nelson Community Center Garden Club at 9:30 a.m. every Wednesday in the garden at 301 Center St. Do you have a green thumb? Or want to learn basic gardening techniques?

All skills levels and ages welcome to join the London Nelson Garden Club. Projects include a pollinator and butterfly garden and utilizing worm and composting bins.

Call 831-420-6180 to learn more or stop by and check it out. Led by local gardener Tom Fordham.

Tenants’ rights 1-on-1 counseling

Tenant Sanctuary is offering one-on-one counseling from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Felton Library, 6121 Gushee St.

This program is for renters in Santa Cruz County who would like one-on-one support from a tenant rights counselor to discuss an issue with housing.

In your 25-minute session, you will learn about your legal rights and how to use these rights to address your situation.

Some topics that can be addressed are unsafe or unsanitary housing conditions, rental increases, eviction and threats or harassment and communication with a landlord. This program occurs every other week.

Tenant counselors help renters understand their rights. They are not lawyers and do not provide legal advice, opinion or representation.

Volunteer counselor Ciera is a renter and long-term resident of Soquel. She has been working with neighbors to address housing issues since 2018 and was a volunteer counselor with Tenant Sanctuary. As a member of the Santa Cruz County Renters Union, Ciera believes that renters can work together to gain safer and more affordable housing.

Please call Felton Branch Library at 831-427-7708 or visit santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/13042429 to register for your free, 25-minute appointment.

Housing Matters drop-in hours

The Housing Matters Outreach Team will be available from 1-4 p.m. every Tuesday in the Barbara Gorson Multipurpose Room at the Capitola Branch Library, 2005 Wharf Road.

The team provides support for families and individuals experiencing homelessness to help them access resources, navigate housing and meet with Housing Matters representatives. This is a drop-in service; first come, first served.

For information about this outreach visit santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/12691252.

For information about Housing Matters call 831-458-6020, housingmatterssc.org">contact@housingmatterssc.org or visit housingmatterssc.org.

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.