LONGVIEW — On Tuesdays at noon WSU Master Gardeners present weekly free online programs. In addition, for those able to travel to Longview, there are occasional in-depth in-person classes.

Oct. 10, online at noon: Planting Spring Bulbs — and more — this fall — WSU Master Gardener Dale Wheeler will present how and when to plant spring bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers this autumn to welcome spring with a vibrant colorful display.

Oct. 14, in person 10 a.m. to noon: Harvesting and evaluating mason bees’ cocoons — WSU Master Gardener Billie Bevers, will present a workshop on how to harvest mason bees’ cocoons. During the spring and summer other bees, diseases, and parasites can invade mason bee nests. This class will help you identify what’s in your mason bee tubes and blocks. We will also talk about overwintering your bees and creating containers for their long sleep.

The workshop will be held in Longview. You will be given the location after you have registered. Walk-ins cannot be admitted. Enrollment is limited to 30 people. The cost is $5. All attendees must pre-register and pay online here: harvesting-mason-bees-cocoons-2023.cheddarup.com. WSU Extension cannot accept checks or cash at the workshop.

Oct. 17, online at noon: Winter magic: No-dig lawn-to-garden bed transformation — Easily transform an area of your lawn into a lush garden bed over the winter. No digging required! WSU Master Gardener Alice Slusher will share the steps to reduce your monoculture lawn and replace it with a garden bed to support pollinators or create a new outdoor living space.

Oct. 24, online at noon: Shrub transplanting made easy — Have a plant in the wrong place? WSU Master Gardener Tom Myklebust will discuss the best way to transplant shrubs this fall to give them a healthy new start next spring.

Oct. 31, online at noon: Herbs — WSU Master Gardener Carolyn Winchell will show you how to plant, grow, and harvest the most popular herbs that you can enjoy fresh from your own garden. Discussion will include what to do with herbs including preserving, storage and easy usage of these flavorful plants.

Nov. 7, online at noon: Tool sharpening — Do you fight with your tools when using them? WSU Master Gardener Art Fuller will show you how to sharpen your tools so that they work for you and with you. Learn how to give your tools the edge that will shorten work and make chores easier and more enjoyable.

Saturday, Nov. 11, in person 10 a.m.-noon: Make a worm compost bin — Join WSU Master Gardener Art Fuller for this in-person workshop to learn about vermiculture, or worm box composting, which is a process in which red wiggler worms and microorganisms are used to convert kitchen fruit and vegetable waste (peelings, etc.) into nutrient-rich, humus — “black gold” — compost. This amazing fertilizer will make your garden plants healthier and more productive. This is a make-and-take opportunity: participants will build their own worm bins — and will receive red wiggler worms to get started in this fascinating way of creating great organic fertilizer amendments for your gardening needs.

The workshop will be held in Longview. You will be given the location after you have registered. Walk-ins cannot be admitted. Enrollment is limited to 30 people. The cost is $30. All attendees must pre-register and pay online at worm-composting-workshop-11-11-23.cheddarup.com. WSU Extension cannot accept checks or cash at the workshop.

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No need to register for online programs, just pop in. Connection information (sign up for the necessary Zoom account at zoom.us), then join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, or Android at wsu.zoom.us/j/7756056320?pwd=RzVxbTl0dXpyUjJjSDdsWnJuTXdydz09

The meeting ID is 775 605 6320 and the password is 12345.

To participate by phone, call 1-253-215-8782. For help or for more information, call Gary Fredricks at garyf@wsu.edu or 360-577-3014 Ext. 3.