Aug 23 Image Adobe Stock and MG Program DIG IN PERSON- Made in the Shade: Expanding Urban Forests 2 – 4 p.m., Aug. 23, 2026 Maricopa County DIG IN PERSON Made in the Shade: Expanding Urban Forests Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Registration: $20 This class will be in-person at the University of Arizona Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E Broadway Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85040 Speaker: Julie Knapp How much do you value shade? Strategically planted trees can reduce heating and cooling costs by an average of 25 percent annually. Learn how to increase the shade canopy in your landscape with trees. More than 30 different trees will be covered. We’ll also discuss planting, watering, pruning, tree failure, as well as pests and diseases.
Aug 27 Image Adobe Stock and MG Program DIG ONLINE- Mastering Irrigation in the Desert 6:15 – 8:15 p.m., Aug. 27, 2026 Maricopa County DIG ONLINE Mastering Irrigation in the Desert Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026 6:15 PM - 8:15 PM Speaker: Donna DiFrancesco Registration: $20 Non-Refundable Registration closes Wednesday, Aug. 26 at Noon This class will be Online. A class link and handouts will be sent to you the day before class. If you’ve ever heard, “I water every day for 30 minutes because that’s what the controller is set on,” this session is for you. Desert irrigation doesn’t have to be guesswork – and it certainly doesn’t have to waste water. Join Donna DiFrancesco, horticulturist and Conservation Coordinator for the City of Mesa, as she introduces the newly updated Landscape Watering by the Numbers guide and breaks down the art and science behind efficient watering in Arizona’s desert climate.
Sep 10 Image Adobe Stock DIG ONLINE- BRAG about Your Peas: Fall Vegetable Gardening in the Desert 6:15 – 8:15 p.m., Sept. 10, 2026 Maricopa County Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026 6:15 PM - 8:15 PM Registration: $20 Non-Refundable Registration closes Wednesday, Sept. 9 at Noon Speaker : Melissa Kruse-Peeples This class will be Online. A class link and handouts will be sent to you the day before class. Fall gardening is our season to shine here in the Sonoran Desert. Shorter days and cooler temperatures allow us to grow abundant vegetable gardens with a little more ease than during the warmer months. We will also discuss what preparation is needed for your Fall garden and what difficulties to expect in the coming season such as frost, insects, water needs, etc.
