At the Kidz Knitting Kamp, students will learn the basics of knitting, including how to purl, cast on, bind off, knit and read patterns. 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday at Two Sisters & Ewe, 8239 La Mesa Blvd. $60. Information and reservations: (619) 460-8103.

LEARNING TO GROW

With water woes mounting and food costs soaring, maybe you've been thinking about making some changes to your landscape. Perhaps it's time for the water-guzzling lawn to go, to be replaced by water-wise native plants or to make room for a veggie garden that will help cut supermarket bills.

If so, set aside Sept. 6 to attend “Timely Tips for Fall Gardeners,” a daylong seminar sponsored by the Master Gardener Association of San Diego County. Six classes are on tap for beginner and experienced gardeners who want to make the most of San Diego's enviable fall gardening season. When the weather cools in October, you'll be ready to plant.

Topics include “Bye-Bye Grass” taught by San Diego horticulturist and Homescape contributor Nan Sterman, “Go Native” by native plant expert Gene Ratcliffe of Tree of Life Nursery and “Renee's Fall Garden – Sweet peas and the Second Season Kitchen Garden” by Renee Shepherd of Renee's Garden Seeds. Because good soil is essential regardless of the kind of plants you grow, Del Mar author Pat Welsh will share tips for improving soil in “Poor Pitiful Soil.” Rounding out the day is “Feng Shui for the Garden” taught by consultant Cathleen McCandless and “Selection, Planting and Care of Landscape Palms” taught by palm expert Donald Hodel.

Seminar hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. with a break for lunch and a mini-plant sale. Each class is $15. All will be held at the Marina Village Conference Center, 1936 Quivira Way, San Diego. Parking is free.

The program and registration form are available online at mastergardenerssandiego.org. For questions or to request a seminar brochure, call the master gardener hotline, (858) 694-2860, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Early registration is suggested since classes fill up quickly.

– MARY JAMES

HANGING AROUND TO SAVE MONEY

“We must all hang together or most assuredly we will all hang separately,” Benjamin Franklin. Yep, the old dude actually said that. He probably wasn't talking about line-drying your clothes, but considering the economic and climate concerns of the day, the sentiment remains true.

Hanging wet clothing in the sun and wind makes sense. If you have an electric clothes dryer and wash one load of clothes a day for a year, you can save about $127.75 by drying them outside.

Not impressed? Then how about safety: There are five deaths, 400 injuries, and $99 million in property damage caused by 15,600 dryer fires every year, according to FEMA.

“And it's an opportunity to be outside with nature, get a little exercise, your clothes last longer and smell better, and with a half-cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle, you don't have to worry about stiff towels,” says Alexander Lee, founder of the nonprofit Project Laundry List (laundrylist.org), which works to make line drying acceptable and desirable.

If your homeowner's association doesn't allow you to dry outside, give them the Project Laundry List Web address, and see what it takes to get them to change their minds. Many HOA's require a petition with the signatures of at least 50 percent of the residents, but requirements vary.

Hills, which makes and sells outdoor drying systems, works closely with Project Laundry List. The company has a line of products that range in price from $80 to $200 to make drying outside easier. Log on to linedryit.com or call (877) 794-0379 for more information.

– CATHY LUBENSKI

ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS AT QUAIL

One hundred years ago, the Ford Model T was introduced, the FBI was established, William Howard Taft was running against William Jennings Bryan for president, and the 100-year-old olive tree recently donated to Quail Botanical Gardens was just a seedling.

Ryan Prange of Falling Waters Landscape in Hillcrest had the tree trucked in from Northern California earlier this year for his multiple award-winning display at the annual San Diego County Fair in June.

“I'm extremely happy that it has a good home at Quail; that was one of my concerns, that we wouldn't be able to find a great spot for it,” Prange said.

The tree will eventually be settled in Quail's planned Mediterranean Garden where “it could live a couple hundred more years there,” said Julian Duval, executive director of Quail.

The tree weighs approximately 10,000 pounds and it took about three hours to load it onto a truck to get it to Quail. “I grew up in Encinitas and knowing it's there and knowing that people can see it for years to come – it's kind of neat to be a part of that,” Prange said.

Prange heard from several people who felt it was irresponsible to move a 100-year-old tree across California. “Olive trees have a unique makeup that allows them to be transplanted and the company (Ancient Olive Trees, Corning, Calif.) does it responsibly; that's their business,” Prange said.

Quail Botanical Gardens is located at 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas.

– CATHY LUBENSKI