FALMOUTH — During the spring and summer, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Cumberland County will offer a Designer Fruit Tree Series: Grafting, Budding, Planting & Pruning — a variety of classes focusing on growing and maintaining fruit trees.

Arborist Tom Hoerth will teach the proper methods for grafting, budding, planting and early care and pruning of fruit trees. Each session will cover a separate topic.

Saturday, March 12, participants will learn techniques of whip, tongue and cleft grafting of fruit trees; Thursday, April 21, proper pruning procedures will be demonstrated and students will practice what they’ve learned on the trees in the orchard at Tidewater Farm; Saturday, May 21, will cover proper planting and early care of fruit trees; and on Tuesday, July 19, students will learn the techniques of chip budding and “T” budding of fruit trees.

Hoerth was the city arborist and tree warden for Bath from 1998 until 2015. He is an adjunct instructor at Southern Maine Community College, a consulting forester for the Bath Water District, and owns a private tree service called Winter Greens. He also co-owns and operates a 13-acre farm in Bath, called Middle Hoerth Winter Gardens.

All sessions will be taught at the UMaine Regional Learning Center and Tidewater Farm. Register for each session online at umaine.edu/cumberland/programs/gardening-workshops/.