West Sound meadows, salt marshes and successional fields are alive with buzzing bees, fluttering butterflies and birdsong. But with lawns expanding and natural areas shrinking due to construction, these backyard guests need a little extra help finding food, shelter and a cozy place to stay. With just a few simple DIY steps, you can turn […]
bees
Posted inGarden
Fall Cleaning and Maintenance Tips for Mason Bee Hotels
The Pacific Northwest is home to the native blue orchard mason bees. Often mistaken for houseflies due to their blue-green, iridescent bodies, these solitary bees are distinct from social bees because each female independently lays her own eggs, finds her own nest and gathers her own food. With 90% of bee species being solitary, these […]
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Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden
Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees! Sadly, there has been a decline in the health of our pollinators, and it’s important for gardeners to create a pollinator-friendly garden. You will need to provide blooming plants, which is their food source; shelter in the form of large-leaved shrubs, trees and tall grasses; and water to encourage their survival. […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
The Ultimate Guide to Water-Wise Gardening
The importance of making water-wise choices has become very apparent with the spread of climate change. It’s becoming more difficult to grow certain crops, maintain landscapes and enjoy various recreational activities as water availability wavers and heat threatens popular crop growing. Across the country, people continue to make garden choices that can help conserve water. […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
10 Tips for Successful Pollinator Plantings
The colorful posters with a collection of common herbs are a popular social media share. Save the bees, they say; plant these. I’ve been known to peek at those lists and note to myself — I could use a few more hyssop plants in my apiary — but that well-meaning call to action widely misses […]
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Mason Bees
Exploring the beautiful Kitsap Peninsula, we can find an array of treasures in all shapes and sizes. From awe-inspiring forests to picturesque beaches and harbors, this region is a paradise for nature lovers. What we don’t often take notice of are the smaller treasures that keep our habitat healthy and thriving — native solitary mason […]
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Landscaping for Wildlife
March and April are perfect months for selecting and planting woody shrubs and trees. This year, consider adding plants to feed and shelter wildlife, especially birds and pollinators. Choose from both evergreen and deciduous plants. Evergreen plants provide shelter and nesting areas throughout the year. Deciduous plants satisfy that requirement but also visually add wonderful […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Flower Power in the Pollinator Victory Garden
Editor’s note: This excerpt is reprinted with permission from “The Pollinator Victory Garden: Win the War on Pollinator Decline with Ecological Gardening” by Kim Eierman, EcoBeneficial, published Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. 2020. Flowers are some of the most important food sources for pollinators, but there’s more to it than planting flowers and waiting for pollinators to […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
How to Attract Pollinators with Container Planters
Container planters can help you play a part in attracting pollinators, even if you don’t have a yard. In the United States, one-third of all agricultural output depends on pollinators — we need pollinators and pollinators need us. Help the pollinators do their job by planting pollinator-attracting plants in your containers. Easy Tips for Container […]