Master Gardener Program Free Children’s Gardening Activities School’s out! Are you looking for something fun and free for the kids? The WSU Kitsap Master Gardeners are offering children’s gardening activities in two of our demonstration gardens this summer — plant, water, harvest and make a garden-related craft to take home. Join us at: Raab Park […]
wildlife
Posted inBlog, The Outdoors
Exploring the Angling Opportunities of the West Sound, Part 1: Salmon
One of the great joys of living in the Puget Sound region is engaging in the variety of fishing and shellfishing opportunities while becoming more intimately acquainted with the ecosystems that support the resource. The waters in our immediate vicinity and others within a drive of a couple of hours throughout Western Washington offer year-round […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
Aphids There are approximately 4,000 species of aphids in the world but only about 250 species are serious pests; only 1,350 species live in North America. Are you feeling better yet? Aphids range in length from 1/16 inch to 1/4 inch and come in a wide variety of colors: green, red, brown, black, yellow and […]
Posted inGarden
Orchard Mason Bees — Fascinating Creatures
The orchard mason bee, or blue orchard bee, is the western native pollinator that appears each year in late winter and early spring to pollinate all the early blooming fruit trees and flowers. Its scientific name, Osmia Lignaria Propinqua Cresson, describes the insect order to which it belongs that also includes ants, bees and wasps. […]
Posted inGarden
Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
Mountain Lions (Puma Concolor) Here kitty, kitty. Not really, but mountain lions are actually closely related to domestic cats. But when hungry, they can also prey on and eat domestic cats, so keep your cats safely indoors, at least during the hours of dusk to morning light. Most people call them cougars or mountain lions […]
Posted inGarden
Hummingbirds of Winter are not The Same
Hummingbirds may appear dainty because of their diminutive size, but these dazzling visitors to local gardens are bursting with energy. And they need to refuel often to maintain their dizzying blur of activity. But those who love hummingbirds are always sad when the birds leave for the winter. Or do they? Devoted hummingbird fans are […]
Posted inGarden
Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
Castor canadensis Castor canadensis (beavers) are the largest rodents on our continent. They can be 3 to 4 feet long from head to the tip of their paddle-shaped tails and stand a foot tall at the shoulders. Their front feet (with claws for digging and grasping) and back, webbed feet are perfectly adapted for their […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Fly Fishing With the Reel Girls
The scene at Titlow Park in Tacoma attracts a few curious glances. Eleven women are spread out across the lawn, fly rods in hand, practicing their roll casts, false casts and presentation casts. The instruction this day is provided by Judy Graham, an energetic, patient tutor and expert casting instructor, who periodically calls the group […]
Posted inGarden
Western Bluebirds and Your Fall Chores
Fall migration of most Pacific Northwest birds has completed — from the huge shorebird population, to the area warblers and many other migrants from Oregon, Washington, British Columbia to Alaska. They have raised successful broods and are now heading south to winter over in Central and South America until January or February, when they will […]