Read more about the article Wallyhood Waters: The Big Dark!?
Lake Union

Wallyhood Waters: The Big Dark!?

A Wallyhood Waters series Every winter season, I read about Seattle’s “Big Dark,” the time when the sun starts setting before 4:30, and our nighttime is longer than our days. Despite this, I can’t recall seeing a dark, starry night in a long time. This is because Seattle is in a perpetual state of dusk due to artificial light at night (ALAN). While our wintertime lights make us feel safe and bring us holiday cheer, I recently learned that they also…

Continue ReadingWallyhood Waters: The Big Dark!?

Wallingford Ecosystems: Trees

THE BEAUTY OF TREES By Margaret Since the homebound life of the pandemic, I have been studying urban ecosystems in Wallingford, from our gardens to our urban wildlife. Today I invite you to pay attention to our trees. Trees provide us with the always-soothing effect of natural beauty. Trees provide shade from heat and improve air quality wherever they are. The effects of last summer’s heat dome would doubtless have been worse without our tree canopy. Trees serve as protection against…

Continue ReadingWallingford Ecosystems: Trees

Growing Good Apples 101

The apple trees are budding in Wallingford, and if you want a good harvest you should start tending to them soon. I’m not a fruit tree expert, but I am an avid backyard gardener and a nerd who reads a lot. It took me several years of research and trial and error to finally yield a good harvest from my own apple tree. Hopefully what I’ve learned can help you, too.  In my mind, I like to separate apple tree problems…

Continue ReadingGrowing Good Apples 101

Getting Ready for Spring in Seattle

Flowers are starting to bloom across the neighborhood and the cherry blossom watch has begun at the University - UW Cherry Blossoms Update. Sara Shores, the University of Washington arborist says that they are likely to reach their full bloom the weekend of March 30th. The next few weeks will be a great time to take a bike ride over to the Quad and check them out. They are not to be missed! Take a live look at the Quad here,…

Continue ReadingGetting Ready for Spring in Seattle

This Weekend: Good Plants, Bad Plants, Phamarcants

If you like to eat, tend or learn about plants, this weekend's Wallingford activities should be right up your alley! Invasive Plants Class 10 to 11:30 Saturday: The community gardeners at the Freeway Estates Community Orchard (FECO) invite you to participate in their invasive plants class on Saturday from 10:00- 11:30 am at the Freeway Estates Community Orchard: 6th Ave NE, just north of NE 60th St (on the west side of I-5, next to the sound wall).  This class will be taught by a representative…

Continue ReadingThis Weekend: Good Plants, Bad Plants, Phamarcants

Save Seattle’s Apples – even on Mother’s Day

City Fruit is providing free Pest Prevention Packs to Seattle apple tree owners in Wallingford. What is a Pest Prevention Pack? 25 lightly waxed paper bags, 25 twist ties, and an instruction sheet. As part of their Save Seattle’s Apples campaign, City Fruit wants you to use these organic pest barriers to cover your dime-sized apples this spring so you'll have worm-free apples next fall. Covering apples is an easy and effective way to foil insect pests like codling moth and…

Continue ReadingSave Seattle’s Apples – even on Mother’s Day
Read more about the article Urban Nature Lovers Needed
Tree ambassadors get to do cool things like this at their annual picnic.

Urban Nature Lovers Needed

Have you ever walked past an overgrown, untended plot of the urban landscape and thought to yourself how much better that little bit of green space would be with some love and attention? You are not alone! In fact, Seattle is filled with noticers, and some of them have noticed that Wallingford has a few places that could use some love - like the neglected areas at 46th and Midvale, 45th and Midvale and Aurora at 46th. These lovely noticers have…

Continue ReadingUrban Nature Lovers Needed