Apps offer advice on attracting wildlife, when to plant

  • Wednesday, August 28, 2013 12:29pm
  • Life

Your smartphone is probably always handy, even out in the garden, so why not pull it out of your pocket and make it do some work?

Birds &Blooms, a national bird and gardening magazine, has an app for that.

In fact, it has lots of apps, whether you’re seeking tips on attracting garden-friendly wildlife, looking for native plants specific to your area or trying to identify an interesting volunteer species.

The magazine is also available online at www.birdsandblooms.com, or you can download it for iPad, Kindle, Nook, iPhone and Google Play.

Here are the top 10 app recommendations for gardeners from Birds &Blooms.

Herald staff

50 FLOWERS: Birds &Blooms app, with bloom options for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies.

$1.99

www.birdsandblooms.com/app

BIRDS PRO: Identification guide with integrated picture and sound quizzes, professional photos, and more than 460 calls and songs.

$12.99, Google Play

BIRD Q&A: Get your birding questions answered by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

$2.99, iTunes

FLOWER GARDEN: Grow common plants and send them to your friends in this amusing little game.

Free or $2.95, iTunes

GARDEN COMPASS: Have a mystery plant? Email your photo and the Garden Compass experts will tell you what it is.

Free, iTunes

THE GARDEN TIME PLANNER: Burpee seed company tells you when to sow, transplant and harvest veggies and herbs by keeping a task list.

Free, iTunes and Google Play

PETERSON BIRDS POCKET EDITION: New to the app world, at a bargain price for a pocket field guide.

99 cents, iTunes

LANDSCAPER’S COMPANION: An easy-to-use, comprehensive plant guide, complete with high-quality images for your iPad or iPhone.

$6.99, iTunes

AUDUBON BUTTERFLIES: Track and share the butterflies you spot with your friends.

$4.99, iTunes, Google Play

WHAT’S IN MY GARDEN?: Have fun keeping track of all the plants in your own back yard.

$1.99, iTunes

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Lily Gladstone poses at the premiere of the Hulu miniseries "Under the Bridge" at the DGA Theatre, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Mountlake Terrace’s Lily Gladstone plays cop in Hulu’s ‘Under the Bridge’

The true-crime drama started streaming Wednesday. It’s Gladstone’s first part since her star turn in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

A giant Bigfoot creation made by Terry Carrigan, 60, at his home-based Skywater Studios on Sunday, April 14, 2024 in Monroe, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The 1,500-pound Sasquatch: Bigfoot comes to life in woods near Monroe

A possibly larger-than-life sculpture, created by Terry Carrigan of Skywater Studios, will be featured at this weekend’s “Oddmall” expo.

Lewis the cat weaves his way through a row of participants during Kitten Yoga at the Everett Animal Shelter on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Downward cat? At kitten yoga in Everett, it’s all paw-sitive vibes

It wasn’t a stretch for furry felines to distract participants. Some cats left with new families — including a reporter.

The Ford Maverick has seating for five passengers. Its cargo bed is 4.5 feet long. (Photo provided by Ford)
2024 Ford Maverick compact pickup undergoes a switch

The previous standard engine is now optional. The previous optional engine is now standard.

Dalton Dover performs during the 2023 CMA Fest on Friday, June 9, 2023, at the Spotify House in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

The Red Hot Chili Pipers come to Edmonds, and country artist Dalton Dover performs Friday as part of the Everett Stampede.

2024 Genesis G70 Sport Prestige RWD (Photo provided by Genesis)
Genesis Unveils 2024 G70 Sports Prestige Sedan

Combining power, luxury, and innovation, Genesis raises the bar yet again with enhanced performance and cutting-edge features in its latest model.

wisteria flower in Japan
Give your garden a whole new dimension with climbing plants

From clematis and jasmine to wisteria and honeysuckle, let any of these vine varieties creep into your heart – and garden.

Lynnwood
New Jersey company acquires Lynnwood Land Rover dealership

Land Rover Seattle, now Land Rover Lynnwood, has been purchased by Holman, a 100-year-old company.

Great Plant Pick: Dark Beauty Epimedium

What: New foliage on epimedium grandiflorum Dark Beauty, also known as Fairy… Continue reading

While not an Alberto, Diego or Bruno, this table is in a ‘Giacometti style’

Works by the Giacometti brothers are both valuable and influential. Other artists’ work is often said to be in their style.

Suomenlinna
Soul sisters Helsinki and Tallinn are pearls of the Baltic

While they have their own stories to tell, these cities share a common heritage of Swedish and Russian influences.

My trip to Iraq was canceled, so why can’t I get my $7,590 back?

When Diane Gottlieb’s tour of Iraq is canceled, the tour operator offers her a voucher for a future trip. But she wants a refund.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.