Beginner Gardening: My growing Milkweeds!, 1 by purpleinopp

purpleinopp wrote:
Only you (with the aid of a crystal ball?) could answer this question, based on your budget, space, number of egg-laying females interested in your yard. I would let the plants (and caterpillars) alone until you get back from your trip, except for watering if thirsty.

Glad you're so excited! Share the info with people, monarchs numbers are dwindling terribly from pesticides being used to kill their food, and the general attitude that Asclepias plants are weeds. If more people knew they are necessary to have around to have monarch butterflies, the situation could be remedied, or at least much less critical.

This pic is from when my daughter was much younger, taking some newly hatched butterflies outside to fly away. We released 71 butterflies that summer. I had 3 A. incarnata plants, which were sufficient for the number of eggs and caterpillars I found. I don't know much about the season of them in CA, but there should be tons of info 'out there' about that.