found a swallowtail caterpillar on my fennel plant today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Milkweed for Monarchs Plant it and they will come Waystation
oh, that is so cool! No caterpillars here yet... :-(
coleup and others here---
I have starts of N.E.Asters available. 7 pots.
These were not from cuttings--but dug away root sections.
haven't heard from anyone asking for these.....yet.....
***Please D-mail me if you are interested.... Gita
Gita - good idea to offer up the butterfly favorites here.
I have pots of Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) that I dug up from a neighbor's yard if anyone's interested. They look pretty good - most have stopped wilting - better than the clumps I planted in my garden!
Muddy,et al, you prbable know this but Common Milkweed (syriaca) and Butterfly Weed (tuberosa) really do not like to be dug up or moved because of their long tap root which can be injured in the process. Even babies can go down a foot or more! They don't like their roots messed with but they do grow new tops if they are mowed down. Asclepias tuberosa can be grown from tip cuttings if stuck in warm water that gets about two hours of direct sun, Roots should show in 3 - 4 days. (Reportedly works for Swamp and Tropical, too. and is 'easier' than seed propagation.) Common will put out new growth if cut off and often plants are cut back after flowering when no seeds are wanted or to produce new tender leaves for feeding the baby cats.
It might be worth it to cut back the Common just dug to one or two nodes above soil and then try rooting the tips. I just did this with eight plants that I rescued from a lawn set to be mowed the next day. They are in 3 gal pots awaiting relocation. The rest of their colony is safe in a no mow/ no spray area with knowledgeable neighbors to watch out for them.
Anyone seeing any Monarchs yet? Journey North site is reporting their presence in the Mid Atlantic area. Since Milkweed doesn't flower for quite awhile yet here, I wonder what attracks them to it for egg laying purposes? Maybe there are some early native bloomers that say 'Look Here For Milkweed' that aren't on our lists.
This message was edited May 26, 2014 3:33 AM
I was able to dig up some plants with good root systems, and those are doing great in pots in the shade. The ones struggling are the ones in sun in my garden. I water them every day, and I think they'll be fine too.
I'll try the warm water method for the tips that came up with no roots attached.
Saw a pretty butterfly today in my yard! I'm not too good with butterfly id. Anyone know what kind it is? He was sunning himself on the shed but flew away when I tried to get closer for a better pic.
I think she might be a Painted Lady, CatMint: http://www.gardenswithwings.com/butterfly/Painted%20Lady/index.html
thanks, Muddy--that does look like a match! :-) So glad to see her. I have several host plants for painted lady around the yard--hope this is a good sign of more to come!
You're welcome. Good for you that you have some host plants, and that apparently the Lady isn't too picky.
Picky? Why, this is Prime Butterfly Buffet Territory--LOL! :-)
I was thinking about the preferred host plants...mallows, hollyhocks, sunflowers and shasta daisies. I don't have any of those in my garden, so she'd have to make lay her eggs on something else....or fly off to your yard : )
Wish your yard was close enough for them to fly back and forth, Muddy! :-) I do have several painted lady host plants in my yard right now: alfalfa, borage, forget me nots, hollyhocks, pot marigold, petunias, lupine, spearmint. I also have sunflowers growing right now (I had no idea helianthus annuus was a host for painted lady!!). Of course, no telling where this butterfly came from or when the caterpillar made its cocoon, but I can fondly imagine she came from my yard! :-)
I also noticed last year that they don't always need their preferred host plants--sometimes they make do with less preferred ones, so maybe your yard has untapped painted lady potential, Muddy! :-)
This message was edited May 29, 2014 9:17 PM
I guess I didn't do enough reading; I had no idea they ate so many different plants!
I think the birds planted a sunflower for me, although I can't remember where I saw it coming up. I gave up on planting them because the squirrels bite off the flower heads soon after they bloom. Of course, I could plant them and let the squirrels eat the tops and the caterpillars the bottoms.
I have lots of sunflowers coming up by the bird feeder! Some were courtesy of the birds but I also planted some there thinking under the bird feeder would be a perfect spot for sunflowers! hope at least one survives the squirrels...
LOL the perfect wildlife plant with nothing left after the squirrels and caterpillars are done! :-)
I'm finding info that helianthus annuus is larval host for gorgone checkerspot and bordered patch butterflies. Where are you finding the info about painted ladies?
The link I posted up above says that Hollyhock, Shasta Daisy, Sunflower and Mallow are host plants for Painted Ladies, so I assumed (incorrectly!) that those were the only host plants. I didn't do much research - I just looked at that one and another that I can't remember. I guess I figured other butterflies were as picky as Monarchs!
It's funny how different websites have different info!! Yeah, I think the monarch is unusual in its selectivity re: hostplants. The Baltimore checkerspot is also picky. But most of the others seem to use a larger variety, or have widened their range over time. Like, imagine my surprise last summer when I found two black swallowtail caterpillars nibbling away on my rue! :-) They were very cute.
Seeing more and more Cabbage White butterflies every day. For the past 2 days, I've also seen a pale yellow butterfly fluttering around--looks like one of the sulphurs. Maybe a Dainty Sulphur? Or a Cloudless Sulphur?
Saw 2 Swallowtail cats. today on my Dill. One big--one smaller
They are on their way....
There goes my Dill--and parsley ---- G.
I've seen cabbage white butterflies too. I didn't know what they were; thanks CatMint!
They won't find host plants in my yard, though.
Gita, how nice that you have Swallowtail cats! I haven't seen any Swallowtails, which is a good thing because my dill and parsley are still seedlings.
I stupidly dumped a whole package of parsley in one small area, thinking that most of it would wash away, or just not germinate and guess what - it all came up! I have to get out there and thing it.
My neighbors' Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed) is blooming now! The plants I dug from their yard are less than a foot tall, but my Swamp Milkweed are 2-3 feet tall and looking pretty healthy.
Muddy, my swamp milkweed has been a very slow grower. I'd say they're barely 2 feet tall now. I wonder if I'll get any blooms this year.
Gita, I've been waiting to see some swallowtail cats on my fennel, but nothing yet.
Catmint (oops, not muddy), I thought that was a pale yellow butterfly I saw in your yard!
This message was edited Jun 8, 2014 10:53 PM
No swallowtail cats--or butterflies--here yet either! :-( Muddy, hopefully they will enjoy feasting on your parsley once it's up! Sounds like your swamp milkweed is doing great, too!
I do have a few host plants for the cabbage white--alyssum and nasturtium, plus I just sowed some English wallflower seed a few days ago. But apparently the cabbage white is one of the most common butterflies in this area, so these guys could have come from anywhere. Hoping to get some BSTs fluttering down from Gita's house one of these days! :-)
Oh I have nasturtiums too. I love those plants! I sowed a few seeds in my new garden bed to help fill in until the perennials get bigger.
So maybe the cabbage whites *are* yours then? :-)
I may have early Swallowtail Cats. because i had SOOOOO many last year.
It is VERY likely that they built their cacoons/crysallis on nearby structures.
I never looked for them--nor checked. Now--they are here...
I harvested a big hand full of Dill today--as I am making my Pickles again
for a Family get-together at my cousins place in Warrenton, VA. on June 28th.
How far is that from Luckets, Terri? Maybe a bit more East?
I have two cousins--and their extended families. One lives here in Fallston--
the other in Warrenton, VA. They always alternated our X-Mas get-togethers--and now
will do the same with the new format---"Christmas in June"...I like this better,,,
NO gifts for everyone--No dealing with everyone's other family commitments---etc..
We used to get together there at every other Christmas. Not always easy--as everyone
had other Family commitments as well. SO--they decided to do "Christmas in June"....
Another long drive! About 2 hrs. fro my place...My daughter and her DH are coming too.
That's why I am making more pickles. Using MY own Dill for them this time...
Have to beat the caterpillars to it....I planted about 10 plants of it...
G.
SSG - my established Swamp Milkweed is about 2 feet tall so far too. Too early for it to bloom. My Purple Milkweed is in bloom and my Asclepias perennis is about to, but my other species are a ways away yet. Give it time.
Gita, Warrenton is on Rt.15, about 45 minutes or so south from Lucketts (also n Rt.15).
OH! That seems further--but we always get there in about 2hrs.
My directions are--we take I-95 to #495 to Rt. 66W, and then
#29 S. to #676--and then just some local roads to the house.
Have to double check--as I don't know how old these directions are..
G.
Greenthumb, that's good to know! They didn't do much last year either, so I was concerned that they weren't happy in their location.
My Swamp Milkweeds didn't bloom at all last year, their first year in my garden, even though they got to be about 4' tall. I don't think they got enough sun, so I moved them to a sunnier spot this year. I haven't noticed any buds yet, though.
I just stumbled upon this link to a 14-page "List of Preferred Native Nectar and Host Plants for Butterflies that live in Kent County, Michigan". I skimmed through it and saw that many of the plants seem to grow in our area, so I thought I'd share it.
http://www.calvin.edu/academic/eco-preserve/whattosee/pdfs/ButterflySprdsht.pdf
thanks, Muddy! Looks like a useful guide, and It's interesting that so many of the plants are the same.
It's also interesting that each source seems to provide slightly different details for what serves as larval host to what! I've been using NPIN, the Xerces guide (print), and also the Hostplants and Caterpillar Database. NPIN is probably the most conservative in what it says serves as larval host and of course it includes only native plants. The Xerces guide includes introduced plants as well as natives and includes hostings not in NPIN. The Hostplants and Caterpillar Database is global and includes all the moths as well as butterflies (this can get depressing).
Aster laevis just bloomed! I think it is my first bloom from the Monarch Waystation buy. Aster 'Lady in Black' also put out a tiny bloom--waiting for more before I take a pic.
Is it not unusual for asters to be blooming this early? I have a 'Lady in Black' that's trying to bloom and I thought it was due to stress.
I have been pinching back y NE Aster---trying to keep it more moderate in height.
it doesn't bloom until September...so there is time to grow side shoots.
BTW--Those of you that got this Aster from me @ the Swap--they were also pinched back.
Hope i a not screwing things up! Last year it just grew out of bounds...
Didn't like that..it really needs some kind of support....
Have you all seen this article?
Observing Pollinators on Annual Coreopsis:
http://www.mtcubacenter.org/images/PDFs-and-SWFs/Pollinator_Survey_BTroy.pdf
I'll be getting 'Fruit Punch' next year!
wow, yes, Fruit Punch looks like a winner! :-)
Many sites recommend pinching back asters twice, Spring and early summer to promote branching and bushyness (kinda like mums...).
My A Bluebird are also blooming and how cute they are but out of sync and way small for usual size plant. The ones we got from NC were started last year and then overwintered in unheated hoop houses where they woke up and started to grow again and we got them, Same with Lady in Black which as I recall had some already blooming plugs in the flat we got in April!
For comparison, two year old Bluebird and Lady in Black are now a little over 2' tall and no bloom spikes. I plan to cut mine back and hope for a rebloom at the proper time!
Several of the Goldenrod 'Little Lemon' have bloom spikes. too. North Creek must have had a really loud WAKE UP call for some of their overwintered dormant plants!
Some sites say some of the Milkweeds can be cut back and the growing tips rooted in water to make more plants.
The reason Monarch Waystations specify two kinds of Milkweed is to stagger bloom tmes. Common is first then Swamp.
Reminder that as we work in the garden/yarden that a number of our pollinators lay eggs in the blooms and buds and most tender parts of plants (ahem, and 'weeds') Be careful what you throw away or compost or stich in a vase!
Have any of you surveyed the patches and numbers of Milkweed within a mile radius? I wish there was a way to flag and protect those patches from mowing or spraying for and entire year or more! I've been telling 'owners' that if they will leave them be that I will come and rubberband the seed pods shut before they blow everywhere and then donate the seeds to Monarch Watch Millkweed Market.....
Oh, almost forgot, the Swamp Milkweed plugs and seedlings we started this year most likely will not bloom til next year. The Tropical, however should bloom all season once it starts this year. Should have some of both available for Fall Swap Sept 13 at Ric and Holly's.
I'm overall seeing fewer pollinators this year than last. I think it's because last year's pollinators were the result of 2 years of yard neglect, whereas last year I mulched and deadheaded and dug relentlessly (not to mention the 2 huge native trees in neighbors' yards coming down). I think all that mulching, deadheading, and digging actually cuts down on the pollinators by unwittingly disposing of (or burying) cocoons and eggs. So, I'm going to be judicious this year with the fall mulch--not everywhere, but just those plants that need it. And I need to start being more careful with deadheading and digging, too.
So, now I have the plants--all I need is a slightly more neglected habitat. ;-)
coleup---
I planted all your tropical Milkweed in a BIG, black pot--like16"...
There are about 4 seedlings/cuttings now all in one pot. They caan live
in there for a few years...I hope.
I will plant something pretty, for now, in front of these just for color.
NO picture yet.......
Gita
Your New York Asters look wonderful, Gita.
I did not pinch mine back, and I did feel that they might need some support so I just gave them some. I don't like staking plants, so maybe I'll join you in pinching next year.
It's odd that the NC Asters and Goldenrod are blooming already...but nice to see how pretty the A. laevis is.
I haven't noticed any buds on my NC Goldenrods, but i haven't looked too closely either. The 'Little Lemons' are still very small.
Coleup, I know for certain that my neighbors won't spray their Common Milkweed, the patch from which I got the little plants I brought to the swap. They are devoted to all-natural, all-native gardening.
I haven't seen any milkweed seedlings sprouting from the hundreds of seeds I sowed in the forest last year, but I'm sure some will come up. They have to!