Hi everyone,
I am gathering seeds as the pods ripen from my milkweed and am realizing that I am going to have quite a bit.
I will give some away but am unsure as to the protocol for this. Any ideas, or anyone interested please post.
james t
I have so many milkweeds sprouting up all over the gardens and the yard, that I'm going to play Mrs Milkweed (the butterfly version of Johnny Appleseed!) and go spread the plants and the seeds in the woods and fields that won't get mowed. I give the sprouts and the seeds to anyone and everyone who want butterflies in their garden, and I still have plants everywhere. Since the monarchs and other BF's just find them, I hope that if they are "everywhere" it will benefit the population in my area.
I have a bad problem with red wasps in my yard eating the cats. It takes those varmits a while to find a new patch of milkweed, though. I hope to raise the cats next spring when the monarchs arrive in mass and save them from the wasps. Lots of good instructions here on this forum!
I saw a monarch laying eggs on one of the "sprouts" today! (and no red wasps in sight).
Great idea to get these seeds out to new butterfly lovers.
Here's what I would do to give the seeds away:
Just put several seeds (maybe 20 or 30 or more if you're feeling way generous) into those tiny plastic zip locs available at Hobby Lobby or Walmart or a small paper envelope and label. (It might help if you knew the kind of milkweed it is...A. curassavica, A. incarnata, A. tuberosa are three that are often found in gardens...)
Then make a thread on this forum or one of the other forums (cottage garden, a regional forum for example) saying you have milkweed seed that the monarch butterflies love available for a 'Stamped Self-addressed (Bubble?) Envelope' and they can d-mail you for your address and send you an envelope. You return the envelope with the seeds.
Or if you don't care about the postage, just ask them to d-mail you an address and put the seed packet in an envelope and send it off to them.
And you could ask for other seeds for trade if you want them.
Have fun sending out your seeds!
I'd like some seeds, please.
Carol
Ok .........I think Tabasco that you have a good idea.
So If anyone wants seeds Dmail me with your address and I will send you some.
Let me know if you want 5, 10, 15 or so on. I think that I will just put them in the envelope and mail them to you.
There are still pods that are not ready to harvest yet, so there will be more.
Here is a picture of the milkweed......... I am not sure what its name is.
James, your milkweed looks like A. curassavica to me and you've already got a taker just above your post. Ladysaltfire wants some!
This message was edited Nov 22, 2007 3:55 AM
I would like some. Can't believe I don't have any Milkwood... will send postage. I am in the address exchange or just click on my 'blue' screen name and it will come up. I have celosia, cypress vine, reseeding impatiens, others
Elaine
I'm just curious at to how many different types of milkweed there is.
i was just browsing "Seed Savers" and saw "red milkweed" [Asclepias incarnata]
now i just gotta have that one too.
thanks to Becky -- i have many of the Scarlet Milkweed seeds, just like James does -- and i too have been sharing like crazy.
tcs, have you ever been to the milkweedfarm webite? If not, I will paste it below for you. I'm sure that you can find something you like. :)
Carol
http://www.milkweedfarm.com/index.html
Oooooooo, thanks. ;-)
You're welcome.
Yes, isn't that milkweed farm site something? So many varieties... three years ago when I was looking for various milkweed seeds I could hardly find them available anywhere--now there seems to be several good sources...
I read on a botanical website that there are more than a hundred different varieties--can't remember the exact number---but a lot. I wonder if the monarchs have favorites among them...? I think they do--in fact I think they like different varieties in different parts of the country...but I don't know the details...
Before I became interested in Monarchs I never thought of Asclepias as a pretty garden plant but there are several cultivars that are lovely in the traditional garden in the right spot of course!
This message was edited Dec 5, 2007 7:50 PM
I only clicked on the link for "native" plants for Ill.
I guess I will check them all out when i get a chance.
The only bad thing about Milkweed Farm is that they always seem to be out of stock on almost everything listed. So check out Prairie Moon, which has a fair number of milkweed species and has them IN stock.
http://www.prairiemoon.com/
A few of the types on the Milkweed Farm link say "out of stock until fall 2005". Could be they haven't updated their website in a long time.
Linda,
Thank you for the new shopping link. I always like new places to shop. :)
You're welcome. Unfortunately, many of the milkweeds can be difficult to grow. I keep trying other kinds, but I pretty much have just 3 species that actually worked out here in my area. Most of my milkweed plants are Mexican Milkweed and most of those plants survive the winter here, although it's often considered an annual in colder climates.
Oooh. Prairie Moon has so many milkweed seeds! Very interesting collection.
Specialty Perennials has a range of Asclepias seed too. http://www.hardyplants.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?
And a 20% off discount until January 1 2008 if you enter the code "2007" when you order. The discount is mentioned on the bottom of the catalog pages. I have ordered from Specialty Perennials several times and they have worked out well for my needs.
