The three books recommended by Donna got here..... and I'm ready to start my butterfly and hummer adventure...
Becky, good to see you and I've got alot to learn about raising butterflies and so far have about 12 aristolochia seedlings and 5 plants, now I just need to read the sticky up there to get an idea of what else I need to do to get started.
A.
I am so excited
Antoinette - Yes, I do suggest you read the sticky thread first, then feel free to post on any thread or start a thread with questions. The group of gardeners here are some of the nicest I have ever met. Also, we had a seed swap a couple months back and I kept some seeds out to share with newbies to butterfly gardening. I have seeds. Would you like me to send you an envelope full of some great seeds to get you started?
Hi Becky,
That sounds great... I am sending out your envelope at the end of the week with MGseeds.. This will be great. Next year I'll stock up on seeds too. The flower beds were just completed and I'm raring to go.
Thanks for the MG seeds, A! Will send the butterfly host and nectar seeds out to you pronto! I can't wait to see what your Butterfly Garden will look like when it's all done and grown! I can't live without my butterflies! Seriously, it adds a whole new dimension to gardening! It really makes my garden come alive when there are butterflies floating and flying about! You're gonna love Butterfly Gardening! :-) (Even more addicting than MGs! LOL!)
Yeah, we've added another one to our obsession! I must agree this is one of the nicest forums on here, although everyone on DG is nice. I found that butterfly gardening was just a natural extension of my love of using native plants.
I'm glad to see the West represented, too. It's always fun to see what kinds of butterflies live across the country (and sometimes across the globe). Feel free to drop by the Daily Butterfly thread. We keep an ongoing conversation of what's happening in our gardens and with our caterpillars. Glad to have you here!
Melanie
Welcome Antoinette! Looking forward to seeing some of the NM bf's you'll be having soon.
Becky, you can have a dual addiction- bf's and MG's!
Cathy
Cathy - LOL! I already have that dual addiction. I met A on the MG Forum and she was one of the wonderful folks there who helped feed my newest addiction which is MGs! (LOL!)
Becky, yesterday I sowed the Super-Magic-Becky-MG-Mix from the bf seed swap along with a couple of other types of MGs. Looks like that disease is contagious too!
BTW - Antoinette (OT) but I still have agave pups if you want come spring and I believe there are MG seeds with your name on them. I haven't forgotten. Hugs!
Thank you guys for the welcome here... I've been trying slowly to build up my plants for the butterflies and hummers.
Chantell, thanks, yes, I've been soaking seeds already now, I had promised myself that no mg seed starting till end of March, but I can't help it.
A.
Gourd, you are gonna have to show us all your pretty butterflies this year. : ) WE love pictures. : )
~Lucy
You guys will not believe this, a white butterfly just flew by... this is what we have growing here:
Pecan orchards
Cotton fields
chili fields
Onion Fields
Corn fields
Alfalpha
hay
and MORE thousands of acres of pecan trees
I've seen lots of the white and yellow sulfurs and a black one, and this one that I took a photo of this green one..
A.
P.S. it smells something awful for days when they harvest the onions...
It's so dainty, how cute!
Your yard will be a flowering oasis for all the butterflies in your area.
Cathy
Ah Antoinette - how pretty!!! Bet your yard is coming right along! Pecan trees? I'd be in heaven!!
A - Be sure to check this website for what butterflies frequent your area. And check all of your state, too. Sometimes they don't list some of the butterflies from surrounding counties that might also be found in your county.
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/map?dc=5546&_dcc=1&si=32
If you click on each butterfly listed, it will take you to a page just about that butterfly/moth. You can read up on what is a host plant and what the butterflies/moths like as nectar plants. Native plants are the best to have if you can find them.
BTW - I sent out your butterfly/hummer seeds today. :-)
Cathy - The seeds you sowed from the MG mix do better come Spring/Summer because they are I. nils that do best in hot/warm weather. They grow really slow if at all when it is cooler/cold weather. Can you grow them indoors in a pot until Spring? I grow most of mine in pots which I can relocate around my yard wherever I prefer. And in cold weather, they can be brought indoors by window sunlight or under grow lights. Sorry I didn't clarify that info when I sent them out in the swap.
If anyone else would like MG seeds to try, I share I. nils which are NOT invasive (in my humble opinion). I have discovered that Hummers love the blooms as nectar plants. I will share seeds for postage. :-) D-mail me if interested.
This message was edited Jan 15, 2008 6:24 PM
Thanks for the info Becky. I have the tray in the house right now with all my other little seed trays and seedlings. They cover every available space in my office and have migrated into the kitchen...
I bring them out during the afternoon for a few hours of dappled sun if the temps go over 65, other wise they get to stay in the house!
I'll keep you posted on their progress.
Cathy
Gourd, your picture is of one of the Emerald Moths. I don't know which one you have, but you can put 'Emerald' into Bugfiles, and probably figure it out. : )
~Lucy
Becky, I love that link...
BlueGlancer, it does look like an Emerald., it looks like the one you posted to me.
Thanks for all of your help.
A.