potted milkweed in winter and seeds

[reggorf]

I have two large pots with milkweed in them. I am trying to figure out what I want to do with them for the winter. Should I leave them outside on my deck? Or should I put them in my shed? I was not sure if being in a pot and beeing frozen would kill it and I was not sure if being in my shed and completely drying out would kill it. Or if it would be fine in either place. What do you think?

Also, I have a bunch of seeds I am going to start inside in the spring. Is there anything I need to do with them in the winter before starting them inside in the spring? Does anyone have an recommedations for starting these seeds indoors?

Thanks.

[Mona Miller]

Do you have any idea what type of milkweed it is? It is an annual or perennial?

If annual, it will not live in a pot outside and may not live in your shed. I think Ohio is a zone 5 or 6 (gets below 10 degrees in your area?).

Seeds, we need to know what kind of seeds. Annual, perennial... A name would help.

http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/index.htm
There are 110 species of milkweeds. Your state probably has about 15 to 20 species that are native and perennial.

http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/index.htm
Monarch Watch has a nice photo index.

http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/prop.htm
And, information on propagation--How to grow.

[reggorf]

That would probably help huh?

It is swamp milkweed in the pots and the seeds. I live in the primary snow belt in Ohio where we get a ton of snow and freezing weather. I have some of the same milkweed planted in the ground behind my shed. But next year I want to have a bunch of it potted on my deck so that I can enjoy the butterflies and caterpillars close to the house and close the the butterfly enclosure I built. They are all perrenial. I will check out some of those links as well, but would love to know what you think.

[Mona Miller]

Is is risky if you temperatures are very low. Some years my swamp milkweed comes back in my pots and some years it doesn't. Part of the problem is the milkweed weevil that attacks the milkweed stems and feeds on the rhizomes.

You could partially bury the pots, that is if they are pastic. Then I'd, put on some extra wood mulch or leaf litter for more protection.

The Monarch Watch website will tell you how to raise the perennial milkweed. It does need some cold treatment.

[Paul Cherubini]

I think butterflyencounters.com has some free seed stratification instructional YouTube videos posted on their website.

I'd bury the pots in the soil outside to simulate natural conditions and to prevent the soil from drying out.

[reggorf]

burying the pots is not an option. I have a very small yard and do not wish to have huge holes in the ground after i pull the pots out of the ground. Besides, my soil in the yard is hard as a rock! I am just wondering what the best option would be:

put the pots in the shed for the winter and randomly go out and pour water into the pot.

Leave the pots as is on the deck all winter.

or bring the pots into my house where it can range from 40 degrees to 75 degrees downstairs, depeninding if we build a fire.

[sbannister]

I would bring them inside and put near a sunny window, as far away from the fireplace as possible. I don't really know anything about swamp milkweed, though. I leave all my potted plants outside when the weather is good and bring them in when it freezes, but this is a much warmer climate.

[reggorf]

Update: I left the pots out on the deck all winter. One pot, I sprinkled a ton of seeds on the surface in the fall to see if they would come up in the spring. I figured maybe a few would sprout. I was wrong. ALL of them are sprouting. There are probably 50-75 in one pot. Does swamp milkweed transplant well? Ihave other pots I could move them to. I also started seeds inside. That has been hit and miss. Some are doing well and are in five gallon buckets now. Some sprouted then died. I hope I have enough to feed all the cats i plan to raise this year. I have to start growing it for the State Park I work at as well. We are going to be doing a Monarch program at our nature center this summer for the guests. Very exciting.

[Mona Miller]

Swamp does transplant well. Last week, I took my swamp milkweed seeds out of the frig. Earlier, I covered them with a damp paper towel, then put them in a ziplock bag. I left them in the frig for about 6-8 weeks. I planted them, putting maybe about 1/4 inch of soil over them. They are popping up in huge numbers.

[reggorf]

So, I just transplanted a bunch from one pot to another. Lets hope it all survives. At the beginning of last year, I planted one clump of swamp milkweed and one clump of bronze fennel on each side of my shed. Well, the fennel does best on the West side and the milkweed on the east. So, I think I am going to switch those around as well. I really hope everything adjusts. The ground is really wet from all this rain, so now would be a great time to move them hoping the roots will come out easier.