Can't Grow Milkweed Fast Enough

[pianopete]

I've only been at this 2-3 months, but here is what I've experienced so far. I currently have 20-25 milkweed plants of which 9 are propagations not suitable as a host plant yet. Problem is that more eggs and cats are being produced faster than my milkweed can regrow here in South Florida. It seems that it takes a bushy plant (12 - 18 inches) to fully feed 1 - 3 cats..... and they strip most of the leaves and gnaw down the stalks. I usually have more than 3 on a plant and end up having to move the growing cats from one plant to another. The more milkweed in the ground, the more eggs and cats there are... sorta snowballs. Inside I currently have 11 chrysalis, 6 cats (small to large), 4 eggs just hatched in a dish, and many new eggs remaining on the plants outside.

[Keith Petrosky]

My advice is to order some milkweed plants fast, while your other regrow. Try putting some milkweed in pots as well, they grow faster. Leave them outside of course.

[pianopete]

At the moment, about half of the milkweed is in the ground and half in pots which I move in and out of the house.... in to and out of mesh cages. Gonna make a run to the nursury (Home Depot) this afternoon and get about 10 more pots of milkweed (12-18 inch and bushy) this afternoon. They sell it for about $3.00 a pot. Somehow I have to grow this stuff faster. Released two more monarachs this morning.... 1 female and 1 male.

[MWilson]

Hi all,
I recently recieved some information about this site and am really interested in starting a butteryfly garden for the Monarch Waystations
Is there still time or is it too late to start one?
Thanks,
Mark

[Keith Petrosky]

They are still making the signs Mark. If you want it's never too early to buy milkweed. Buy 2 plants to get started until you get the waystation sign and seeds then you can add on to it.