gardening for monarchs

[Jeans]

I started a butterfly garden this year, and I want to add milkweed to it. I collected seeds and planted them inside with trays full of dirt, it's been two weeks now and nothings coming up I had watered them from the bottom, but I don't want to water them too much or else mould might grow. I undug a seed and nothing was happening. I'm not sure if they only grow at a certain time of year or not.

[Orangeaid]

I think the seeds need to be in the cold for a while before they will germinate. I think this can be done by putting them in the fridge for a few months and of course this happens naturally in nature during the cold season.

[Jeans]

thanks
I'll try that

[Mona Miller]

What type of milkweed did you plant?

[Jeans]

Common Milkweed

[Mona Miller]

The common milkweed needs a cold treatment or give them a hot water treatment for a couple of days. Change water every 12 hours. This helps them germinate. Otherwise, keep them outside and wait until spring for them to germinate. Good luck...

[Jeans]

I think I'll try the cold treatment for a few days

[Mona Miller]

It takes 6-8 weeks cold treatment to break dormancy. I use a little peat, wet it, then add the seeds, put that into a baggie and then into the frig for 6-8 weeks, and then plant the seedings (take care not to cover too deeply, 1/4 inch is plenty), or plant them outside in pots in the fall with some type of screen over the top to keep the rodents out of the pots. They should start germinating in the spring. I am collecting common milkweed seeds this fall to start several pots of seedings. I'm tired of having to go out on the road sides to collect milkweed. Worrying that I may get stopped by a cop or ran into. Also, there's much more control with having your own stock. You don't have to worry whether it has been sprayed with pesticide or herbicide.

The easiest way to start common milkweed is if you can find some rhizomes to dig up. Think safety and do it legally. Take come wet papertowels to wrap the roots. Plant them ASAP. You'll have milkweed blooming by next year. If you plant seeds, it will take 3-4 years, just to get blooms.

[Jeans]

Im having trouble with the milkweeds again.
i freezed them for 51 days and then took them out and watered them with warm water.
and waited... its been 27 days and nothing has come up. i undug some seeds and they still aren't growing
the only thing thats happening is a little mould growing on the top. Im not sure what im doing wrong. i keep them in trays of dirt with only a little dirt on top, and i water them from the bottom.
I've never grown milkweeds before, i didn't know it could be so complicated.

[Mona Miller]

Light. You need to have a florescent light about 4 inches above the trays. Also, air. I turn on a fan for air circulation.

[Mona Miller]

http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/ho ... -tips.aspx
10 Seed-Starting TipsHow a practiced propagator gets seedlings off to a healthy start

http://www.monarchcanada.org/milkweed.htm
Monarch Teacher Network--Canada
Growing Milkweed

[Jeans]

thanks, there doing great now, the fan really helps. i can't wait for monarch season to start again.

[Mona Miller]

I've got to get my seeds planted. I ordered some Swan Plant and Tropical Milkweed from Johnny's Select Seeds. Outside I have Butterfly Weed, Common and Swamp Milkweed in the ground. Unfortunately that doesn't start growing until early May.

[dandjtaylor]

I planted both cold treated and untreated seed from my garden back in October. I had great luck with Common and Swamp (27 plants that all have 4-6 branches now under lights in my basement). I found, however, that Purple Milkweed and Butterfly Weed did need the treatment. Also the Butterfly Weed needs to be planted in deep cups or it will fizzle when the tap root bottoms out.

So, you can't go wrong with cold treatment, but I found that if you have a large number of seeds, you can get several to germinate without.

I still have thousands of common and Swamp already treated if you need some.

Good Luck

Dwayne and Jen Taylor
Waystation #2368
dwayneandjen.taylor@verizon.net

[Mona Miller]

Instead of seed trays, I plant the perennial milkweeds in 6 inch pots. That gives them plenty of room for their roots/rhizomes to grow.

http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/art ... seeds.aspx
Jump Start Your Seeds
Use these tricks to speed germination then plant up some pots

http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/art ... -tips.aspx
10 Seed-Starting Tips
How a practiced propagator gets seedlings off to a healthy start
See the pots and techniques on this page.
Check out these Videos on the above website:
• Seed-Starting Pre-Treat
• Sowing Seeds
• Lighting Seedlings