Road Side Milk Weed & Proper soil

[tartandtiny]

I know there was a post years ago regarding road side milkweed. Not sure where to find it.

I would assume that this milkweed is not a good choice to collect eggs, cat or use as a food source for cats. Am I correct? I am thinking there would be too many automobile contaminants on them.

I am curious about growing milk weed. It seems to be very hardy. Will it grown in sandy conditions. There is a location near my home which I would love to scatter seeds.

[Mona Miller]

On the contrary, I have found some very nice roadside milkweed even in the ditchs along a very busy 4 lain pkwy. I also found eggs on that very milkweed. You just have to be careful of the traffic and traffic laws. I haven't been caught yet, knock on wood.

[Pixie]

I need to know if any of you replace older milkweed plants at specific times. I am finding that older plants (at 3 years) do not look as nice as 1st & 2nd year plants. The older ones come up with thinner stalks, thinner leaves and not very pretty flower heads. It is usually the AS. incarnata............Any thought or advice?

Dottie (Pixie)
WS # 252

[tartandtiny]

I am happy to hear I can begin to collect from road side milk weed. I see it all over on my 15 minute commute home from work. I think I might be making some pit stops along the way. I will be mindful of the traffic and laws

[Mona Miller]

I need to know if any of you replace older milkweed plants at specific times. I am finding that older plants (at 3 years) do not look as nice as 1st & 2nd year plants. The older ones come up with thinner stalks, thinner leaves and not very pretty flower heads. It is usually the AS. incarnata............Any thought or advice?Dottie (Pixie) WS # 252

Try dividing and transplanting them this fall. That might help.

[Wyvern]

There is nothing wrong with road side milkweed. Just make sure you have a safe place to park and a safe place to collect where you won't get hit by cars. There are several places I would love to collect from, but there is no safety zone from cars so I have not used those spots as of yet. Safety aside, the limiting factor on the road side stuff would be the amount of water the plants receive... those that get plenty of water are much nicer quality. Those in areas that don't get a lot of water tend to be scraggly and yellowed leaves. I don't mess with those. For some, poison ivy would also be a limiting factor (PI likes roadside spots too) but I personally just don't care. I tend to be pretty resistant to the stuff so don't mind walking in it if need be.

Plants growing in heavy shade tend to not have eggs or cats compared to spots where the plants are in full sun or get afternoon sun. I prefer to strip shade grown plants for food since I usually don't have to deal with a lot of extra mouths to feed as a result of collecting.

[tartandtiny]

How do you divide and replant Milkweed. The roots seem to be endless. I have found that even if I pull the milkweed out and seem to get the whole root, they grow back in the same spot just as tall and old looking.

Should I dead head them when they first start to grow to get them to stay smaller with younger/fresher leaves.

Most of my milkweed plants end up aroud 4 to 5 feet tall.

[Mona Miller]

Are you talking about common milkweed? If so, dig the tap root along with the plant. It will come back if you don't get all the taproot and doing that is hard because it can be very deep. Cutting back in June usually helps a new flush of grow.