Planting Milkweed Part 4 - Banding Pods & Harvest (Help The Monarch Butterfly)
Tips, Tricks
This is Part 4 of a four part series on one way to collect Common Milkweed seeds, germinate them, and plant them at home or in the wild. All of this is in an effort to help out the Monarch Butterfly populations, and give them the needed food for their caterpillars. Milkweed has significantly been reduced along their migration paths due to development and the use of herbicides. This is one species that you CAN help directly from doing some very easy, affordable things in your own back yard!
Comments
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I just found 4 monarch Caterpillars and it's the first time I have ever seen them. I took them home and I'm excited. I live in Columbus Ohio and I was wondering isn't it kind of late of late in the year to be finding them? I just wanted to let you know!
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Plant*
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I just picked some milkweed seeds. Should I plat them now or should I wait until next season?
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found a video by sunny savage on a place in Ogallala, NE that is growing milkweed for Monarchs too. Natural Fibers Corp. I think all the efforts being invested in this matter is wonderful. Thanks to all.....
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Use gallon sized bags, works better for larger hands. lol
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Thank you! This is so interesting!
I am a science teacher in an elementary school in Quebec - Canada and we will plant milkweed next spring. -
Here is a method that I prefer to use as well and works BEFORE the pods pop open on their own! It works well, just like this woman does!! After raked off, I place the seeds on a newspaper or paper towels for about a week so they dry thoroughly!! I also use dessicant packets to keep the seeds dry during winter storage.
https://youtu.be/fhjkC1Mbzlg -
Try this next fall. It is much easier. Collecting and Harvesting Common Milkweed without all the fluff, Asclepias syriaca, Seeds (this method can be used for other milkweed species)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhjkC1Mbzlg -
I've grown my native milkweed for years but still only attracting boxelder bugs. The caterpillars completely devour the leaves. Anyone have any suggestions to control them?
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Great videos. I'm happy to be on the bandwagon with you.
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Great tip! Hey, I wonder if dried beans would work, as a gentler way to shake loose the seeds? Thanks for all this great educational work.
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Love all your advice ~ especially since you are not an expert ~ just like the rest of us trying to help! I plant my MW seeds in organic soil in pots in the fall and leave them outside all winter. In the spring, I have lots to share with friends and family!!!!
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I have some seed pods growing on my potted milkweed plants but no sign of butterflies or eaten leaves
are Monarch butterflies active this time of year? -
REALLY Love and appreciate your video series. Thanks so much for sharing all of your experience.
I would like to know, Not sure if you deal with aphids and or spider mites in Michigan, but I live in Texas (near Houston) and aphids are HORRIBLE on my Milkweed. I have tried spraying them off with hard streams of water and they just come right back within a day or so. Grrrr I'm not sure if they effect the larvae, however, it seems like they invite the spider mites and I have lost milkweed before from them.
Any advice on how to get rid of aphids and spider mites, without hurting my larvae, would be appreciated. :) -
Thanks so much for these awesome videos. I'm going to check out the FaceBook page now. I'm adding 2 rooms onto my house 1 will be a craft room. I will be putting up a wash line for the chrysalis. Thanks so much.
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Good job! Novel approach to harvesting seeds quickly. I harvested 48 oz (volume) this fall and they sold within 1 week. Sold to cover time and shipping, not profit. Oh, I use a different method to harvest but whatever works. Love the rubber band idea.
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