Raising Monarchs

[Ben]

You likely have Common Milkweed. Many say that it's one of the Monarch's preferred milkweeds.

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View attachment 90690


Orange Milkweed stays considerably smaller, about 2 feet tall, and has narrow leaves. Many garden centers that have small native plant selections carry Orange Milkweed, and its seeds can usually be found at most stores that sell seed packets. It's worth adding, and happens to be my favorite plant.

Yep - that's the kind I have. Hopefully I'll have a little more variety this year since I bought more seeds.

 

[Nepen]

Ok so here's the plant I thought as milkweed... Is it?

 

[Ben]

Ok so here's the plant I thought as milkweed... Is it?

View attachment 90721

Yep that's milkweed!!

 

[Nepen]

Yey! Thanks. They are small right now. Hopefully I can take them to the place that they can grow and flower.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Yey! Thanks. They are small right now. Hopefully I can take them to the place that they can grow and flower.

I'd guess that they'll flower this year. Milkweeds can start flowering their first, second, or third year, but more often than not, it's the second year.

 

[Nepen]

I'd guess that they'll flower this year. Milkweeds can start flowering their first, second, or third year, but more often than not, it's the second year.

I cleared that area to make my vegetable garden so I had to dug these up. I didn't plant them so they were originally here already

 

[addy1]

I just received this email for anybody wanting to plant a lot of milkweed

rom: "Dena Kay Podrebarac" <[email protected]>
To: (e-mail address removed)
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2016 12:20:46 PM
Subject: Free Milkweeds for Restoration Projects | Application Reopened!

Dear Monarch Enthusiast,

Thank you for your interest in Monarch Watch’s “Free Milkweeds for Restoration Projects” grant. We have completed the first round of awards and we have plants remaining for some ecoregions. The application is active again. If you are still interested in milkweed plugs for habitat restoration of two acres or more (200 plants minimum), please follow the link below to fill out the application.

We will be growing another crop of milkweeds for fall planting (shipping in September). The number, species, and ecoregions for the fall planting are unknown at this time. Please check the website in July.

Information Page

Free Milkweeds for Restoration Projects (grant) http://monarchwatch.org/bring-back-the-monarchs/milkweed/free-milkweeds-for-restoration-projects/

Application

Free Milkweeds for Restoration Projects (grant) http://goo.gl/forms/HtGDTgMN8h

Not all plantings are eligible for this grant, and we do not have plants available for every ecoregion. If your site is under two acres, or is a garden/landscaped area, we have flats of milkweed plugs available for purchase here:

Milkweed Market http://monarchwatch.org/milkweed/market/

If you would like to register your site as a Monarch Waystation, visit this link:

Monarch Waystation Program http://www.monarchwatch.org/waystations/

Dena Podrebarac
Milkweed Grant Coordinator
Monarch Watch
The University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
(e-mail address removed)
http://monarchwatch.org

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Year three for some of my Orange Milkweed.

Also saw my Swamp Milkweed popping up in my bog and in my native garden.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I'm raising a handful of Monarch caterpillars this year. Unfortunately, one was lost due to a tachinid fly, so I'll be watching to see what happens with the rest of them.

 

[j.w]

Will be fun seeing them when they hatch!

 

[CountryEscape]

Hey, JB, good to know there are monarchs up your way. I've seen many, but usually only one or maybe two a day when I'm outside all day on the weekends. I haven't found any eggs, but did find one baby caterpillar, so have it inside. It went into a chrysalis on Sunday morning, so about a week from Friday it should emerge (eclose I think is what it's called). Here in central IL, other butterfly fanatics like me are reporting the same thing ... very few monarchs being spotted, and nearly no eggs/cats found! Good luck with yours!!! Sounds like we all need to help them, even more this year than before!

 

[CountryEscape]

Oh, and at a Native Plant sale I went to in April here in IL, I picked up purple milkweed, prairie milkweed, and added that to some orange and yellow butterfly weed (a type of milkweed), swamp and common milkweed, I'm hoping to really get the monarchs remembering my yard in years to come. I planted seeds of the orange butterfly weed with GREAT success, and also a tropical milkweed. I've heard the tropical is actually hardy to my zone 6, so we shall see. Assuming they will make seeds, but if they don't, I'll dig up a clump of them to overwinter inside to be sure I have some for next year.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Lost another to tachinid fly larvae, but overnight two healthy-looking caterpillars turned into chrysalises.

Oh, and at a Native Plant sale I went to in April here in IL, I picked up purple milkweed, prairie milkweed, and added that to some orange and yellow butterfly weed (a type of milkweed), swamp and common milkweed, I'm hoping to really get the monarchs remembering my yard in years to come. I planted seeds of the orange butterfly weed with GREAT success, and also a tropical milkweed. I've heard the tropical is actually hardy to my zone 6, so we shall see. Assuming they will make seeds, but if they don't, I'll dig up a clump of them to overwinter inside to be sure I have some for next year.

Make sure you add Meadow Blazing Star if you don't already have it. I bought one in Spring and it started blooming around 3 weeks ago. Ever since, Monarchs have been on it daily. I only have one stalk and it's all I ever see them on unless they're busy laying eggs. Its reputation for being the ultimate Monarch magnet is true!

 

[CountryEscape]

My one and only (so far anyhow ... hoping for more!) monarch eclosed yesterday! It is a female, so hopefully she will produce more eggs.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Very cool @CountryEscape! Woke up to see my first one today! Should have a second in no time.

Thought this was pretty cool to see. A Monarch in every form. (except egg)