Saving the Monarchs: FREE Milkweed

[JBtheExplorer]

As most of you know, the Monarch butterfly is on the path to extinction. Tomorrow, the 2015 Monarch Butterfly population report will be coming out. There was a slight increase in their population last year, but that's minor compared to where their numbers used to be. At this point in time, most habitat has been destroyed, turned to farm fields or cities. There's really only one way to help. Its an easy, simple way. Plant milkweed.

Milkweed is the deciding factor. More milkweed = more Monarchs. In general, its always best to plant native plant species. Doing that can save so many animals. It can also help ensure the plant species remain strong.

Milkweed seeds are generally cheap. There are so many kinds, shapes, sizes & colors. My personal favorite is Butterfly Weed, which is as showy and bright as any garden flower.

Now, getting to the point, while Milkweed seeds are generally cheap, Leaf2Wing is a great source for free milkweed seeds. I've used them a couple of times, along with buying packets from the store and collecting from the wild. Leaf2Wing often updates on social media of what types of seeds they get in. Not only do they give seeds away, but they accept them from donors to give away to others. Its really a great program that you can benefit from and eventually help them in return.

Everybody has room in their yard to plant even one milkweed, so I'm asking all of you to consider doing so. At this point, private gardens are a huge way to prevent species from going extinct, and in the future, may be the only way. If you'd like free seeds you can go to http://leaf2wing.org/ and contact them to see what they have available.

Another great source that sells milkweed seed packets for $2.50 is Prairie Moon Nursery. They have all different kinds of milkweed and have images and descriptions of each of them. You can go to http://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/ and search "milkweed"

Hope you guys consider it. Last year, Butterfly Milkweed was my only milkweed, but I planted seeds in Fall and am hoping to have 3 or 4 different kinds this year.

 

[Lisak1]

We planted milkweed in our bog last year - between that and our butterfly bushes we had so many monarchs! We saved seeds so we can plant again this year. The variety we planted was tropical and so pretty too! It blooms all summer long.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

We planted milkweed in our bog last year

I plan on doing the same. I had a few Swamp Milkweed seeds left that I hope to start indoors and plant in the bog.

 

[addy1]

I have a bunch of butterfly weed, saved all the seeds, going to put more out this summer.

 

[Tula]

I used the link and requested some seeds. I also liked their FB page - thanks for the information!

I've already received an e-mail and they're mailing me some seeds!!!

 

[DrCase]

I need to plant some on the farm

 

[Tula]

I need to plant some on the farm

Well contact the man on the link provided. He is friendly and prompt. He just asked about our forum too!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Well contact the man on the link provided. He is friendly and prompt. He just asked about our forum too!

I saw they shared a link to this topic on twitter

Glad you took advantage @Tula! Not too many species can be helped as easily as Monarchs, we just have to hope as many people as possible will care.

 

[addy1]

I sent for some, going to add it to my yard of bee, critter, bird, bug friendly plants.

 

[rebelangel_3733]

We plant a variety of plants/vegetables to encourage wildlife to visit our backyard and feed the birds to boot. Below is an interesting article on the monarch butterflies. Interesting read.

http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2015/01/plan-save-monarch-butterflies-backfires

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Below is an interesting article on the monarch butterflies. Interesting read.

http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2015/01/plan-save-monarch-butterflies-backfires

Just another reason of why planting native plants, and not non-native plants, is important. To anyone who grows that type, I'd say Butterfly Weed is a great alternative.

 

[Lisak1]

Those chemical resistant crops are damaging all of us - bees, butterflies, livestock, and humans alike. We need to wise up!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

We need to wise up!

I have the feeling the people and companies that need to make the biggest changes won't do anything until its too late to reverse the effects. They all see $$$, and unfortunately the government isn't concerned with it enough to make the changes required.

 

[addy1]

Farmers need to go back to leaving a small strip of land go to weeds again. The wild flowers I plant are considered weeds by many.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

The wild flowers I plant are considered weeds by many.

Yeah, I don't get it. For some reason native plants are often called "weeds" but are really highly important to our land. I'm not sure why that came to be. So many native plants even look nicer than the ones they sell at garden stores, plus they're more reliable in returning every year after winter.

Oddly enough, we all grow grass as our yard and that's actually a weed and about the ugliest plant there is. Its really weird to observe what we've done and wonder why we did that. Could you imagine if everyone's yard was filled with native plants or trees instead? We'd all be living in the middle of forests and prairies instead. It would make people happier and raise qualities of life. We wouldn't have to take trips to scenic places because we'd be living in it!