Wanted: Pollinators and Gardeners, Part 2

Did you know that Monarch caterpillars can eat only milkweed? Without these plants, they cannot survive. By planting a small patch, you create a lifeline for one of nature’s most beautiful miracles.

This article began being formed on April 17, when Mrs. Margaret Ferguson was the guest speaker at the Community Garden Club of Marlin’s monthly meeting. Part 1 featured the Monarch Butterfly and why, how, when, and where it flew to deliver its eggs. Remember that it attaches 300-500 eggs individually ONLY on the milkweed plant and that it cannot withstand the cold winters of Canada or northern United States.

Unfortunately, due to its loss of habitat, the Monarch population over the past thirty years has decreased by over 90%. What can each person, family, or group of friends do for the Monarch Butterfly?

Plant Milkweed. It’s that simple.

It’s not enough to plant a butterfly garden just for its beauty. Nectar-rich flowers attract a wide variety of beneficial insects, including bees, native wasps, and other butterfly species. Additionally, hummingbirds frequently use the fluffy white seed fibers to line and insulate their nests.

Milkweed species evolved in open areas where they were exposed to full sunlight, and they will do best if they are planted in the sunniest areas of gardens. We need to plant with purpose to truly support the Monarchs on their journey and give them what they need to survive and thrive. Timing is critical. With bee populations declining nearly 60% in just the past year, it’s pretty clear — pollinators are in crisis and we are running out of time. The urgency to act, to plant intentionally, is now.

Milkweed isn’t difficult to grow from seed. You can create a Monarch Butterfly habitat (Monarch Waystation) by planting milkweed in even just a 4’x4’bed.

In Falls County, plant Antelope Horns Milkweed (Asclepias asperula), aka, Spider Milkweed is a clumping perennial with stems densely covered with minute hairs. As the green seed pods grow, they curve to resemble antelope horns. It has pale, greenish-yellow flowers, tinged maroon. It blooms from March to October in full sun and dry soil, grows to 1 to 2 feet, and is drought tolerant.

Green Milkweed (Asclepias viridis), another perennial, is very similar to Antelope Horn. Its white flowers lack the “horns” seen on true Antelope Horn Milkweed. Green Milkweed, common in pastures from Kansas to Texas, is generally avoided by cattle and horses. It is found along roadsides, ditches, prairies, open areas, and other areas with little vegetative competition. It blooms from May to August in full sun. Cold, heat and drought tolerant, it grows to 4 feet.

“In the wild, milkweed plants scatter their seeds quite late in the season, at a time when the coming cold would kill any seedlings that germinated right away. However, the seeds of milkweeds (and other late-season flower plants) are cleverly programmed to delay germination until after they’ve been exposed to winter’s cold, followed by gradually rising temperatures in springtime. This adaptation is known as stratification. Cold stratification helps to break the seeds’ natural dormancy cycle. Exposure to winter temperatures helps soften or crack the seeds’ hard outer casings.” (americanmeadows. com) In Falls County, TX, without winter frost, milkweed seeds do better if they are cold-stratified in the refrigerator!

At-home cold stratification means putting your Milkweed seed in a damp paper towel or some damp sand inside a zipper bag, and place in your fridge for 3 – 6 weeks (30 days). Label your seeds, and be sure to choose a low-traffic place inside your fridge where they won’t get damaged. If seeds have been in the fridge for 30 days, they can be planted into the garden now, before the increasingly higher temperatures of Falls County, TX.

Milkweed seeds are relatively small and require sunlight to germinate, so they should not be buried deeply. If gardening for the first time, consider consulting the local county extension agent to see if your soil needs to be enhanced with soil additives before planting the seeds. According to the Monarch Watch Organization, a smooth, clumpfree, weeded soil bed will virtually guarantee a successful start for germination and seedling establishment. The seedbed should be kept moist until germination. As the seedlings become established, it is important to avoid watering too much or too little. A light watering each day until roots are well established (7-10 days), preferably in the morning, should be sufficient. Milkweed will do best if planted in the sunniest areas of gardens.

Begin by making a shallow divot and cover them with no more than a \\(1/4\\) inch of high-quality seed starting or potting mix. Next, place 2 to 3 seeds per hole or pot in case some do not sprout. Gently press the soil down to ensure good seed-to-soil contact for moisture absorption.

When small seeds are sown, they are often mixed with sand or fine soil to have better seed distribution. However, this method does not completely prevent crowding of seedlings and thinning will be necessary. Thinning provides more space between plants, increasing the amount of light reaching the plants and the air circulation around them. Seedlings may need to be thinned several times beginning 1-2 weeks after germination. Without proper thinning, you will end up with weaker plants.

All milkweeds are perennials and some can be grown from cuttings. To start cuttings, cut the stems underwater, then coat the bottom of the stem with a strong rooting hormone. The stems should be placed in sand, vermiculite, or potting soil that is kept continuously moist. Cuttings can usually be transplanted in 6 to 10 weeks. Survival is best when cuttings are made from green stems (1/3-inch diameter) obtained from plants fertilized two weeks earlier.” (monarchwatch. org/milkweed/) Place the plant plug into the hole so that the roots are entirely covered, and the stem and leaves of the plant are above ground. Spread the remaining soil from the hole around the plant and gently pack it down. Water frequently after planting until the plant becomes established. Plugs can be planted in Spring or Summer.

If planning to harvest and store Milkweed seeds, timing of the collection of milkweed pods or seed is critical. Mature pods are those that are within a day or two of opening. If you squeeze the pods and they don’t open easily, they usually do not contain mature brown seeds. Seeds well into the process of browning and hardening will germinate when planted the next season.

Pale or white seeds should not be collected. Freshly collected pods dry should be dried in an open area with good air circulation. Once the pods are thoroughly dry, the seeds can be separated from the coma, or silk-like ballooning material, by hand.

Separation of seeds can also be accomplished by stripping the seeds and coma from the pods into a paper bag. Shake the contents of the bag vigorously to separate the seeds from the coma and then cut a small hole in a corner of the bottom of the bag and shake out the seeds. Store dried seeds in a cool, dry place protected from mice and insects — a plastic bag (resealable) or other container in the refrigerator works well.