Planting Milkweed Part 3 - Ready To Transfer (Help The Monarch Butterfly)

This is Part 3 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!

[@donnamarie4443]

Thank you for the great ideas! l bought one milkweed plant last year. Praying l can plant a field of milkweed to save the monarch one butterfly at a time👏👏👏👏 . God bless you for these videos. 🦋🦋

[@denisefarmer5506]

wow, just watched your entire series of videos, thanks for all of that. Totally helpful. I just ordered 32 milkweed plants from Monarch watch and they will arrive here 9/9/15. Plus I ordered a thousand seeds from Monarch watch that I will be planting as well in the spring. Not only is milkweed good for the monarch, it is also good for my honeybees so it will do double duty in my yard

[@johnifly]

MrLundScience, it's really easy to pop your milkweed out of the plastic pots. Just push up on the bottom of the pots (you might want to gently tap the seed pots to loosen the root ball from the plastic containers) and then they'll pop right out for you in the shape of the root ball. Just remember to have the soil moist in the pot before taking them out! That way they won't fall apart on you and you can plant the whole root ball in the soil. ;-)

[@MrLundScience]

johnifly Now that will help! As stated, I'm no gardener, so advice like that is definitely welcomed! I'll be trying that from here on out. Thanks!

[@johnifly]

MrLundScience You're welcome Mr. Lund! MANY moons ago I took a horticulture course as part of my high school education at a vocational-technical (vo-tech) school. :-) ;-)

[@melaniedebagheera7082]

Pp

[@pavelsfera5236]

Good job sir. Bit of advice I've done and heard that may work best for germination; 1: when collecting the seeds, you can place all of them in a bucket......cotton/hairs and all. 2: take a bbq lighter(99cent store) and light the cotton/hairs on fire. It will quickly burn and keep the seeds intact. 3: place all collected seeds, place them in a zip lock bag and then air tight, place bag in refrigerator for a minimum of 2 weeks to up the 30 days before you want to germinate. This process tricks the seeds that there are hibernating for winter. Once taken out into warm air, the protective shell will give way for actual germination. 4: when you want to germinate, put them in a cup or some container, back in the fridge or on a counter. 5: take each seed that has been thoroughly and place into ground where you want to plant them. No deeper than 1/4". 6: If you are germinating with the wet paper towel method, be sure to use only distilled water because the chlorine in tap water can damage the seeds. 7: once they've started to sprout, have a hole of choice in the ground already dug up and conditioned with a mixture of natural fertilizers. These fertilizers can be a mixture of molasses, Epson salt(magnesium sulfate) and fish emulsion. All these can be purchased at Home Depot or your local well stocked nursery. Note: Don't use animal manure that has not been seasoned lest the decaying process is still continuing cause root burn. Water regularly around the base. You can get a 5 gallon bucket with an air bubbler to help eliminate the chlorine out of tap water. 8: if all else fails, talk with your local nursery propagator. Sadly, Home Depot peeps aren't always aware of the finer details. Happy Growing. Peace be with you all. Pavel

[@MrLundScience]

Great tips, Pavel! Thanks for sharing them.

[@joycejune5172]

I've got the perfect spot ... can't wait ... full sun ... good dirt ... also putting in lots of wildflowers this year ... love it!

[@deborahhayes825]

Others may have already mentioned, but toilet paper rolls make great little containers to plant in, and to set them out, just cut on each side to open it up and you can put the whole thing, cardboard and all, and all into the ground. The cardboard will disintegrate into the soil. Great way to recycle instead of putting into landfill. Also, the rhizomes have small nodes on them, that is where they sprout from. This is what he's talking about when they spread. You can separate out little pieces of the rhizome and they will grow from that piece. Easier than from seed. You probably need at least 10 plants in an area to have enough food for a Monarch caterpillar to survive to pupae stage.

[@williamj.stilianessis1851]

Great advice on how to do the transplanting. Another suggestion is egg cartons (pressed paper type). They will breakdown in soil and add valuable carbon to the area. If you have a concern that the roots might not make it through the bottom of the cups, make a few small cuts in the bottoms to allow roots to poke through. I do this with nearly all my starter plants and tend to have a higher than average success rate with survival. The plastic pots method may put a bit more transplant stress on the plants and have adverse affects on success.

[@RichardRoy2]

I had hoped to find milkweed growing in my backyard along with all the other weeds I encourage. I get plenty of thistle, but I'm going to have to go out and seek out some seeds. Thanks for these. I'm going to try cardboard egg cartons to start the seeds when I find some. I didn't know they came back every year. That's good to know.

[@audyo14]

When I was little they were everywhere and now it's a whole spectacle to see one.

[@OkikaHawaii]

We have monarchs in Hawaii. I am currently fostering four caterpillars/chrysalis right now. I am starting seeds leftover from the first milkweed I have.

[@Gtumrths]

Wow, you have good soil!

[@crmnzcndn5901]

Mr.LundScience, thank you so much for taking a lot of your time doing very well done instructional videos for how to raise Monarch caterpillar to free the beautiful butterflies, and now how to grow milkweed. I purchased 2 milkweed plants in a local nursery in the fall of 2016 and now spring 2017, unexpectedly i found bunches of caterpillars on them, so I have to do a fast research of how to take care them. I have learned a lot from your videos, had to watch several videos in one morning, and I thank you because I have enough info for a hopefully success project. I have different stages right now: cocooms, still eating caterpillars, and many building the silk, uff a lot of work for a first timer amateur. I enjoy so much your videos and learn a lot from them. Right now and I am trying to skip the repetitive introduction from the TV, i know you want to warn people the danger of extinction, but don't you think you can go straight to the point? Another thing, is the music, I try to ignore it as I am not a rock lover person, I think your nice voice, figure and great instruction are enough for a good video, and I know is hard to please every body. And again thank you so much for sharing your passion of the conservation of the beautiful Monarch Butterflies.

[@MrLundScience]

Thanks for the kind words and for getting involved! I'm always happy to hear that the videos have helped you, as that's exactly what they were intended to do. You're not alone in not enjoying the music, and you're right, it's tough to please everyone all of the time. I'm mixed on it, one way or the other. Definitely, if someone is taking the time to watch the video, I want to make it worth their while and wouldn't want to discourage them from it. Also, though, when I was making the videos, I suppose for the first core 5, I wanted to add music to, honestly, make it more enjoyable for me! Ha! I wasn't really a "KZbinr" back then, but I suppose I'd have to accept such a category at this time. Be that as it may, back then, I added some music that I enjoyed, and I tried to match up songs with something to do with the video. Primus's "Welcome To This World" plays when the caterpillar is first hatching from the egg, for example. Or, when the caterpillars are eating the leaves in Part 3, and are in essentially the middle stage of their transitions from egg to adult, I chose Faith No More's "Midlife Crisis". Those videos are a done deal now, and will stay as they are. However, you might notice, I've kept the music much lighter in seconds on more recent vids involving the Monarchs, and when I do put it in, I try to go with essentially "background" music. In addition, I've only had the "intro" part explaining the Monarch's peril in the first 5 core videos for Raising Monarchs, and in the 4 Planting Milkweed videos. That's because, they are the "core" of the series, and beyond those, the intro is no longer necessary. The other videos I've made about Monarchs are more supplementary and for advanced enthusiasts who want more, and don't really need to be informed that the Monarch isn't doing well. I definitely do want to be responsive to what people want who are taking the time to watch the videos, out of respect for them. So, definitely thanks again for watching them, and you can trust, your advice is well heard! Good luck with your rearing!

[@coreypro3482]

Damn there’s always someone with some personal opinions on the negative side of things- I actually love that song- Gary Jules Mad World- I think it fits the video series perfectly- maybe if you knew the song you would see why he used it- please refrain from making such comments in the future- like the song says it’s a mad mad world when someone can find fault in such an amazing video series that has helped possibly save the amazing monarch- Thanks again!

[@dorothythompson8090]

Just wanted to thank you for your series on Monarchs and milkweed. I've been raising Monarchs for the past two years and find it very rewarding. The series on growing milkweed was very interesting and I'm going to start growing my own. Thank you very much.

[@MrLundScience]

Dorothy Thompson And thank you for not only checking out the series, but helping the monarchs!

[@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane]

Thanks for helping the monarchs!

[@cindystrobel1791]

Love your series!!!

[@katehoefer8037]

Thank you for your help... I have watched all of your videos about monarch butterflies and they have helped a lot! And again Thank You!

[@daliagarcia4316]

Awesome videos!!! Thanks for posting.

[@MrLundScience]

+Dalia Garcia I enjoy doing it. Thanks for checking them out!

[@MonarchGuy974]

"Asclepias" is pronounced sounding like "as creepy as" :) Thanks for your awesome videos!

[@Untapped_Slaps]

Thank you! I have learned so much from you and am raising three beautiful monarch caterpillars that I found in the wild.

[@rosariolopez3100]

Thank you for all your videos, I have milkweeds in my backyard now ,I just raise two Monarch

[@SharonCampbellWhittington]

Oh yes you ARE a gardener!

[@marzenak9362]

Yas lol

[@sasha1641]

Great information. Thanks. I am planting Commpn Milkweed, Incarnata and Tuberosa. I have a LOT and they are staying in pots until I get a feel for my new flower beds. I will also be able to bring them indoors to protect.

[@francesannwy5501]

Many thanks for this helpful series. I would have used the plant and pray method to germinate seeds. Now, I have a much better chance of success in planting common milkweed next spring :)

[@daisy1441]

Happy 2022 ! I have one milkweed plant from a nursery in my garden. Thanks to you I will soon have many more. I am also buying a habitat tent. They are sold on line everywhere these days. But it would not have caught on if it were not for people like you doing this 5 years ago. So Thank You. 🙂

[@Stealthdude21]

I give a thumbs-up because this helped me. ComEd supported my school and we all got seeds and I was wanting to look into how to use seeds from my milkweed. THANK YOU, I fully support this.

[@MrLundScience]

That's pretty cool that your school is involved! Great job. Many thanks for the support and good luck with your milkweed!

[@maryannmay7105]

Thank you so much for your help. Thanks to you I have grown some plants from seeds and they are doing well in the garden.

[@MrLundScience]

Ten years ago, I would have never predicted someone would be thanking me for gardening tips! It's really out of my element for the most part. Still, very glad that these videos were helpful!

[@brianquilty687]

Just came across your channel now ( 2022 ) Don't know if you are still actively making videos, but this was very helpful and interesting.

[@LoisCroft]

Really enjoyed both sets of videos; Raising Monarchs, and Planting Milkweed! Will be populating NE Tennessee if all goes well.

[@MrLundScience]

Awesome stuff! Much appreciated, and I wish you luck with the coming season!

[@britniallen8818]

Love 💕 you’re show I am actually doing the same thing myself

[@MrLundScience]

Excellent! Keep up the good work. Every plant helps!

[@shahndeloaksong7638]

I am trying an experiment and have planted a couple of milkweed seeds using the Kratky method in a grow tent with LED sunlight. It will be interesting to see how it works out and if it does, will start more seeds and introduce caterpillars if I can find some.

[@BongtasiaDuelfiend]

WAAA, Milkweed is.. an Amazing Plant ~ Even if it is a Weed, You Want it to Grow, Attracts Butterflies & Other "Exotics "Bugs" .. and did I mention , it attracts ME, *"HaHa"*, Smells So Amazing, It will stop ya dead in your tracks and make you smell it's *Lovely*

[@MrLundScience]

+Bongtasia Duelfiend There isn't really a scientific classification of a "weed" versus a "non-weed" plant. Weeds could be any plant that you don't want in its currently location. Its an undesirable, and you get to define in your own yard what is and isn't desirable!

[@OmerQuenneville]

+Bongtasia Duelfiend Yes, we need to slow down in life and take the time to smell the milkweed :) I started some seed this year. But I think I might go out and buy some established plants. I don't want to wait 3 years. I will keep my seed going now that I started them and will plant them in the wild once they get going.

[@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane]

@@OmerQuenneville "Slow down and take time to smell the milkweed" If that were on a T-shirt, I'd buy it!!! I agree, it smells wonderful... brings back wonderful memories of my youth!

[@pollyhorlander7389]

Perfect! Thank you!

[@MrLundScience]

You're definitely welcome. Thanks for doing what you can to help them out!

[@Meadow231]

Thank you Mr. Lund, watching and sharing with my conservation group!

[@georgecobble5688]

Thank you Mr Lund.....You don't have to cut up your plastic containers.....Turn them over and lightly tap them on the bottom...

[@deborahhayes825]

You are really doing a great job with these videos, especially with the lead-ins. Another project you could do is to video the growing stages of various milkweeds. I'm trying to convince landscapers to put in more milkweed, but they say they hire minimum wage workers who don't know a weed from an expensive flower. So they need something to show their people about what the milkweed look like in growing stages so they aren't pulled as "weeds".

[@MrLundScience]

I'm definitely focusing next year on milkweed topics. I can certainly consider this one, but there's many competing on the list too. But a great topic!

[@ladyravenvampire]

If you do have pests that eat your plants, one thing that works for us against rabbits deer and gophers is milk jugs with v shaped sluts on the corners about a third of the way up, you put a few moth balls in and then put in some water. The smell is strong enough to deter pests because they can't smell predators while they eat and the mouth balls don't melt so they last all year with no harm to any plants or insects (even pests) and it's contained. When I found this solution half my garden was eaten, but these jugs cover about 3 sq ft. I put a few out and not only did my plants get saved they bounced back. I thought I had transplanted milkweed for nothing but it bounced back enough to have big stalks and even a pod or two!

[@ppe7809]

Good videos, MrLundScience. Just a comment on your advice at 3:45 to plant milkweed near nectar plants so that butterflies that come to nectar will find the milkweed. Actually monarchs can detect milkweed up to a mile away. In fact putting the milkweed next to those plants makes it more likely that the caterpillars will be attacked by predator flies and wasps which are hanging around the nectar plants looking for targets to lay their eggs in. Perhaps better to plant the milkweed a slight distant from other nectar plants. The butterflies will find both just fine.

[@MrLundScience]

+P PE Excellent advice! I don't claim to be an expert at this, and so I really appreciate it when others who have more knowledge add to it here. Thanks! I knew some things about monarchs when I started doing these videos. I learn more and more from the community that has commented on them. Thanks for helping!

[@CassieValenti]

A mile away!!?? That's impressive!

[@sonyasmith9183]

By the way I don't care what everybody else says I absolutely love your choice in music! Although I'm admittedly probably right about your age so it makes sense :-)

[@steph7614]

Thank you!

[@MrLundScience]

Welcome!

[@jenniewren222]

I have watched your videos and I like the simplicity of your instructions (glad you are not a scientist whatever). A friend n Nevada raises the monarchs and has successfully tracked them to the south on their way to Mexico. Penny and I keep in touch and I am starting out this year. I am in California so I have the tropical Milkweed, but I am going to plant some of the pink variety as well. So I am hoping all goes well, I have the plant growing all over the place in my huge garden but will try to contain an area. thanks much Jennie

[@MrLundScience]

+J M GUARD Glad to have you on board, and thanks for checking out the vids. They were certainly made to make the information more accessible to those who want to get involved. The monarchs need plenty of help! As an aside, I totally consider myself a scientist. I consider myself, in fact, a scientist more than an educator, despite being a high school teacher. Some of my friends who are also scientists debate this. However, I'm a purist who feels that just as all one needs to do is pick up a paint brush to be a painter, you don't need to be published to be operating as a scientist. All that is required is that you adhere to the scientific method in your reasoning, investigating, and conclusions. Science is the most interesting anything I've ever found, and scientists have earned my respect sooner than any other category of people. (Artists are a close second!)

[@jenniewren222]

+MrLundScience Oh Dear I think I said the wrong thing please I meant to be funny with the scientist remark, forgive me... Thanks so much for the great videos.

[@MrLundScience]

+J M GUARD Definitely no offense was taken, so no apology necessary! I just love talking about science! Ha!

[@johnifly]

If you want to save on your plastic seed starters Mr. Lund, you can pop the whole plant up out of each starter and the whole root ball will come out. That way you will be able to save the starters and use them again next year. Just be sure that they are well-watered BEFORE you transplant them so the root ball will stay together. :-) Those starters can run into money.

[@johnifly]

You did pronounce it right Mr. Lund! :-) Excellent job on ALL your videos!

[@MrLundScience]

Thanks! However, I had some cerebral flatulence in the Raising Monarchs Part 5 vid, and say "probiscus" instead of "proboscis". That still bothers me! Too late now.

[@johnifly]

I noticed that too but I wouldn't worry about it! Hey, we ALL still learn no matter what our profession is in life!! :-) You are doing an EXCELLENT JOB and keep making those monarchs and milkweed videos. SO MANY need to learn about the importance of saving the monarchs of North America. They need our help desperately and the more people that can help, the better! You are doing a GREAT service Mr. Lund! Thanks! :-) ;-)

[@MrLundScience]

Those are some truly kind words, my friend. Thank you for them. What I appreciate so much is how many have been able to use the videos to feel confident enough to get started and do it themselves too. I hope we're making a difference. Soon up, though I don't know when (you can thank editing software that loves to crash and manhandle videos for me never knowing what exact date videos will be done) will be one of the most important ones: How to test for OE Bacteria.

[@johnifly]

Yes, that's VERY important Mr. Lund! The method that I've seen used is tape that's applied to the butterfly's abdomen and then, if you DON'T have a microscope, then it can be sent off to a lab somewhere. . I'm looking forward to any videos that you post that pertains to monarchs and nature. Have ALWAYS loved nature and in growing plants. I remember when I was a young boy, I planted an apple seed and was fascinated when it started to germinate. Since that moment on, I got hooked on planting and gardening. For example, I like to start my own nectar plants from seed for the monarchs. I bought ONE plant (New England Aster) from a local raptor sanctuary when they had their native plant sale last year. From those seeds that I harvested last year when they went to seed, I started them this year in April after I had them in cold-moist stratification for about six weeks. I wish I could attach the photos of the seedlings that I took but, as I mentioned before, I use seedling heat mats and flats that I put a clear plastic dome over each one, and Mr. Lund. not kidding here when I say they started to pop out of the soil between two to three days! That was so AWESOME!! Now this past late Spring I planted some in my monarch waystation and some in a BIG pot and you should see them now!! They're on the verge of blooming now, as they do in late Summer and early Fall. The monarchs LOVE New England Asters!! :-D See, if you were on Facebook, you could go to my page and see my waystation with all the milkweed and nectar plants growing! They are doing great! I think my monarch season is over for this year. I have six in chrysalides and two second instar caterpillars that are munching away on Commoin Milkweed leaves now! I mean it when I say "Thank you" for all you do with the videos on the monarchs and with milkweed! Yes, I feel together we are making a difference and so are so many people that are doing their part in helping out the monarch butterflies! Have a FANTASTIC Labor Day weekend my new friend! Keep in touch! ;-)

[@MrLundScience]

I think for me, plants weren't that special to me when I was young. (That's changed since then, I assure you!) I wasn't drawn to them, as it seemed apparent to many how beautiful they were. My first zoological love, you could say, were insects, but mostly because of their availability in my backyard in the city of Port Huron. And while I grew up in the city, my Grandparents lived outside of it in the Township, near the woods. That's when the REAL passion of animals hit me, and it was easily reptiles and amphibians. Can't get enough of them still today. I think it has something to do with how many feel that both bugs and reptiles are "gross" or "creepy", and that made them to me in my eyes, relatable. At that young age, I felt that I understood that aspect of them. But, even I needed to broaden my horizons. I shied away from learning much about butterflies, as they were too "beautiful" for me to see how beautiful an animal they are. The more I've learned about them, the more amazing an animal they become in my mind. The transformation, adaptations to the environment, mimicry, and sensory organs tantalize me much more than colorful wing patterns. And knowing that the Monarch needs a voice (and I'm not saying I'm that voice or any such nonsense) makes me really want to be on the front lines of this.

[@sarahrice2176]

I’ve learned so much from your Siri. I am planting a milk weed garden with several varieties. I have a lot of other flower gardens and butterfly bushes all around the yard. Would you suggest adding any kind of structure for the caterpillars to Jay hang from??

[@Phase1Digital]

Hi Rich, Thanks for this amazing video series. We have a friend with some milkweed in his yard. He just purchased the house and is going to take them all out. We want to transplant them. Being that they are already established plants, are they easily transportable? Any precautions/advice? Ralph

[@ken90017]

Crowding milkweed might be bad for the plant but it’s good for the caterpillars. I have sparse milkweed and very few monarchs make it. Most end up wasp food

[@jasonhardy1766]

If you want to contain it to one place and prevent it spreading everywhere cut the bottom off a plastic bucket or similar, sink it to it's rim in the ground and plant the milkweed in the bucket, this will stop the roots running everywhere. An old gardening trick that works.

[@uhitsethan]

Your a cool science teacher! Then again my Dad.. He's awesome. Just awesome, and so are you! My Dad has a doctorate in education. What is your degree? Also, I would suggest buying some stone steps to put in your yards. Who knows, you might accidentally be stepping on that new generation of milkweed.

[@MrLundScience]

UnEarthly Ethan Thanks for the compliment. Check out the rest of the channel to find the Tungsten Clan science hip hop songs if you haven't yet. We work hard on those, and will be having some new ones out around the start of the school year. My degree is in Chemistry with a minor in Physics, and then I went further for the teaching certificate. Say hello to your father for me. Maybe have him take a look at the Tungsten Clan songs. He'll get a laugh, I'm sure!

[@sarahs.9340]

I grow a different milkweed that the monarchs love here in Fl. There are 3 main things that can kills them. Wasps, a spore that weakens them, & a parasitic fly that lays their eggs inside the little catapillars. I have been raising them for about 7 years now & by far this year is the worst year yet. I have never seen so many die. Most of them died from the bacterial spore that weakened them. You will know your plants are infested with it if your caterpillars go into the j & either never hatch out or when they do their wings are curled & they cannot fly. In that case, cut all your plants back almost to the ground, sanitizing your cutters after each plant & throw the cuttings in a sealed plastic bag. This seemed to help me here in Florida. I have watched wasps sting them. It was painful to watch. They will have a green dot of blood on their back & will die within 24 hours. Here in Florida, we have them year round so you need lots of plants to keep them going, they will eat a lot of the foliage so be sure to have many plants. I even tried covering them with netting, but the spores were on the plants so it didn't matter, it infected all of them. Thank you Now I know here in Fl atleast, I cut them back 3- 4 times a year to the ground to protect them from the infestation that killed close to 50-75 butterflies. I have not seen the parasitic fly some are talking about. You will know if you have them, the dead caterpillars have threads coming off them & the larva flies drop from the thread locations. Hope this helps somebody. Do your part at saving the Monarchs.

[@kimsmascaro]

The flies are what are killing them here is CA, this year is the worst. We are having to harvest them from eggs and enclose them immediately... it is sooooo much work.

[@SharonCampbellWhittington]

Boy I wish my Missouri soil looked like that. LOTs of red clay and rocks here:( We use a lot of raised beds.

[@ZeldaFeb]

Thank you so much for making these! I have a question about milkweed though: Can it survive winter? I'm in Southern Georgia so it doesn't get too cold, but I was still wondering if it would be a bad idea to plant them in the ground around November/December?

[@MrLundScience]

Kimyona A I don't have experience doing such, so I'm not sure how to answer your question. Is there a reason you feel that's the time you can do it? At any rate, you could always experiment and see what happens, just save some seeds in case it doesn't.

[@Meadow231]

Thanks for the plug!

[@veggiemom5]

Thank you for the wonderful videos. We have nearly 100 milkweed plants growing in our pasture here in Ohio. We found dozens of eggs and some caterpillars. Where would they crawl to to form their chrysalis? There is Queen Annes Lace, red clover, chickory, burdock and some little white flower with a yellow center not sure what it is called along with grass and thistles. I'm afraid to walk around to much around the milkweed for fear of stepping on the cats crawling or the chrysalis. There is no possible way I can bring them all into the house to care for. I do have 5 eggs, 2 which hatched today and 3 cats that I brought in this week. I'm praying the majority of those in the pasture will make it ok.

[@MrLundScience]

For the most part, your guess is as good as mine. Caterpillars look for a place that's stable, and they feel comfortable at to make the chrysalis. They are stationary for a time before they gear up to do it, and during that time, if they are disturbed, they can relocate. But, if during that immobile time, they aren't bothered enough to feel the need to move, well, that's their mini-test they give that location as to whether it suits their needs. Some will do it on milkweed plants if there are no other options. They can choose a variety of spots too, and I've seen photos on the internet showing some places I know I wouldn't have thought were stable enough, but the Monarch did. Monarch knows best on this one. I suppose the best advice I could give is, watch carefully where you step! Fret not about not taking in all of the Monarchs in that field. That would be an unreasonable expectation. I think what you're doing is best: Take in as many as you feel *comfortable* raising. Taking on too many can actually (whether the pride in us wishes to admit it or not) be a risk to them. If we feel burdened or overwhelmed, we can lax in giving them the proper care, and may be less likely to do it in the future. So, keep trusting your gut as to how many you can do. Make sure it's enough to always enjoy it!

[@porknpiggy]

So glad you made this series! I just planted mine today! Yule tidings!

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you for this presentation, is it not a good idea to just direct sew the seeds? I'm planting a 1/4 acre and can't imagine doing it pod by pod... thanks so much! My second question is, am I too late to direct sew the seeds this year? Northeastern U.S. Zone 4

[@MrLundScience]

You can definitely do a direct sewing. Nature's been just letting the wind take and drop them wherever, and that's worked for millions of years, right? But when I set out to make these videos, some were asking some specifics about how to get the seeds started. And some prefer this method because they might not have many seeds at their disposal, and wanted a way to ensure that the ones they plant are definitely going to at least sprout. And waiting until they have sprouted and have grown a bit does give someone the advantage of being able to space them out how they want them. You could certainly just plant seeds spaced out, but there's no guarantee that they all end up growing. As for being too late, no, you definitely aren't too late to plant. The first milkweeds I planted in my yard, I germinated in late July, and once they were sprouted, planted them in August. They grew just a bit more, and then either deer or rabbits ate them down to the dirt. I thought they were gonners. But, they sprouted right back up the next spring. They are pretty tenacious, as long as Round Up isn't part of the picture. The first year, though, don't expect them to be very large and able to provide much food to caterpillars. The first year is just about getting the plant to grow and develop its root system. Good luck!

[@FrederickDunn]

@@MrLundScience Thank you so much! I really appreciate that you took the time to provide such a detailed response! I'll be planting this year...

[@MrLundScience]

7th grade typing class paid off. I'm pretty fast at the typed word, so it's not as hefty a task. Still, if people are taking the time and effort to help out the Monarchs, be it with planting milkweed or raising them, I think I owe it out of respect to answer questions that come my way as thoroughly as I can.

[@FrederickDunn]

@@MrLundScience Subbed :)

[@patchichester5296]

Hi Mr Lund, I wrote to you before, when my cat turned black. Well I had 1 more turn black but one day I came home and a butterfly was flying around. He came on my hand then flew away. Forgot to look for the sex ( darn) well I brought 11 cats into the house. It is so windy here it almost knocked me over and I was afraid for them. I hope I can return them to the plants in a few days. I will keep the container clean and with fresh leaves. I hope I have enough for them. My plants are pretty eaten up. Well thanks to your videos I feel confident I can take care of them. I feel bad they don't have as much room as outside. I'll be looking for any comments. Thanks, Pat

[@MrLundScience]

+Pat Chichester Your continued efforts are definitely worth it. Thanks for helping out, and I'm willing to bet, you'll keep it up next year too!

[@evamontone9687]

R. Lund . Thanks so much for teacher me how to plant milkweed seeds .I love very much your videos . I appreciate .

[@MrLundScience]

Happy to help! Thanks for checking them out and finding a use for them.

[@kathleendolan1842]

I loved the videos on how to collect seeds and grow and plant them. I have a question. I have milkweed in my front yard that I planted myself. Last my plants attracted the milkweed bug and I didnt get any caterpillars. It was very upsetting. If anyone had this problem, is there a way to get rid of these bugs. They took over the plants. Help please

[@sunnyhamsters9842]

Anyone else get emotional at the start? Just me??? ok

[@MrLundScience]

I did.

[@enadimi]

Hi, where about in Michigan are you? your garden is beautiful! My daughter is in Novi, Michigan and just for the sake of gardening I am holding back to move closer to my daughter.

[@MrLundScience]

I am near the Lansing area. All of that gardening work, by the way, I can not take credit for. That was the work of the previous owner. We even had to reduce some of it for more lawn, as we just didn't have the time needed for all of its upkeep!

[@SpringJFisk]

I love your caterpillar shirt!!! When I can I get one?

[@MrLundScience]

I found it somewhere on the internet. Search "caterpillar shirt" and it might come up.

[@DanceNationStudio]

Hello! I’m a little late to see your videos, but I really appreciate everything you’re doing! I started last year and was able to help some butterflies thanks to your information😃I tried clicking on the Facebook group link for milkweed but it doesn’t work. Can you post the link if that group is still around? Thank you!

[@MrLundScience]

I'm sorry. If that link is dead, then there's not much I can do and the group may not be around. Still, if you go into Facebook, from what I understand, there are many Monarch related public groups. I myself do not use Facebook, so I'm not fully versed in those ins and outs. Thank you for choosing to engage in this!

[@DanceNationStudio]

Thank you!

[@katiemichalik9829]

I agree with buying seeds on line is not a good idea. I learned that the hard way this year. I bought some seeds on line last year. I was soooo excited to see them start to grow. I noticed the leaves didn't look like your typical milkweed leaves. I did some research and found out I wad growing ragweed😡. That was a big disappointment🙄

[@MrLundScience]

Refund?

[@katiemichalik9829]

@@MrLundScience it was only a few dollars. I guess it's true what they say you get what you pay for🙄😊. Thank you for showing us how to do all this. I found places with milkweed and I see pods😉 thanks to your videos how And when to pick them 👍now for winter I'm getting myself some lamps to grow these babies indoors🤣 thank you for the videos😊

[@cathyplantlover2862]

The common milkweed take a few years to bloom, I have a few different species of milkweed, I hope we can bring them back into the amounts that we used to have.

[@MrLundScience]

I think there's starting to be a change in how people consider it. Less a weed, and more for the beautiful flowering plant it is.

[@jackhoeft9761]

How long do milkweed flowers last before they turn into seed pods?

[@MoesDough]

Question, I have a raised planter that I planted my orange tree in surrounded by concrete near a walkway. about 3 feet wide. Would that be ok to plant the milkweed? Or should I keep them in pots? I have a bigger spot up against my house but we have our house sprayed & I don't want any pesticides to get near the plants.

[@MrLundScience]

It may depend upon the species of the milkweed, as there are many. What type do you have? My experience is pretty much exclusive to Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca. I've seen these things growing through cracks in the cement next to buildings. They might not be a "weed" to me, but they still grow like one! The root system might be deprived just a bit from your orange tree, but the extent would depend upon how large your orange tree is. Several times in the field, I see milkweed growing very close to other trees too. So, I say go for it. Truthfully, there's only one real way to tell, right?

[@oulaigledare]

Mr. Lund, for the pods you collect in the Fall, do they need to be cold stored first? Dried pods in the Spring seem to be way to go, right? Great videos, from raising monarchs to planting milkweed. Thank you

[@MrLundScience]

oulaigledare My first answer is, no, they do not, as I've had experience with seeds that I definitely didn't cold store, but placed in a plastic bag, and let them sit in a drawer over the winter until spring. So, no, they don't need to be cold stored. My second answer, though, is yes, you probably should cold store them! The first time I collected them, I wasn't thinking much, and had many sitting in that room temperature bag for at least five months. Once I peeked in at them around spring time, MANY had grown a mold. I should have been more careful and kept them dry, and then keeping them in either a fridge or a freezer seems to be the way to go from the online sources I've consulted. I hope that helps! The 4th video in the Planting Milkweed series will go into detail on how to harvest the seeds from your own plants, and using a system that involves "rubber banding" the seed pods. That video, though, likely won't be out until October.

[@johnifly]

MrLundScience I STRONGLY recommend putting the seeds into "Cold Moist Stratification," a fancy name for the cold-moist treatments that some seeds require for them to germinate. This is a situation where "Mother Nature" has designed the seeds to not sprout too soon once they leave the parent plant so it's a defense mechanism. I personally collect the seeds in the Fall (there's an easier way to collect them also as the pods are about ready to crack open that will save the mess of all the fluff) and dry them for about a week. Once dry, I keep them in a container or envelope (envelope is better as it will absorb any moisture until they're ready for it) and here in east-central Pennsylvania I start my cold-moist stratification in my refrigerator. I use a paper towel, wet it under water like the faucet, and then wring it out really good so that it's only SLIGHTLY moist. You don't want it wet to avoid mold! I then lay out the seeds on the moist paper towel, fold it up and then place in a zip-lok bag for about 6 to 8 weeks and then take it out and sow the seeds. I use florescent lights (one cool and one warm light bulb per shop light) that I hang over a plastic seed flat and I use what's called 'Cowpots' which are compressed processed cow manure so there's no odor. You can also use the small seed planters that you are using now. The thing with the 'cowpots' is that you can pot the whole pot into the ground without disturbing the roots. BIG difference and the seedling doesn't go into shock! Also, while not necessare, I HIGHLY recommend using seedling heat mats which provide bottom heat so that the seedling potting soil or mix is heated for the seeds to germinate faster!! If you check out my group "Monarchs and Milkweed" you'll see how I do that. I have my seeds starting to germinate in about three or four days and without the heat mat it takes about a week or two. I start the cold-moist stratification process sometime by the end of January and usually let them go 6 weeks tops. After that, you can sow the seeds like you normally do. I place my seeds right into the seed pots BEFORE they germinate and BARELY cover the seeds. That way the light, warmth and moisture gets to the seeds just fine! I also use a plastic dome over my seed flats to keep the moisture and humidity in. I started mine this year and you should see how they exploded with growth! Try that sometime and see if it's not better. Now the seedling heat mats can be pricey if you buy them from Burpee seeds. I think the lowest size (for one seed flat coverage) is around 29 dollars and some odd cents. You might be able to find one on E-Bay as well much cheaper. It's WORTH the investment and I'm VER HAPPY with my results! As mentioned, I do have a Facebook group called "Monarchs and Milkweed" and you can go here to click on it and see what you think. If you want to join the group, just click the "join group" or "join" button and I'll approve your request when I get it! We have well over 2,000 members now and I feel you'll be richly rewarded by the advise and other ideas and photos of the members that have their own Monarch Waystations and butterfly gardens. If you have any further questions, let me know! Again, a pleasure to be of help to you and together, I'd like to think we all can help out the Monarch butterfly in North America! I do hope you consider joining the page as we ALL would benefit from your advice and I DO have BOTH your monarch AND milkweed videos in the "Files" section of the group! It's been a great help to many in the group. :-) I look forward to working together with you on helping out the Monarch butterfly and in planting as much milkweed as we can plant! :-) Sincerely, John R. Unell Owner/Moderator of "Monarchs and Milkweed" group on Facebook. PS--I'm Monarch Waystation #9392, btw. :-)

[@oulaigledare]

MrLundScience Thanks!! I'm learning a lot here. reat visuals for us novices. Found 7 eggs today and one hatched (possible 2 instar). Got my cat nursery ready!!

[@kmorri9]

I know you said you're not a gardener, but do you know if it's safe to transfer milkweed that has been growing in the ground? I have milkweed that I planted last year in my vegetable garden box and it's now coming back up in full force. I'm planning to have a dedicated milkweed box, but I'm nervous to transfer these established plants from the veggie box to the new one....

[@crankbait09]

I have been growing milkweed in containers over the past month or so. Although they are still small, they are still large enough with 4-6 leaves each. I found a hitchhiker caterpillar on it tonight, not sure what it was. It certainly wasnt a Monarch. I don't know where to plant these with them being so small. How can I continue to grow them till they can be transferred out into the yard? Something is eating the leaves on mine, but not sure what. I leave them out in the sun all day, and more times than not, out at night as well. When is it too late to plant outside due to the cold weather coming?

[@Mrs.marenholz]

Is very healthy for the lant if you loose the roots before putting un the ground

[@gisellegascacampos286]

Hello there!!! Quick question about something that I thought about. I wanted to know if I could dig out Milkweeds from other sites like side walks, parks, etc...areas that I know they may get sprayed with pesticides, and/or even get pulled out, killed or destroyed. I'd like to see if I can take them out with plenty of roots and re plant time in my yard too keep them "safe" persay...idk just something I thought about 🤔🤔🤔

[@MrLundScience]

I tried this once. It did not work out for me. Not at all. The root system of milkweed plants tend to be fairly spread out beyond the plant. This is also how it springs up. What seems like two separate plants may actually be part of the same root system, which has allowed a new "plant" to sprout up (when it's really part of the same plant). That's not to say someone couldn't have success with this, but when I dug out the plant, I didn't know any of this, and definitely didn't get enough of the root system to keep the plant alive. I would recommend planting seeds and giving the plants a fresh start.

[@gisellegascacampos286]

MrLundScience thanks so much for your kind feedback! 🙏🏼❤️

[@jenbean6597]

Giselle Gasca Campos, i know this is a year old but I have had a few plants succeed that I dug up and replanted in my yard but I’ve also had several not make it. A couple I thought had died after I planted them but they came back the next year. I just tried it again this year with just a couple to see if they’ll come back next year, I had to gather the milkweed leaves anyway for my caterpillars. To me it was worth the shot because one area I got them from gets mowed 2-3 times a season and it’s right up against a cornfield where they spray. I think it’s more successful if you do it early in the season and get a younger looking plant and definitely make sure to get as much roots as you can, they can go very deep especially on older plants. Also, if you want to try just get a couple to experiment with and make sure to check for eggs and caterpillars first unless you plan on collecting and raising them because the plants usually go into shock and the leaves will more than likely die but it may come back next season for you like it did for me. The most success I’ve had with replanting is with swamp milkweed, I haven’t had any of those die and they’ve been coming back now for several years. They do prefer moist soil or where you get a lot of rain that gathers and puddles if you have an area like that. Otherwise gather seed pods or order seeds native to your area and just go that route. Good luck!

[@yes350yes]

Anyone who decides on common milkweed I hope you will know that once planted in your yard , you will have them forever because the underground runners. A less invasive milkweed would be swamp or tropical. Im going with swamp.

[@SantiagousDominguezus]

I've just started germinating my seeds starting with the first 25. I'll do the others on different days, what's the preferred temperature for germination and approximately how long till it starts sprouting? I'm in Phoenix, AZ so I'm trying to avoid as many errors as possible.

[@MrLundScience]

I'm not sure of a preferred temperature, but I think it's safe to say, there's few temperatures that won't work. As a general rule, the warmer it is, the faster the chemistry will happen. Of course, we can't take that to the extreme, but I think you get the idea. When I've germinated seeds this way, it takes about 1.5 weeks, or 10 days-ish. But, soaking the seeds in nothing but water for 3 days first, and then doing this, that speeds them up by 1 - 3 days, and that's counting the three days of soaking. A tip a gardener gave me.

[@robyaksich1944]

Hi Station S Dominguez. Greetings from your neighboring state of New Mexico, but I lived in Tucson for several years. Some of the milkweeds shown here won't grow very well in the Sonoran Desert. There are, however, ative desert species that will. One of the natives is simply called desert milkweed. I think it's Asclepias erosa, but don't quote me on that. It's widely available at many native gardening places in Phoenix and Tucson. I planted some in a big container in my yard and they did pretty well. Another native Sonoran species is Vining milkweed, but I don't recall its scientific name offhand. It used to grow in abundance along a wire fence in my first Tucson yard, and the butterflies loved it. One other thing, monarchs are not very common at all here in the Southwest, especially in the lower desert areas. We do have a few certainly, but far and away what is much more common is their very close relative, the queen. They look a lot like monarchs and are similar in size, but they have a more mahogany color than the bright orange of monarchs. Personally, I think they're more beautiful than monarchs, but that's just me. They do need milkweed in the same way as monarchs. You might check out some of the botanic gardens in the Phoenix area, especially the Desert Botanical Garden and the AZ Sonora Desert Musuem in Tucson. They may be able to direct you to some good quality native milkweeds that will grow in Phoenix climate can attract queens and the few monarchs that may pass through. AZ is #2 in butterfly species in the US (behind TX and just ahead of NM), so you can get an abundance of species in your yard if you know what to plant to attract them.

[@carolynquick7974]

I am in Northern MN and soil is rare, we are in glacial til. Can I plant milkweed in large pots or will they freeze out in the winter? Any ideas are welcome! Thank you!

[@MrLundScience]

Many do use potted milkweed to rear Monarchs. You may wish to consult some gardening groups, or Monarch Facebook groups (I'm not part of FB, so don't really have any specific ones to suggest...) I know that milkweed in pots can be a struggle, as the plant typically has a far reaching/spreading root system. I haven't had much luck with it. Still, I know others have had success, and I assume they are better gardeners than I, thus, while I recommend consulting with them. If you use potted plants, though, they can definitely be brought in during the winter. I wish you luck with it! I know I'd need such luck!

[@carolynquick7974]

Thank you for the response. I will check around with other zone 3 gardeners. Best luck to you and keep the Monarch videos. It is fun to learn along with you.

[@benbishop1131]

Have you raised any mature milkweed successful in a container? I was hoping to create a container garden with milkweed.

[@MrLundScience]

Not to a mature development, no. And I don't know how successful that can be. Certainly people purchase potted mature plants from various places, so it's possible, but also the plant is healthiest when its root system is allowed to spread naturally. It seems significant a factor for at least Common Milkweed, as I've tried to transplant adult plants before into new locations, and it has never gone well. In the end, this is a topic I wish to explore more in the future, but it's also something I'm certain there's others who are already well ahead of me on this one.

[@polyacanthus]

I'm wondering if cutting some of my mature common milkweed stems will spur new growth? A few weeks ago I stopped at a patch of milkweed between two parking lots to grab some leaves. Found an instar 3 or 4 cat to take home too! Glad I did, next day I noticed the grounds crew had cut or pulled all of it! Anyway I've noticed new milkweed sprouting there. Win! So I'm thinking about cutting one of my mature stems to get some fresh growth. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[@MrLundScience]

From my experience, it does work, but it's not fast. You might have new sprouts soon, you might not. It can be misleading because it's a good chance, the new sprouts you saw where you did were already on their way to emerge up from the dirt even before the grounds crew cut back what they did. Common Milkweed (and many other milkweed plants) will have their root system sprout up new shoots. It's one of the way other than flowering and seeds that the plant reproduces and takes over more territory. Cutting back the stalks, though, can be healthy for the plant. I don't do it at this time, though, as my seed pods are developing. Those in warmer climates really *should* do it at the end of the Monarch season, though, to encourage fresh growth which will be OE and NPV free. NPV and OE are more prevalent in warmer climates because they don't have the seasonal winter that kills off and "resets" the stalks for the spring. Thus, NPV and OE just hang around, waiting for the spring migration.

[@BongtasiaDuelfiend]

*YoU the MaN* # *God Speed*, Live Long & Prosper

[@ltr450jps732]

Hey everyone. Is there any fertilizer that I can use in my butterfly garden that is safe for the monarchs

[@anacale8591]

I couldn’t find the page online of facebook. Also I found some milkweed plants by a spit where last year they were mowed, any suggestions as to how to transfer them into pots. I don’t have a backyard, but I have a balcony and I would like to give them a chance

[@sbquickdraw]

I bought my milkweed plant from a nursery. It is currently in a container, when transplanting it can I cut a hole on the bottom of the container and plant it?

[@MrLundScience]

I'm not sure I have the experience to help you with this one. I've only transferred the new sprouted plants. I've only tried once to transplant an adult plant and relocate it. The plant did not survive... I would imagine, though, that removing the container might be best, allowing the root system to spread out easier, and not be constricted to having to work out of the hole. That's just my guess, though.

[@williamj.stilianessis1851]

I just realized this video series is eight years old, ancient by internet standards. None of the government links work and the Facebook group no longer exists. Unless you have a link for a new or active group, please update the video, please.

[@JulieRohloff]

Excellent video! I watched the other series too and loved it. I have just started a butterfly garden this summer for the first time. I had ONE single milkweed plant that just came up on it's own in my front yard and I left it to see what would happen. I was so excited to see the caterpillars on it! Can I dig it up and move it? Or is it better to just leave it where it is? I plan to plant a whole bunch of milkweed in the butterfly garden for next year....

[@MrLundScience]

Julie Patchouli Thanks for watching the videos! I'm happy to hear that they are helping people, and butterflies! As for your milkweed transportation, I don't want to act like an expert when I'm not. I've had only ONE experience trying to take a larger plant from somewhere and transport it, and it went miserably! I'm not saying it can't be done, but it doesn't seem to be easy. The roots spread out pretty far, and when I dug it up, I only went about a foot radius from the stem. I had to sever the roots doing this, and after transporting the plant, despite love, water, and care, it withered and died. Since caterpillars are on this one, I would say, leave the plant be if I had to make the call. Good luck!

[@JulieRohloff]

I have a chrysalis hanging inside of a wide mouth mason jar (that's where I had the caterpillar) Do I need to move it so it has more room when it becomes a butterfly? Or can I just take the netting off of the top of the jar and it will come out on it's own?

[@MrLundScience]

Julie Patchouli That's tough for me to answer without seeing the actual situation. I'm always a fan of not meddling if I don't have to. So many times, humans try to help animals and only cause more complications in the process. It could be that you monarch has plenty of room to emerge, and let it's wings dry. Or, it could be that it's a small enough jar that if (for some reason) the monarch falls before wings are fully dry, you could have a tough time helping him/her get back up to something to hang on. If you had a photo of the chrysalis and where it is now, and posted it on some type of Pinterest or Instagram account, it'd be easier to see the situation and advise. Another factor is, have you moved a chrysalis before? How comfortable do you feel moving them?

[@JulieRohloff]

The jar is 3 inches wide (wide mouth mason jar) and the chrysalis is hanging up at the top. If butterfly wings are less than 3 inches opened up it will be fine. I haven't ever moved one, but I did watch YOU do it. I think I will watch you do it again and then give it a shot... Thanks for your help! I am anxious to save the milkweed seeds and plant lots of them in my garden next year. I'm new to all of this. It's exciting and fun!

[@JulieRohloff]

MrLundScience Are you on facebook? I'm going to look for you and if I can find you I'll send a picture....I don't have a smartphone (still using a flip) so I don't have an instagram account :(

[@kinglyzard]

Great song. I could never get through singing the whole song (Karaoke) without breaking down. Go fig...

[@kennethrobeson4070]

We rescued a Monarch caterpillar and it hatched yesterday. We live near Houston and are currently experiencing freezing weather. I am worried about releasing the Monarch when the weather warms up and fear it won't find food. Any suggestions are welcome.

[@MrLundScience]

In a situation such as this, I've found it useful to already have my goal/mission pre-defined. That way, the decision is already made before I encounter the situation. (I'm inspired by Star Trek in this, having a "Prime Directive". It's a code of ethics that deems what is most important to consider before interacting with species that they encounter.) In the raising of Monarchs, my "Prime Directive" is to do what I can to help increase the chances of a wild Monarch egg or larva to make it to adulthood, provided what I do to achieve this does not have a negative impact on the overall population. With that in mind, that would mean, I don't want to mess with nature *other than* helping that egg or caterpillar become an adult. Beyond that, it's in nature's hands. If I were in your position, I would release once the Monarch is an adult and ready to fly away. Now, if it's the day of a huge rain storm, yeah, I might hold off on that for just one day, but after that, I don't want to disrupt the natural timing that this hypothetical Monarch would have been in nature. In the case of your specific Monarch and the type of weather you're experiencing, "Mom" laid that egg 30 days or so ago, and thus, it'd be natural for this Monarch to be an adult now, having to brave the weather. And, there's many "what ifs" that exist that could be very good reason that it should be released. For example, "What if the reason Mom laid the egg at that time in that location is a genetic behavior? Perhaps nature would kill the offspring, naturally selecting for that behavior to be removed from the gene pool?" Or, "What if the laying of the egg at that time and location is okay because this Monarch gene line has a slightly better resistance to cold temperatures, and this is the result of Monarchs adapting (slowly) to extreme weather?" Or, "What if the Monarch is heartier than we expect, and it will be able to fly to warmer weather, and find food?" For these reasons, plus ones us humans don't even know about, I'd still release. If you want to give it a head start, though, I have a video on feeding Monarchs, to give them some energy before heading out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXLOpGuif56Gers I hope that helps!

[@allystroup4247]

It's not a weed it's a butterfly plant, that's what I think.

[@MrLundScience]

Fully agreed.

[@cookiexmonster7427]

What do i ask mona miller? I want to get some milkweed seeds to plant?

[@MrLundScience]

Cookiexmonster742 The address to her Facebook group is here: facebook.com/groups/butterflyandmothconservation/ Go to that group, say hello, and start asking for some seeds. They'll help you out! Good luck!

[@RebecaSilva-nb1pn]

Will it still work if I don’t have grass

[@mikegosselin1634]

what is the latest you can plant milkweed plants because i live in Canada?

[@MrLundScience]

I don't know that there's a deadline. Technically, mother nature plants hers in mid-fall when the seed pods disperse their seeds. I have planted sproutlings in the late summer, and after about two weeks, deer had eaten them to the ground. Even so, the roots survived fine, and they sprouted back up in the spring.

[@barbbarnes3661]

do you have a suggestion on how to rid milkweed plants of aphids w/o hurting the caterpillars right now I don't have eggs but do have bugs and I need help on this thanx to you I released 50 Monarchs in Florida and have been checking them for OE and lossed a few its July and I have seen Monarchs again laying eggs and want to rid the aphids asap or will they hurt my caterpillars I am confused love your videos and knowledge on this you are the best

[@MrLundScience]

I'm actually trying to look into this for a future video. It's been a popular question. From talking to a botanical expert at MSU, he said the first line of offense is, and I'm quoting, "Squish the fellas." Much headway in population control can come from physically removing them/killing them with your bare hands. I'm also looking into a soap water treatment, but I'm already likely against that, as I don't see how soap residue wouldn't also harm the Monarchs. Also, and this might be much more fruitful, I've heard of basil being a natural aphid repellent if growing near milkweed.

[@barbbarnes3661]

thank you so much and please do a video I'm all for the natural soap route but not for the monarchs and caterpillars so I will plant some basil. Can I try to rinse them off as they are babies? Thank you

[@MrLundScience]

I know with my fingers, I'd avoid rinsing caterpillars. I'd be more likely to harm them than to help them.

[@barbbarnes3661]

I agree but I'm not sure they are aphids...they are very tiny redish looking bugs under the leaves and are killing leaves as I have no eggs on this plant yet I trimmed the plant and discarded the tops but now they are on other plants...as I am new on these plants I can't be sure what they are....I called a the nursery tht I got the plants from and they said milkweed plants sometimes get a milkweed bug??????? Please help because I know have eggs and I don't know if these will hurt young cats....thank you for answering my questions so quick

[@MrLundScience]

Aphids come in a variety of colors, so it's tough to be sure. Aphids are of a family of insects (or "superfamily", as some entomologists are willing to classify them) known as Aphidoidea. Thus, there are many species in this family, and they tend to be of slightly or very different colors. Your little red bugs, on a hunch, I'd say are likely the nymphs of the Milkweed Bug. I find them too. Sometimes, the adults will gobble an egg or caterpillar for the added protein. If you see adults, yes, those would be a good idea to remove. Here's a website that may help you identify any of your common pests: monarchbutterflygarden.net/stop-milkweed-pests-ruining-milkweed-monarchs/ You'll notice, that website gives the same advice that I have given others who describe pest problems...that being, take the Monarchs inside. I understand that not everyone has the time on their hands to do as many Monarchs as I do, but even if someone is only raising a few, it's not that much more time out of the day to keep them in containers inside (see Raising Monarchs Part 2 and Part 3). Once a day is enough to check on them, empty out frass (poo) and provide them with a fresh leaf (or two as they get larger). If you have Milkweed in your yard, this will not be a problem. Keep in mind, even if Milkweed in the yard is planted, any egg laid on it is still in "nature", and thus, has somewhere between a 3% and 10% chance of making it to adulthood. That's a very low chance. Predators, parasites, and disease are all out there, ready to kill. Using my system of taking them out of nature and providing them with a controlled environment eliminates most of these threats. It's what I highly recommend to avoid these types of problems. As more questions come to mind, I'm here to help! And thank you so much for taking such a high interest in helping these guys out!

[@angelocean365]

Hello do you have a solution for tiny brown/black spots on the underside of the leaves? Leaves are also turning yellow and falling off as a result of the tiny spot issue.

[@MrLundScience]

I'm sorry, but no. I have not encountered this. Full disclosure, I'm not a gardener. I know more about Common Milkweed than just about any plant these days, but really only what I need to know for the Monarchs. When it comes to gardening health, I'm quite the amateur. Wish I could be of more help than none, but that's where I'm at. Sorry.

[@lorenarossi5637]

Brown spots are mold. Take leaves off Water plant in base only:)

[@freyona1]

what kind of milkweed you have in your videos...the thick big leaves one?

[@MrLundScience]

+freyona1 These milkweed plants are Asclepias syriaca. Here is the Wikipedia page on this species: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_syriaca

[@freyona1]

+MrLundScience thanks...you have no idea how in struggling with the milkweed i planted...it have little leaves but i have like 40 caterpillars to feed.... i get a new one in home deppot and unfortunate it has a kind of strong pesticide ...im kind of scare this plants are not gonna me enough to feed them....yours are so big!

[@MrLundScience]

+freyona1 Keep at it! We learn as we go. But, I would recommend wild milkweed, or milkweed grown from seeds if we have that option for the reason you mentioned. Store bought milkweed may have pesticides on it. Some "organic" plants also use various bacteria as natural pesticides, since chemical ones would not be allowed on "organic products. I made this mistake once, trying to feed Eastern Black Swallowtail caterpillars store bought "organic" dill and parsley. I had over 30 caterpillars, and each one of them died. So, don't give up, but always learn from the set backs, Freyona! ¡Buena suerte!

[@bubbles9766]

Hi I am also in Michigan, I noticed this video is 5 years old. How are your milkweed doing today?

[@MrLundScience]

As it's Michigan, well, they're dried out and dormant! Ha! But they are doing great, yes. You haven't checked your Instagram in a few years it seems.

[@bubbles9766]

@@MrLundScience um ok? That's not weird at all...

[@MrLundScience]

Sorry, I guess? I don't check these comments right now due to health issues, so I'm barely here to field them. I have been using IG more. That is all.

[@debsievert4766]

Can you dig up mature plants in the summer & bring them into my own yard?

[@MrLundScience]

People can and do, but they have more gardening experience than I do, I believe. I've tried it twice, and was very careful twice, and the plant died twice. I wish you better luck than I had!

[@debsievert4766]

Haaaaa!!! I might try it... thanks for reporting on that.... I know you were successful with seeds. That is really the way to go, I think! 👍🏼👍🏼

[@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane]

@@debsievert4766 Hello, I want to try to do this at my house because I have some milkweed growing where I don't want it to be growing and would like to transplant it to a more "wild" part of my yard. Were you able to make it work? If so, could you tell me how? I have tried a couple times in the past and it didn't work for me either. I need to know asap before they get too big... they are growing in my flower beds and into the grass close to my house. Help!

[@kimsmascaro]

What kind of milkweed are you growing?

[@MrLundScience]

Asclepias syriaca - "Common Milkweed" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_syriaca

[@bobmasterson1237]

The key to transplanting Milkweed is to recognize that the most important part of the plaint is the root. While the green part of the plaint will almost always die back, the root will survive as long as it get water. I try to take at lest a 6" section of root. If you have a long section of root it can be divided to get additional plaints.

[@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane]

I want to transplant some milkweed that is growing from a flower bed close to my house and into the lawn to a more "wild" area of my yard. It is still fairly young, but it grows fast. I've tried to transplant bigger plants a couple times and they died. My question to you is, should I try to dig up as much of the root as possible and transplant that? Would you cut the plant from the root you are transplanting before putting it in the ground? I want to have milkweed plants, just not in that particular spot. I would appreciate any help/advice.

[@anabrockway2065]

Great videos and information! One question, what zone is your garden?

[@MrLundScience]

I didn't even know there was such a thing as a garden zone. I looked it up. If you mean Plant Hardiness Zone, then I'm zone 5b.

[@sparkizoidful]

What is the music at the beginning of this?

[@MrLundScience]

"Mad World" which is originally by Tears For Fears, but this is the Gary Jules cover of it.

[@vistaprime]

where are parts one and two?

[@MrLundScience]

Part 1 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZDHYnmDf85_pZo Part 2 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/onTNi55vrMd3l5I

[@cmjsterling]

Do milkweed plants spread in your garden?

[@MrLundScience]

Well, they try to. The root system of these plants spreads. From the roots, up will pop younger looking plants, though they are actually part of the same plant. This is one of the ways besides seeds that the plant reproduces. I have an area reserved for the milkweed, and if it grows outside of there, I cut it before it gets too large (but always *after* I've checked it thoroughly for eggs).

[@cindyallaer9100]

Cynthia Sterling yes

[@cindyallaer9100]

Cynthia Sterling they spread each year if they like where they are planted

[@marydiscuillo142]

Thanks for being the voice for the monarch. As far as your plastic containers. How about popping them out and reducing plastic and reusing again? The world has enough plastic without unneccessarily creating more. Also milkweed is toxic to animals inc deer. Your missing milkweed unlikely correctly blamed on them. I am growing local milkweed to give away and plant in areas where it will get some water in local parks.

[@joel6221]

WHERE can i get that shirt???

[@BrouilletteLuke]

Could I dig up small milkweed plants and replant them in my yard?

[@MrLundScience]

You definitely can try, and I think the younger the plant, the better. The root system is vast. It's tough to dig it all out. Before planting any seeds, I once tried to dig one out of a field and transplant it. The plant did not make it. I definitely didn't understand how much roots we were talking about back then. Good luck!