Planting your milkweed.
When to plant?
The most important thing about planting milkweed is to wait until the weather turns consistently warm. Milkweed needs heat to germinate. They germinate well between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Get a good quality well draining soil
Typically, cactus mixes or seed starter anything with added perlite,
pots for growing
You can use pony packs(6packs) 4 inch pots or whatever you have accessible, but we suggest 2 inchers. They are the perfect size- big enough so you won’t have to transplant and small enough not to take up to much space. moisten your soil and pack your pots. Push down firmly but not too firm.
planting your seeds .
Dig a small hole about 1/2 inch deep and place anywhere from 2 to 4 seeds and lightly bury. After the seed is sown, give the pot a good soak and make sure to wet the medium entirely. Place your container outdoors in full sun. Allow the surface to dry down before watering again, but keep in mind that your seed is in the top inch of the soil that needs to stay moist, so don’t let it dry down too much.
watering
Your watering schedule will likely be every 2 to 3 days. Once the seeds have emerged, they will begin to drink up the water and watering will be more frequent, particularly after the plant starts putting on growth and begins to fill .the pot with roots. If multiple individuals germinate in your pot, you can thin or leave them clustered. Milkweed seedlings don’t seem to mind growing in.
Regions in California
California has many different regional climates. If you are inland, it can get too hot for the giveaway and there is a chance your plants will die if given away. You have the option of waiting until fall when it cools down to give your plants away.
Establishing your Hub
Giving your plants away
When your milkweed is at least this big it’s time to give it away. Give at least 5 plants per person so monarch caterpillars have enough to eat. Caterpillars can mow down a plant very fast. especially a new small plant.
You set up the pickup days and times for your hub. You can list your zip code and email on the website if you like.
Getting the word out.
Marketing your hub is easy. Many people want to help monarchs and love free milkweed. To get the word out post free milkweed for monarchs on social media and neighborhood aps . Here’s a list of suggestions:
Next door
Offer up
Facebook gardening groups
Facebook buy nothing groups
Put up fliers in your neighborhood.
Make your own Facebook group or Instagram
You might make a coming soon announcement while your plants are growing.
Coaching your recipients:
A few pieces of information about milkweed and monarchs to pass on.
1. Milkweed grows dormant in the winter. It will die and disappear but has root systems underground that live on. It will sprout up the following spring.
2. if their milkweed gets aphids(little yellowish egg looking things) its not a big deal.
3. Don’t use herbicides or pesticides in your garden- Its unhealthy for the Monarchs.
Spreading the word about natives
This is is a community based grass roots effort to not only help monarchs but create awareness about the benefits of native gardening. The greatest thing about free milkweed is it gives you an opportunity to engage your neighbor’s person to person and pass along your passion for native gardening and/or information about how to save wildlife by creating an eco-system at home.
You can supplement your hub by contacting your local CNPS chapter and the Autobahn Society. Tell them about your initiative and they will send you free seed packets to hand out at your hub.
Here are some great resources to pass on to your recipients hopefully embark on their new native plant and conservation at home journey.
Native nursery finder:
Bloom! California - Native plants for a bright tomorrow (bloomcalifornia.org)
California native plant society
California Native Plant Society (cnps.org)
xerxes society