CONGRATULATIONS
CONGRATULATIONS
You’ve received free seedlings from one of our Monarch Fellowship Community Hubs!
Now what?
Monarch Fellowship has selected several hardy, drought tolerant California native nectar plants and narrowleaf milkweed that are beginner friendly for those new to pollinator and native gardening as part of our program. These plants should easily survive the summer heat and the wide range of growing conditions that exist in our state. Most CA native plants do best in the ground, although narrowleaf milkweed does fine in container gardens.
Do NOT plant milkweed if you live within 5 miles of established overwintering sites for Western Monarch Butterflies. There are several "‘No Milkweed Zones’ in California. View the Xerces Monarch Overwintering Map to ensure you are not planting near an established site as there are some inland sites in addition to the coastal areas. If you live near overwintering sites, please consider planting early-spring, late-fall, and winter blooming nectar plants in place of milkweed, as nectar is critical fuel for monarchs during their migration, breeding and overwintering.
Plant milkweed seedlings 18” apart, in plantings of 4-5 plants minimum. A hungry Western Monarch caterpillar can easily consume a small milkweed seedling, so it’s always better to provide several plants in a planting to help your plants get established. Milkweed plants tolerate full sun, although recent research shows plants growing in partial shade and protected from high winds may be preferred by the Western Monarchs to deposit eggs.
Continue reading for planting instructions, what to expect for the first year and detailed plant information.
General Planting Instructions
Step 1 - Plan
Chose a place for your plants where they will receive plenty of sunlight and in soil that drains well. Ensure you’re not planting milkweed near known Monarch overwintering sites by referring to the Xerces Overwintering Map.
Step 2 - Dig
Dig a hole the same depth and twice as wide as the container the seedling or plant came in.
Step 3 - Fill with Water
Fill the hole you made with water and allow to percolate (drain) into the surrounding subsoil. Repeat 3 times to thoroughly saturate surrounding soil. If soil is already damp, repeat only once.
Step 4 - Place
After water has drained, remove plant from container and place the root ball of your plant in the hole. Add soil beneath root ball if necessary.
Step 5 - Fill
Finish by filling the remaining hole with remaining dirt. Be sure the plant collar is is above the soil line.
Step 6 - Water
Water your newly planted plants so that the root ball, the surrounding soil and the soil below your plant are well saturated. You cannot water enough during the first watering, although you should not water the the point that you’re creating standing water.
Initial Maintenance
Water your newly planted seedlings with one (1) gallon of water per plant each time you water. In the first summer following planting, we suggest watering seedlings twice a week, with an additional watering during extreme heat in some areas. As the year progresses into cooler seasons, taper watering off to once every two weeks or less for fall/winter. After that time, ongoing maintenance watering every two weeks to once a month is recommended, but not mandatory.
NOTE: Native milkweed goes dormant during the cool season. If you see your milkweed plant turn brown during this time, it is not dead. Its roots are still active and you should continue to water it periodically until it "wakes up" from its slumber in the springtime.
More Information on Monarch Fellowship Plants
Check back soon for more information about the plants we have included in our free seed program.
Growing Your Native Pollinator Garden
It is our hope that the plants you received from our Monarch Fellowship Hub are just the first of many California native plants you’ll include in your garden. The following organizations provide amazing resources for those interested in learning more about gardening with native plants, maintaining your garden without the use of pesticides as well as pollinator and invertebrate research.