What is a Hub?

Steps to Becoming a Hub

Step 4 - Order Seeds

Order your narrowleaf milkweed seeds and optional California native nectar plant seeds on the appropriate order form for your region located in the Regions area of Hub Resources.

Step 5 - Join The Conversation

Watch your email after ordering for a link to join our Hub Resource Facebook Group. This link is sent to the email you provided during the ordering process, if you sign into Facebook using a different email, please submit an invite request in Hub Resourses.

Step 7 - Sow Seeds at Appropriate Times

WAIT TO PLANT MILKWEED UNTIL TEMPERATURES ARE CONSISTENTALY WARM

The most important thing about planting milkweed is to wait until the weather turns consistently warm. Milkweed needs heat to germinate. Milkweeds tend to germinate best when temperatures are between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 8 - Spread the Word About Your Hub

Once your seedlings are planted, it’s time to spread the word about your new Hub! We suggest making a “coming soon” announcement while your plants are growing to grow your audience in advance of your giveaway.
Marketing your hub is easy! Many people want to help Western Monarchs and love free plants. To help get the word out, you can post about your free milkweed and native plant offerings on social media and neighborhood apps. While not required, starting a Facebook Page or Group, Instagram account, Nextdoor group specifically for your Hub can really help get the word out. Some of our hubs work with local events to hand out to attendees and some prefer to work on an as needed basis. Find what works for you and please ask us to help spread the word about your hub’s upcoming giveaways.

Here’s a list of suggestions:

• Add your information to the Hub Map via the form in Hub Resources

• Nextdoor

• Offer Up

• Facebook - Post in the Monarch Fellowship public group, local gardening groups for your area, and local buy-nothing groups.

• Put up fliers in your neighborhood and on local notice boards

Step 9 - Prepare for Your Giveaway

Prepare any plant information, plant labels and handouts that you would like to include with your plant giveaways.

A few pieces of information about milkweed and monarchs to make sure to pass on:

1. Milkweed grows dormant in the winter. It will appear to die and disappear but the plant has root systems underground that live on. Milkweed will sprout again the following spring. Most other native plants also go through a period of dormancy during the year, it’s important to help people understand this is part of the plant’s lifecycle.

2. Aphids are OK! If milkweed gets aphids (little yellow round eggs) its not a big deal and they aphids do not need to be removed or treated. Aphids also serve their role in the food chain of our native eco-systems.

3. Educate about becoming pesticide free! Stress the importance of NOT using herbicides or pesticides in home gardens - its unhealthy for the Monarchs and other pollinators. We suggest sharing this flyer from the Xerces Foundation.

Here are some great additional resources to share with your recipients. We hope to encourage recipients as they embark on their new native plant and conservation journey in their homes and gardens.

Bloom! California: Native plants nursery finder. Native plants for a bright tomorrow (bloomcalifornia.org)

California Native Plant Society (cnps.org)

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation (https://www.xerces.org/)

Step 10 - Give it Away

Give away your seedlings once they reach transplantable size. This is about 5 inches minimum for milkweed seedlings. Seedlings should be sturdy and have plenty of healthy leaves to serve as caterpillar chow.

Give away at least 5 milkweed plants per recipient/household so that caterpillars have enough to eat. Western Monarch caterpillars can consume a milkweed plant very fast, especially a small seedling.

You set up the pickup days and times for your Hub. Some of our Hubs prefer to hand out plants from home, some choose to bring their plants to events to giveaway. Email the social media coordinator or DM any of our social media accounts in advance of your giveaway for assistance with sharing and advertising your event.

Hold Off During Heatwaves - California has many different regional climates. If you are in the inland valleys or desert regions, it can get too hot to giveaway plants during summer months. There is a likely chance your plants will not survive transplanting during extreme heat and tender seedlings may not survive being relocated. Many Hubs choose to wait until late summer or fall when it cools down to give plants away.