2015 Fall Plant Swap Thread PART TWO

I'm in Pittsburgh! Heading home today, and there's a new computer charger waiting for me there, so I'll be back online. You may have to check your Dmail Saturday morning for ADR invoices, but we'll gitter done!

Terri, can you schlep everything up to CAM's or to my place Saturday morning so I can help you "pull" orders from the sorted bulb bags? I SO appreciate your help in having the bulbs delivered to your place and all your work sorting them out!!

Check in Saturday morning or late Friday night to (hopefully) see additions to my haves post, too. :-)

thanks so much, Critter and Aspen!

If I don't arrive by noon, could someone please call my cell and tell me how to get unlost. : ) I get very angry when it happens, and it generally takes me 45 minutes extra to get where I'm headed. 717-439-8907 Thanks.

Blossom--

Maybe someone will volunteer to lead you and you follow?

Could you find your way to I-70? It is a straight shot to Frederick.
Then follow Cam's directions....

C'mon Guys! Someone help Blossom out!

Yooo-Hoooo! "Viburnum-John!" I am sure you can jump in--as your meeting was in
Mechanicsburg when you were here.....

Gita

Maybe Jan can help you with directions--she lives just off the Delaware bridge?

Mechanicsburg is, sort of, down by Cape May? The Ferry? right? Just a bit inland?
You should be able to get to I-95. Can't tell you much after that....

Gita

CAM, what is "one exit too far" (going southbound down 15) from the turn-off? Is it highway 26 / Liberty Rd on the sign? The turn onto Hayward is a "regular" turn onto a street... a couple miles beyond, you start getting into the Frederick exits, with ramps.

If you miss the Hayward turn, you can also get to CAM's pretty easily from Opossumtown Pike (one exit further south than highway 26, it's Motter Ave in one direction and Opossumtown Pike in the other).

Blossom, you probably don't want to leave your phone number on a public thread... you can edit your post by clicking the green "edit" under your name and other info to the left of your post. Make sure you have CAM's phone number with you... and if you want, Dmail me for my cell phone number also (or better yet for my DH's phone, since he has an excellent sense of direction LOL).

I know just how you feel about directions and getting lost! I have a very blonde sense of direction. I'm going to cheat and put CAM's address in my GPS/Garmin... even though I've been there once before! :-)

Yes, Critter is right. If you are coming into Frederick on Rt 15 South, if you miss Hayward Rd, then the next exit is Motter. You can also get to my house using that exit but it's going to add about a few miles to your trip. Best advise I can give you... as you are about to enter Frederick, look for the massive amount of dirt being moved on both sides of Rt 15 for a construction project going on. When you see that, you are VERY close to the RIGHT turn to Hayward.

For those driving on Rt 15 North, if you see that construction, turn around, you went too far. :)

My house is really easy to find, folks. Don't fret over it. Once you turn on Hayward, just a couple more turns per my directions I gave out. I believe everyone has my cell number, if you don't, DM me.

Blossom, I'm coming out your way on the way to the swap. You can follow me if you want. I take 283-76-15 so maybe there will be a convenient place to meet up along the way. I'm leaving my house at 830 though so I'm there early to help with parking. It's up to you. LMK.

My cherry tree has been dropping leaves slowly but steadily for over two weeks now. Seems today, of all days, it increased its efforts drastically. Just spent over an hour cleaning them up but by tomorrow morning, my flower beds will be covered. So look at my beds with a forgiving eye, please.

And the rule is, everyone in attendance must take 200 leaves home with them. Thanks in advance, your host.

Haha nice!

Jeff, I forgot another rule. First one to reply must take home 400. First one to laugh gets another 400. You have a big vehicle? LOL

I just posted this on the Plant it and They Will Come thread.

HELP

Catmint, Muddy and Sally I need some Aunties to finish raising some 2nd and third instar Monarch babies as I am out of town for next ten days. Can each of you do 15 - 20 ? Or, let me know how many you can do and I'll bring them to the swap tomorrow. Remember, they will soon be milkweed eating machines!

Sally, I will need both of my pop up hhabitats tomorrow am. Can you set them out on your porch?
How many do you have 'for sale'?

Gita, now would be the time I most need swamp milkweed leaves. If you have and unsprated good looking ones could you pluck them and stick them in a baggie and bring down to Sally's tomorrow am?

Thanks one and all.

They should all by chrysalides by the time I return
________________________________________________________

If any oof you all attending the Swap have a source of untainted Milkweed and are willing to help raise some Monarch butterflies (3-5), please let me know and I will bring everything you need (except enough milkweed) to the Swap tomorrow. These are the generation that will make the long migration to Mexico

Thanks, Judy

Here is an excellent link for the How Tos of raising them.
http://www.marylandmonarchconservation.org/rearing-monarchs.html

Judy--I know it was a mis-print???--but what did you mean by "unsprated" leaves?

I still have plenty of leaves on my Swamp MW--even if they now have a fall coloring--
red around the edges....so-so overall.

Please answer ASAP--as I will be leaving tomorrow at 9AM to get to Sally's house.
Remind me to give you the baggie of Swamp MW seed pods--OK????????
It is still making them--just a few here and there....and I am still picking them all off...

I will be glad to strip any, or all, leaves off of my Swamp MW. It is done anyway...right???
Will put them in a Zip-Bag with moist paper towels to keep them fresh.
Would you like me to cut the stems off WITH the leaves?????

See you tomorrow--we have a lot of "shuffling" around to do--so please don't be too late.
I am shooting for about 8:30AM.

Saw just one Monarch today--it was hanging around my Butterfly Bush.

Gita

LoL! Yes, unsprayed is what I meant! Any pesticide, systemic, fungicide, etc herbicide is harmful to baby caterpillars we are trying to raise to increase the population of Monarchs.

That's a great idea to leave the leaves on the stems, like a big bouquey! They will stay much fresher that way for sure and can go in a jar of water.

Thanks, I knew I could count on you!

Gita, I'm sure she meant "unsprayed"; i.e. no insecticides, fertilizer, etc.

Coleup, I'll dMail you too, but sure I can take 15-20 caterpillars.

Coleup, sure happy to help the little Monarch babies out! The one little guy I have right now is feeling kind of lonely in the habitat with several BST cats...

Great, I'm setting them up in groups of 5 per container.
This is like a preMigration migration!

Xross posted with all of you LOL
Re the caterpillars-
Gita, I can give you some chrysalises to take home and watch them emerge.

I have two enclosures to donate to the cause, beside the two (one small one large) I am returning to Judy. And a couple plastic tubs. She will probably be coming to my house closer to 1 pm and riding with me and Mark. I can take some of the cats right here. I have a good supply of tropical MW.

Gita/Catbird- if you leave my house by 9:30 you should easily get to Cams by 11:00 am.

This message was edited Sep 18, 2015 8:10 PM

thanks, Coleup--I wonder if the butterflies I released this week are off migrating now?

thanks so much, Sally--yes, I think with that many extra cats, it's good to be on the safe side with the extra milkweed!

It is great to have the option of and early and a late departure time tomorrow. Thanks Sally.
I will let Catbird know my plans early tomorrow am but more likely to opt for later.

The bigger caterpillars really love to munch on stems! Gita, if your swampmilkweed is anything like mine, just clip off the top 10 - 15 inches and stick ends in a jar of water!! Leave at Sally's if I don't make early (on porch)

J

LoL Catmint, maybe our radar and weather watching guys CAM and Seg can speak to this, but I think the weather, wind and thermals could see our Monarch butterflies make many miles towards destination Oxemel this week!

OK!!!

I will cut back some stems of the Swamp MW--and put them in a jug of water.
Will leave them on the steps. ..or wherever.

No thanks Sally on the Chrysalis.....I am nor YET--all THAT involved in all this---but I will
support your cause the best i can.

If I commit to a"CAUSE"--It means I will get 100% involved in it. I do not have the
time, or interest, to do this.....YET....

Gita

What a nice thought that they waited for him!

Yes, and no evidence at all to pop my fantasy!! :-)

I probably only have enough milkweed for 1 or 2 third instar cats... but could I have one please? Marta & her girls will be there, and I bet she has milkweed...

make that 2 cats, please, or 1 cat and 1 chrysalis if you have one... Martina and the girls need one to release also. :-)

whoops, just realized the time... will beg cats at the swap!

Where is everyone you bunch of slackers???

Hilarious.

You should post images here of their arrival, with time stamp on it...

Yeah I know. I've been here for an hour an only a handful of people.

Jeeze, how early did you get on the road Jeff?

Hehehe.

WOW!!! What a great time we had. Just got home and unpacked the car. Traffic wasn't too bad.

Thanks, CAM for hosting. You did a bang up job. The kabobs were wonderful. If anyone left hungry it was their own fault. As usual all the dishes were scrumpdillyishous!!!! Lisa, the Chateau Lisa was very smooth.

It was also nice to meet newbies. Always great to put names with faces.

Had a great time--so nice to see everyone again!
New little Monarch cats safely in their own butterfly habitat, away from the BST cats...

Newbie here. Heck, I went through pledging, got the Secret Handshake. Had a fab time. Many thanks CAM and my other newfound friends.

Thanks Cam, for hosting us. Your house and yard are really lovely! Are you sure you're a single guy? Not nearly messy enough !!

Nice getting to meet new friends and see old!

Thank you for hosting, CAM, and thanks to Jeff for helping us unload!

I had a wonderful time, as always. :D

It was nice to meet you Lisa, and I thoroughly enjoyed "Chateau Lisa" and digging up CAM's yard with you : - )

CAM, thanks so much for a wonderful, warm gathering...and I mean warm as in comfortable and friendly, although the weather was a perfect kind of warm as well.

I agree with all of the above. beautiful day!

it is not easy to Put on a SWAP--Lots of prep work and cleaning up.
You did a wonderful job!

Sally--did you get my message?
I left my food tote behind--I had put it by the fireplace.
I called you and left you a message to bring it to your house.

Yes? No? If NO--we will meet up again sometime.

Gita

A thoroughly wonderful day. Thanks, CAM, for everything. What a beautiful yard and great company. As Jan said, if anyone left hungry, it was indeed their own fault. So many tempting goodies. Hard to believe CAM has only been there for 6 months or so.