Are your perennial borders ready for the Monarch Migration?

Hi, everybody--

I found this web page reminding me that it is now (past) time to prepare our perennial borders for the Monarch Migration. http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2000/09/092900_migrations.jhtml

If you want to know exactly when the Monarchs will arrive in your area, check this link out: ( I didn't place this in the BF gardening thread because the info was already there and I think it's interesting for us to know/think about).

For example: Cincinnati is latitude 39 degrees so the monarch migration will be here around September 21.

August is a big month for butterflies and likewise for gardeners who like them. Apparently as the BFs fly down from the north they are looking for nectar plants and of course for the various milkweeds, so, if you can, it would be great to give your milkweeds and nectar plants an extra drink of water or nutrients if they are stressed so that they continue to bloom through the late summer.

For anyone who wants more information on Monarchs and all the details of creating a certified "Monarch Waystation", check out
http://www.monarchwatch.org/ws/seed_kit.html for a list of favorite plants and more details.

Have fun.

This message was edited Aug 20, 2006 12:18 PM

How neat! I've estimated they should arrive sometime around Oct. 13 to my area. That is if I did it right. I think I will still have several plants in bloom at this time.

Hi tabasco!
I guess mine were ready in the eyes of Monarchs but I had no idea they were going to be setting up camp in my backyard!!
Read here to see what happened:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/644524/

I promise to be more ready next year by planting milkweed for them :o)

Erynne

Thanks for the great link! I have been researching how to plant milkweed seeds that I got this year, which made me wonder why I don't see Monarchs all the time. I'll be looking for them in late September.. They'll have to make do with other flowers this year--by next, their milkweed will be grown (hopefully).

I loved looking at all your pics of the monarchs Erynne. I hope we are ready. We have lots of things still in bloom including milkweed and other plants that butterflies like.

Just found this picture which my DH took in late July with a visiting monarch. Seeing more every day. Hooray! Patti

Jeesh! Erynne! You've had spectacular luck! Thanks for sharing the Link!

I wonder what in particular attracted them to your maple tree? And do you have a water source nearby? (I read somewhere that they make these colonies near water sources--rivers, for example). Are you located near meadows and fields with lots of BF flowers? Mmm...just wondering (and excited) (don't mean to be rude!)

And Erynne--one more thing-- what latitude are you located in? Does it correspond with the chart?

bbrookrd--interesting to see your monarch on a daylily. I don't believe I've seen them visiting mine. It will be interesting to see if your count increases as the summer wears on (out).

I am trying to keep my milkweed blooming. Pretty good luck so far.

Hi tabasco!
Thanks to everyone who looked at the photos and maybe got as excited as I did about this, lol.
I don't have a clue what they liked about that raggedy tree,lol. I was considering having it cut down but may not now in case they want to use it again next year.
There is a creek up the street from my house for a possible water source and as well, I always keep fresh water in the bird baths (not sure if they use it though). As for milkweed, there is field near me with a bunch of wild stuff growing there but I don't know for certain if there is any milkweed. Sadly, all these fields nearby are going to be developed into business complexes over time and you know what that means :(
Oh, come to think of it, there is any elderly lady living one street over that would be just behind me that has an overgrown property. When we were bicycling I said to DH, "look at all that milkweed" in that jungle. I wouldn't doubt that butterflies are visiting her...should go see!
I don't have any milkweed *yet* but will make sure I have some in place for next year. Can Asclepias incarnata grow in containers and can it be sown outdoors directly in autumn??

As for other possible nectar sources for BFs, I'm growing lots of rudbeckia, 2 containers of zinnia, impatiens, scabiosa, a little verbena, nepeta, sedum, blazing star (which something just ate the blooms off of), Callistephus chinensis (they really fluttered like crazy on this one), echinacea, and alyssum. I must say that I did not set out to garden for butterflies and most of what I have on this list, I started out from seed just to try my hand at winter-sowing and seed starting in general.

I tried googling for my latitude and got 43.6. I don't get those charts, lol!! Are we on cue for Monarch migration?? I have much to learn eh?

Erynne

Erynne-- thanks for all the good info on your BF garden (even though you didn't mean it to be a BF garden!). Sounds very successful!

I do not know much about growing milkweed although I found these two web pages with details. I had no idea there were so many kinds -- I believe about 20 varieties grow in Canada, alone.

http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/guide/index.htm

http://www.monarchwatch.org/milkweed/prop.htm

I am definitely going to winter sow milk weed this winter.

Tab thanks so much for posting those links. I had no idea there were so many different kinds of milkweed either. I plan to get several different kinds for next spring.
Lin

Thanks tabasco...so many different kinds to choose from! I had no idea and the only one that I'm familiar with is Asclepias incarnata. I guess I will have to read further to find out if some are more invasive than others just so I don't end up with a loose cannon,lol.
Last night I was watching The National (hour long news program in Canada) and they did a spiel on Monarchs. It's reported that their number are significantly up this year....hooray!!

I was cleaning out a flower bed yesterday and was going to pull a wild milkweed till I saw a Monarch catapillar living on it. We have much milkweed growing in the fields around the house and I cultivate a couple varieties so the will be happy here.
aline

Interesting...I never knew that they did this.

Here are the current Monarch Migration and Fall Roost Maps from Journey North--

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/fall2006.html?layers=monarch_peak

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/fall2006.html?layers=monarch_peak

Erynne--Maybe you should let them know about your colony?

We are doubling the size of our butterfly garden this week (adding 200 square feet)-- will add more milk weed varieties for next summer--

Here's a question for everybody--

I was in Lowes yesterday looking at the spring bulbs and they had little packets of what looked like a "root" of 'Asclepias tuberosa' (orange milkweed/butterfly weed). http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/73/

I wonder if these little roots will grow in the garden over the winter? And I think they were $4. each (which seems like a lot) and I wonder if it would be better just to grow from seed (wintersowing, maybe?) Anybody know? I think Asclepias tuberosa is a very nice garden worthy milkweed and is a perenial here in Zone 6a.

I also picked up several Asclepias curassavica 'silky reds' early in the summer and I love them, too, but they are not perennial here..I wonder if I can overwinter them in the garage?

http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=118&account=none

Thanks for any advice you can share. t.