The Monarch butterfly population is in bad need of help. Estimates by scientists show a 90 percent reduction in their populations over the last several decades. While there are a number of factors involved in this reduction, one of the biggest is a lack of milkweed. Twenty-five years ago, milkweed was as common as grass and could be seen in just about every field in the eastern United States and into the Midwest. Then Round-Up Ready crops became the new hot commodity. These food crops were altered to tolerate the herbicide Round-Up. Milkweed was not tolerant, of course, and was killed off in huge numbers, according to scientists, resulting in the loss of millions of acres of milkweed. The bottom line is Monarch caterpillars only eat milkweed. The milkweed is the host plant of the Monarch and it is absolutely vital to the survival of newly hatched caterpillars. The milkweed plants provide all of the nourishment they need to transform into the beautiful Monarch butterflies we all know and love. Thankfully, native gardeners have taken up the cause and are planting as much milkweed as they possibly can each year. Because when you stop and think about it, it’s about more than the Monarchs. Since Monarchs are big, brightly colored and flashy, they gain quite a lot of media attention. But there are many insects that feed on the milkweed’s rich supply of nectar. This includes Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, Skippers, Eastern Commas, the Snowberry Clearwing moth and multiple species of bee, including bumblebees. It’s really easy to grow your own milkweed. They love full sun and there are species suited to both dry or humid conditions. The other great thing is that they are perennials, and, once established, will reappear year after year. There are dozens of species of milkweed to choose from. For example, some common species in the northeastern part of the United States include Swamp milkweed, which likes damp, marshy areas. Then there’s Common milkweed, which prefers well-drained soils. There is also Poke milkweed, which thrives in woodland settings and Whorled milkweed, which does well in prairies and open areas. If for some reason you were not able to over-winter milkweed seeds outdoors, you can speed things up by soaking the seeds in water for 24 hours and then placing them in a damp growing medium and sealing them up in a zip-loc bag. Put them in the refrigerator for 30 days. This action mimics the freeze and thaw action of the outdoors, which is needed to crack the shell and coax the seed out of dormancy. Transfer the seeds to a growing tray with soil and check every day, misting the soil when dry. Let seedlings grow for at least six weeks to build adequate root systems. Bring the tray outdoors on warm days for several hours, placing them in indirect sun. Once plants show one or more sets of leaves, transfer into 4-inch pots, then plant them in the ground in the fall. For more detailed instructions on planting milkweed, go to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center website. Just a quick word of caution. It’s important to exercise care when working with milkweed plants. Always wear gloves since the white sap can be harmful to humans and pets. Yes, milkweed is absolutely essential to the continued survival of the Monarch. But according to scientists, the Monarch is the bellwether and its struggle indicates what direction all pollinating insects are headed. So please know when you plant for the Monarch, you are planting for the survival of scores of other insect species. - Catherine Greenleaf 2022 | 
Comments
Post a Comment