The Plight of the Monarch

 

 

Hello Gardeners

 Perhaps you’ve heard the news that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering listing the monarch butterfly as an endangered species. To hear of this made me very sad.

 

Monarchs are an iconic creature in North America. Their demise is due to many factors including deforestation in Mexico, land development in the Midwest, use of neonicotinoid pesticides and the use of ‘round-up ready’ crops (which mean an estimated 99% of the milkweed that grew on the edges of crops is now gone). A great article from WWF explains the factors involved in the decrease of the monarch butterfly Monarch Butterfly.

 

Almost everyone recognizes a monarch butterfly, even preschoolers can tell you their favorite food – milkweeds. It is hard to imagine a world without these beautiful butterflies. Maybe you are thinking there is nothing I can do about it—but you would be wrong! There’s plenty you can do. Of course, you can write your representatives in government asking to prevent the use of neonicotinoids and the use of herbicides on crops. But a closer to home hands-on activity is to plant native flowers monarch butterflies need such as milkweeds, blazing stars and other flowers needed for larval feeding and nectar. This could be an almost free activity as the White Bear Lake Seed Library has many monarch friendly seeds available for free.

Here is a list of native plant seeds monarchs love available at the seed library:

Asclepias spp: Common Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed, Butterfly Weed

Liatris spp: Rough Blazing Star, Dwarf Blazing Star, Meadow Blazing Star, Dotted Blazing Star, Prairie Blazing Star, Dense Blazing Star

Echinacea spp: Pale Purple Coneflower, Purple Coneflower

Eupatorium spp: Sweet Joe Pye Weed, Joe Pye Weed

Solidago spp: Showy Goldenrod, Stiff Goldenrod

Verbena spp: Blue Vervain, Hoary Vervain

Helianthus maximiliani – Maximillian Sunflower

Aster novae-angliae – New England Aster

 

Now I know everyone has a list a mile long of things to do this holiday season, but once the New Year’s hoopla is over, please consider starting some tasty native plants for monarch butterflies. If you’re not in a position to plant natives next season, perhaps a friend of neighbor would appreciate seedlings of these monarch favorites.

 

Many native plant seeds need a period of stratification before they will germinate. Stratification is a period of a cold, moist environment (i.e. winter) before the seed will germinate. This is nature’s way of preventing seeds from germinating in the fall when there may only be a few weeks for the seedling to grow.

 

Stratification can be done many ways.

1.     Direct sow seeds in the ground this fall. They will germinate next spring.

2.     Use the winter sowing method using plastic jugs or containers. In this method you use empty milk/water jugs or empty plastic container with a clear cover, such as take out chicken containers or large yogurt containers. Start by punching holes all over the bottom, sides and top of the containers. If you are using a plastic jug, cut along the equator of the jug leaving a small bit uncut by the handle. Place about 3” of potting soil (not garden soil) in the bottom of the container. Plant the seeds. Put the cover on the container and place outside in a sheltered area that will receive sun and rain/snow for the winter. Early next spring check the container and water if necessary. Soon you will have seedling emerging. Later in the spring or early summer you can plant these seedlings directly in your garden as they will not need to be hardened off.

3.     You can also do winter sowing using damp fine sand or damp coffee filters and a Ziploc bag. Place the seed in the sand or on the coffee filter. Place in a ziplock bag and store in your refrigerator for the number of days needed to stratify. (All the seed library packets specify the stratification time.)  After the stratification time has elapsed plant the seeds in trays or small containers to germinate inside your home. These seedlings will need to be hardened off before planting in your garden late spring.

 

Many families make it a holiday tradition to buy gifts for a Giving Tree or Toys for Tots. Consider starting a new family tradition of giving our earth a gift of native plants!

 

May Your Holidays be Merry, Bright and Green!

Pam

 

Contact info for the Seed Library:

Email: wblseedlibrary@gmail.com

Blog site: WBL Seed Library