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Asclepias, Milkweed ~ 50 seeds

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SKU
63198429
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Sun Preference
Full-Sun
Bloom or Harvest Time
Summer, Fall
  $4.79

Description

Certified Organic

Asclepias syriaca

Help ease the threat placed on Monarch populations.

Loss of habitat and exposure to pesticides threaten monarch populations from Canada to Mexico. Grow Milkweed, the monarch caterpillar's host plant, to create a monarch sanctuary in your own backyard. Create a companion planting of Butterfly Weed for very happy butterflies.

Seed Starting Successfully

Start your garden from scratch with Gertens' wide variety of seed packets! Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, we have seeds for every skill level and garden size. From colorful flowers to delicious vegetables, our seeds are carefully selected for their quality and performance.

Seed Starting Successfully

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When to Grow Veggies & Fruits

From Our Experts

Details

Monarch butterflies, with their strikingly streaked caterpillars, gold-foiled chrysalises, and tiger-striped wing patterns, are one of the most beloved of all butterflies. We humans flock to witness monarch migrations, but we are also responsible for their decline. Loss of habitat and exposure to pesticides threaten monarch populations from Canada to Mexico. Grow Milkweed, the monarch caterpillar's host plant, to create a monarch sanctuary in your own backyard. Create a companion planting of Butterfly Weed for very happy butterflies. 

Growing Instructions
Cold stratification required: direct sow in fall or early winter into a clean, prepared bed. Or, for spring sowing, sow in deep seed-starting pots about ¼" deep, in rich, damp soil. Cover and refrigerate for 3 weeks. Afterwards, move to a 70-degree, well-lit spot for germination, which can take up to 14 days. Transplant outdoors after frost in an area that can remain a milkweed patch for years. 

Please note: Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is native to much of the eastern and mid continental U.S.—most areas east of the Rocky Mountains. If you live outside of these areas, please do not buy or plant Asclepias syriaca. Before planting any milkweed, it's always a wise idea to reference monarchwatch.org or the Xerces Society for more information on milkweed species that are native to your specific area.

Quick Facts
Days to Germination: 21 days
Days to Maturity: 80 (from transplant)
Planting Depth: ¼"
Spacing in Row: 12"
Spacing Between Rows: 12"
Height at Maturity: up to 36"
Sun Preference: Full Sun
Hardiness Zone Range: Zone 3-7

About the Artist
Artwork by Nancy Blum. Nancy's intricately-rendered botanicals reveal layers of meaning about the power of plants. Composed of ink, gouache, and colored pencil, Nancy's ghostly monarch alludes to what we stand to lose without this habitat plant. 

More Information

Mature Height (Range) 25" - 36"
Spacing Between Rows 12"
Spacing in Row 12"
Days to Germination 21 days
Planting Depth ¼"
Days to Maturity 80 days from transplant
Seed Packet Type Flowers
Plant Life Cycle Perennial
Bloom or Harvest Time Summer, Fall
Sun Preference Full-Sun
Brand Hudson Valley Seed Co

Product Questions (12)

Starting times will vary depending on the vegetable you are growing. Each seed packet will have specific sowing instructions for that type of vegetable. Some plants, such as tomatoes and peppers, should be started indoors, 6-8 weeks before the last frost...
The process of bringing seeds outside is called hardening off. Hardening off is generally done sometime after the seedling has two full sets of normal leaves. In Minnesota, you want to begin hardening off seedlings in late April/early May.  To ...
If you have a southern facing window with all day sun, you may grow seedlings in a windowsill. Be sure to rotate the seedlings frequently to ensure the plants do not lean heavily towards the sun. For more even results, use a grow light, positioned roughly...
We recommend using either high intensity T5 fluorescent bulbs, or LED grow lights. Both setups will produce excellent results. T5s are the typical grow light, are economical and come in frequencies that are helpful for plant development. LED technology...
Grow lights should be kept roughly 4-5” above the top of seedling leaves. If you are using very powerful LEDs, you could even keep them 8-10” away.
Grow lights should be used to mimic a natural sunlight cycle for plants. We recommend using them 12 hours a day, from roughly 7am to 7pm.  
A variety of seedling trays exist for seed starting. If you are starting smaller seeds, a simple peat cell tray works great. However, the larger the seed, the larger the initial pot should be. If you are starting larger seeds indoors such as: sunflowers...
Do not start any type of fertilizer regime for young seedlings until they have at least two full sets of regular leaves. Start with a root stimulator, then after a month you may move on to a gentle, weak (half strength) water-based fertilizer. Remember...
Let the roots tell you when to transplant. When you begin to see the seedling’s root growing out of the bottom of their current pot, it is time to transplant up to something larger. We recommend using a 4” nursery pot to transplant most seedlings. In...
Gertens carries a wide variety of both spring and autumn planted bulbs. Spring planted bulbs, such as gladioli and dahlias, are best started indoors in early April, and planted outside once the soil temperatures are above 55 F. Autumn planted bulbs, ...
The big three tips are: 1) Staking and training 2) Feeding and watering and 3) Harvesting and enjoying. 1) Keeping plants trained and staked allows air circulation around crops and provides much-needed support for produce as it grows...
Gertens does carry an assortment of both perennials, as well as annual and perennial wildflower mixes. It is important to remember when growing perennials, that you will not get any flowers the first year of growth. It often takes a perennial 2-3 years...
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