Cathy, one thing I notice as I plant my incarnata (swamp) seedlings out into my beds is that there is a significant, and I mean SIGNIFICANT, jump in growth almost immediately. I had my seedlings transplanted in 4 and 5" pots and they were just kind of sitting there (some still are; need to get going!). I planted one 2 weeks ago, and it was about 4" tall. Now it's a foot tall and bushy.

There is just never enough time, and as I mentioned in another thread, we've had so much rain here and I wait as long as possible, the soil is still just mud. However, this milkweed I planted didn't seem to mind that at all. Probably cause it likes muddy soil, you think??

Congrats on your pot find! It's heartwarming to know there are such kind people out there.

Susan

YAY! I do agree...there are a number of really nice people out there. :) At my husband's fave nursery the manager there gave me a Buddleia for my school garden the other day. The time before that, he gave me several nectar plants for the school garden. He always saves me the droopy, leggy Nasturtiums since he knows I plant them for the Cabbage Whites.

As far as the Monarchs? EEK! Do I know THAT feeling. We're taking a mini trip (like overnight!) and I was out there collecting gazillion leaves for the 50 big cats and the itty bitty cats so that they will all have plenty to eat while we're gone...and we're just gone overnight. I'm just thankful all the OTHERS have pupated...whew!!! Of course, I'm thankful I only have one Gulf Frit and eight Pipevine Swallowtails since they weren't nearly as difficult to collect leaves for.

And to think people think DOGS are a lot of work...

Susan, Yes, I sure agree with you about the Swamp Milkweed having a growth spurge. I had the same experience when I took them out of the smaller pots that they were in and planted them in the big pots. I had done that a few weeks ago and mine are much taller too. I just measure my tallest one and it's about 32" high. The other ones in the bigger pots are catching up to it. I remember when I bought some Swamp Milkweed at the local nursery last year and the year before, they were just in the one-gallon pots and I remember thinking that a person would never be able to keep them in those permanently, that they'd be falling over all the time. The plants get 4 feet high and that's pretty tall to be in a pot that size, but I can imagine that the nursery would have to jack the price up another few dollars if they'd put them in bigger pots. I suppose I spent a few dollars on the potting soil to put in each of those two and three gallon pots. I got a bag of potting soil while I was there yesterday. It cost about $10 and if it wouldn't have been for mixing garden soil in with it, I'm sure I would have only gotten about 4 plants/pots done with that amount. So that would be about $2.50 a plant just in potting soil. I hate to even think what I've spent on plants, seeds, potting soil, and peat moss this year. Oh my! My husband said it's time to stop, that it's breaking the piggy back, and he means it, so any others will just have to get planted over in the weed patch, which is okay. I already have plenty already.

Sherry, Yes, I think too that there are some really nice people out there, and that was nice of the nursery manager giving you the Buddleia and other plants. I don't think that too many would do that actually.

Haha, yeah I'm sure you would know that feeling with the Monarchs! Hee hee. Wow, I bet too that you'd have had to gather a lot of leaves for all those cats for just being gone overnight. I've been saying that raising cats is about as much work as taking care of a couple of real babies. I know when I had the Monarchs here last year, I only got 4-5 hours of sleep a night because I'd wake up worrying if they had enough food and lots of times a few would be out of leaves even though I thought I had given them plenty before I hit the sack. I guess I should have stuffed the jars full. lol I'm going to forget the jars this year except for maybe a few. That just takes too much time keeping each caterpillar in a quart jar and dumping the frass out each time I feed it...taking the caterpillar and stick out, dumping, putting the cat and stick back in with fresh leaves. Geez, I thought there HAS to be an easier way of doing this! I sure hope I get that cage done or I might end up doing it the hard way again, and I was exhausted. I'm glad things aren't so hectic for you right now, but just think of all those butterflies you're putting out into the world! :-)

Cathy