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Butterfly Garden

What I Saw Today

12 years ago

Hi everyone,

The wild common milkweed is starting to bloom here at last! My WS common milkweed is still kinda puny but the swamp milkweed is doing great! Not blooming but still growing. Anyway, when mom and I were on a walk, I saw the dreaded milkweed beetles on them. They were quickly removed thanks to my walking stick (an old wooden broom handle). The blooming ones were out of reach and I couldn't get to. The ones I got the bugs off of weren't blooming yet.

On the plus side of things, while mom and I were headed downtown, I spotted butterfly weed in bloom growing wild alongside the road! It's so beautiful! Now I know what to look forward to with my WS butterfly weed!

How's everyone's gardens doing? Anyone here in PA seen Monarchs yet? Or is it too early for them yet? I've had my first two visitors to my butterfly bush: a cabbage white and an eastern tiger swallowtail (black form)! Yay!!!

Brad AKA Moonwolf

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Comments (3)

bettyd_z7_va
12 years ago
Wow, Brad! I've not seen any action at the Butterfly Bushes that are blooming here, yet. Sounds like you picked a favorite with the Butterflies.

Still no Monarchs here in Cen Va. I didn't see any until about mid-July last year.

My WSed plants are looking sort of puny here, too. It has been unbearably hot and pretty dry here, lately. Maybe they will take off next year. I just want to keep them alive this year.

The few that are doing well are the ones I mulched with leaves. I've got to figure a way to keep leaves around my plants on the steep bank. Hmmmm.....I'll give that task to DH!

Our Dept of Transportation was really slow mowing this spring and I got to enjoy lots of "weeds" along the roadside. The chicory is blooming now. I love that pretty blue bloom on it. I tried, unsuccessfully, to transplant some to my garden one time years ago. I may try again.

I just got off work and need to take a nap.

Catch you later,
Betty
moonwolf_gw
Original Author
12 years ago
Hi Betty,

Living out in the country, there's lots of wildflowers here. Lots of Queen Anne's Lace, yarrows, thistles, etc. We have a purple coneflower we bought last year and just transplanted again this year and it's blooming right now. I remember the butterflies liking that one last year too. They smell good too!

Still keeping an eye out for the Monarchs. Hopefully, they'll be here soon! Going out shortly to look around the garden.

I'm already planning on what to winter sow for this year. I want to add some more milkweeds, joe-pye weed and some meadowsweet/queen of the meadow/prairie to my garden. It has been very hot and humid up here in PA. We've been getting nice soaking storms up here at least once a week if we're lucky.

Brad AKA Moonwolf
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spaceman13
12 years ago
I found 2 cats (1st instar) on some of the wild milkweed I collected, so they're around here, but I haven't seen any.
Everything is starting to bloom more prolifically now, so I hope to see them dining at "Chez Spaceman" very soon!

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