![]() Like all wildflowers, milkweed should be planted on bare soil. How To Plant Milkweed Seeds In Fall: Preparing Your Area Learn how to manage the spread of milkweed in your garden. ![]() Milkweed is extremely forgiving when it comes to soil and really only requires full sun (at least 6-8 per day). Or, block out a corner of a garden bed to plant the seeds. ![]() Choose a self-contained area in the garden that isn’t in the middle of an existing garden bed. It's important to carefully choose the spot where you'll plant your milkweed as they will self-seed and spread rather quickly. How To Plant Milkweed Seeds In Fall: Choosing Your Area This is important because some seeds treated with neonicotinoids could harm or even kill pollinators when they feed on the plants. All of the milkweed seed we handle at American Meadows is non-GMO and neonicotinoid-free. ![]() When selecting your Milkweed seeds, check the label to make sure they are neonicotinoid-free. All milkweed varieties act as host plants for Monarch butterflies. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is a red, showier variety. Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) is native to the Midwest and boasts light green/white blooms that illuminate in the moonlight. The most common varieties are orange Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) and pink Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), but there are dozens of other varieties to choose from. So how do you decide which varieties to plant in your garden? It’s really personal preference. Most milkweed share the same advantages in the garden: they thrive in all regions, tolerate almost any soil type, bloom in the early-mid summer, are deer resistant, and - of course - attract bees, butterflies, and more to the garden. How To Plant Milkweed Seeds In Fall: Choosing Your Seed In short, direct sowing milkweed seeds in fall is much easier than planting in the spring. So planting your milkweed seed in fall not only mimics how milkweed is planted in nature, but it eliminates the need for cold stratification as the cold winter months will do that for you. Large seed pods open up and self seed readily, spreading this native wildflower’s seeds each season. Why is this? If you’ve ever seen milkweed in action in the fall, it’s easy to understand. Although you can plant Milkweed in the spring after cold stratification and starting seeds indoors, fall is the easier - and more natural - time to plant. Once established, this native plant is a breeze to grow and requires little maintenance. Depending on the variety, flowers come in all shades of pink, orange, and white, fitting in with any garden style as long as you have a spot to really let it multiply and grow. But Milkweed is also a decorative and showy addition to the garden, offering up tufts of long-lasting blooms in the summer months. Many gardeners realize the importance of adding milkweed to their gardens to help the disappearing Monarch population. Milkweed, also known as Asclepias, is one of the best native wildflowers for attracting pollinators to the garden and is the sole host plant for the Monarch butterfly. Seed Envelopes contain approximately 0.02 ounces of seed and cover about 5 to 10 square feet.By Amanda Common Milkweed blooming in my garden last summer. Previously only available for purchase in our Milkweed Madness Packet. ![]() Clusters of pink to purple flowers attract butterflies, pollinators and more! This plant typically reaches heights of two to five feet and prefers full sun, but can tolerate fluctuating moisture levels in the soil. For more information on planting milkweed, click here. Sow these seeds in late fall when soil temperatures are below 50 degrees to allow the seed to stratify naturally. Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) adds character and interest to a wide range of garden settings and more importantly, attracts Monarch butterflies. ![]()
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