Grow Milkweed Plants: Recent Episodes
Brad Grimm
In support of growing milkweed plants I am sharing the value that native milkweed has for monarch butterflies. Your host, Brad Grimm, created a website dedicated to education about milkweed. Visit http://www.GrowMilkweedPlants.com Get started taking action to find and grow milkweed. I'll warn you in advance, you may fall in love with this plant. The podcast dedicated to all things milkweed related. Topics include Asclepias, Monarch butterflies, milkweed, gardening and pollinators.
July 4th, 2024 In this episode we
- Recap Pollinator Week June 17th-23rd Order Milkweed Across the USA!: POM POM Paradise! Your purchase supports the show and you can enjoy the milkweed from Spring thru Winter between the pages of the book.
- Shoutout to listener Mindy Frohlich and the staff at Millcreek Gardens!
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Member Questions from Grow Milkweed Plants Facebook Group
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Does regular care/water inhibit milkweed flowering? I’ve nursed one for three years now, (left pic) and it’s never flowered even though I can find some much smaller flowering in the wild. Am I inadvertently fooling my plant somehow to not produce flowers? TIA. near Dallas. I’m assuming green milkweed..
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So sad, this morning I was excited to check with the caterpillar and the ladybug that's on my milkweed but they're gone..did some insects came to devour them..all I have left is the poop...
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Milkweed Science Minute: links to facebook Pollinium Germination and Putative Ovule Penetration in Self- and Cross-pollinated Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca Author(s): Adam P. Kahn and Douglass H. Morse Source: The American Midland Naturalist, Vol. 126, No. 1 (Jul., 1991), pp. 61-67
Have a very monarch summer!
If it's good for the butterflies. It's good for me.
Host: Brad Grimm
Recorded January 2023.
Boby Gendron presents Asclepias from across the western United States.
Asclepias fascicularis plants living dangerousely close to the highway where mowing was preventing it from reseeding the surrounding area.
Seeds were collected and grown and planted back, along the fenceline to ensure the success of these plants into the future.
Grow your own milkweed from seed. Order seeds now at growmilkweedplants.com/store
View the video presentation on YouTube at https://youtu.be/B6hDbCMm_bU
Tweet inviting the public to watch the presentation live. https://twitter.com/elizabethRGV956/status/1682094411755270144?s=20
Presentation notes from the International Western Monarch Summit 2023.
Dr Gail Morris, Southwest Monarch Study Coordinator. Divergent Migration Destinations and Overwintering Strategies of Monarchs in the Southwest.
Patrick Anthony Guerra, University of Cincinnati. This or That? Orientation and Navigational Mechanisms of Monarchs who Migrate from Arizona to Overwintering in Either California or Mexico.
Dr. Francis Villablanca, Cal Poly San Luis Obisps. Milkweed is not Milkweed is not Milkweed. Milkweed Butterflies: DANAINA, AMAURINA, EPULOEINA, ITUNINA. OUABAIN Heart Medecine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouabain
Becky Martin, Toyota Corp. Sustainability Manager for Toyota. Seed Grants.
Lumberjill Garden by Dana watch the Jarmination video on YouTube. Be sure to like and subscribe to the Lumberjill Garden channel https://youtu.be/SaDAqwi_0H4
Summarizing the events on the morning of day two of the International Western Monarch Summit 2023. Keynote speaker Dr. Myron Zalucki sets it straight that more data is needed on the Western Monarch Migration and milkweed distribution in the western United States.
Becca Lucas is a member of the YAK TITʸU TITʸU YAK TIŁHINI (YTT) NORTHERN CHUMASH TRIBE OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND REGION. Presentation on enviromental stewardship of the Northern Chumash. This is our promise "Return the land to us and the trees will stand until they fall down on their own." YTT Northern Chumash Tribe website https://www.northernchumashtribe.com/
Dra. Ek del Val Efforts to Conserve Monarch Butterflies in Mexico
Dr. Ryan Norris Effects of neonicotinoid on the development, survival, reproductive output and migratory orientation of monarch butterflies. MOTUS Wildlife Tracking System https://motus.org/
Amanda Barth Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies WAFWA's Western Monarch Conservation Plan https://wafwa.org/wpdm-package/western-monarch-butterfly-conservation-plan-2019-2069/
Direct download of "THE PLAN" https://wafwa.org/wpdm-package/western-monarch-butterfly-conservation-plan-2019-2069/?wpdmdl=13048&refresh=63f06e0c8db851676701196&ind=1602171186650&filename=WAFWA_Monarch_Conservation_Plan.pdf
After a break of nearly two years. I have returned with great content to keep you plugged into the strides being made to support monarch butterflies. This eposide remineses about the 2020/2021 work done with Monarch Sanctuary Project near Austin Texas. In January monarch people from all around decended on San Luis Obispo, California for the International Western Monarch Summit 2023. On this episode I reference my hand written notes to share what I heard from Dr. David James during his presentation Western Monarchs: the Importance of a Holistic Understanding. I update you on my recent gardening exploits at the "Ghost Garden".
GMP 50: National Plant A Flower Day
Sarah and I sow seeds and plant plants to enhance a habitat for The Monarch Sanctuary Project.
Follow The Monarch Sanctuary Project on Facebook
or
Follow The Monarch Sanctuary Project on Instagram
Watch the video on Facebook
Guest host: Sarah Koschoreck
Host: Brad Grimm
GMP 49: Western Monarch Count 2020
1914 Monarchs counted in the 2020 Western Monarch Count.
See the data: https://www.westernmonarchcount.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/WMTC-Data-1997-2020_1.12.2021.pdf
Host: Brad Grimm
Winter be damned. I'm gonna grow milkweed right thru the frost. Arizona milkweed and Aquatic milkweed are the number one stunners of the season. Tropical's persist, or die, depending on the duration of freezing weather.
Seed starting tips: put is soil and wait, put in soil cover with lid and wait, clip and water germinate, don't clip and water germinate. So there isn't one best way. Try different ways and see how the seeds start best for you. I learned that Aquatic milkweed likes to sit in soil for nearly a month before germinating. Most other milkweed seeds will germinate in one to two weeks.
Inspired by this wonderful Christmas gift from my wife I decided to try growing milkweed in a jar. I rinsed out the honey jar and added soil. Sprinkled a pinch of Milkweed Medley on the surface of the soil and watered the seeds and soil. Placed the cap w/ holes on the jar. Set it on the window sill and in a few weeks these milkweed plants are growing!
Jars are not great for milkweed because over watering and fungal disease is likely to occur without drainage holes.
The double-cup is a good way to care for seedlings. In the top cup you poke drainage holes. I poke three holes with the tip of my paring knife. Add soil to the cup with drainage holes. Add milkweed seeds. In this cup I am growing Green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis. Water the seed into the soil. Place the top cup in the bottom cup and place in a sunny window.
Store link: https://www.growmilkweedplants.com/store
Host: Brad Grimm
RIP Tropical Milkweeds: Putting Your Garden To Bed This Autumn
Monarchs are in northern Mexico. Right on schedule for Day of the Dead.
Not all tropical milkweed are created equal.
Why native milkweed won't thrive in a subdivision
(paid link) Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks
Bringing Nature Home, Updated and Expanded: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants
Arizona milkweed finally has a pollinator on the flowers. Western honey bee is moving from goldenrod to late blooming Arizona milkweed. To be fair to the plant. It blooms and fruits all summer long until there is a frost.
A Dose of Milkweed with Danny Sanchez
Danny began gardening at an early age. Take a look at one of Danny's earliest experiences in the garden.
Danny's passion for gardening has only grown over the years.
Guest: Danny Sanchez
instagram @adoseofdannysgarden
facebook Danny Sanchez
YouTube A Dose of Danny
Host: Brad Grimm
Music licensed by Epidemic Sound
2/28/2020 Grow Milkweed Plants Podcast Episode 45
For complete show notes visit www.growmilkweedplants.libsyn.com
Two tour guides at a monarch reserve in Mexico have been found dead. Foul play is suspected. https://www.mimorelia.com/localizan-sin-vida-a-raul-hernandez-guia-turistico-de-la-mariposa-monarca/amp/
LA Times reports that a bloody war is brewing over "Blood Avocados". Is no one safe anymore? https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2019-11-20/mexico-cartel-violence-avocados
Sign the Change.org petition to boycott blood avocados from Mexico. https://www.change.org/p/whole-foods-boycott-mexican-avocados-buy-fair-trade
Xerces Society has released the Monarch Butterfly count for Western Monarchs; and they are bad. 29,418 monarchs counted. Below the threshold considered sustainable. Will the monarch migration in the West collapse? https://xerces.org/blog/western-monarchs-need-our-help-more-than-ever
Dr. Chip Taylor from Monarch Watch weighs in on western monarchs and the impact climate may have on the population. https://monarchwatch.org/blog/2020/02/25/monarchs-and-climate-in-the-west/?fbclid=IwAR2OuYfDhqegGypEdu92wPjpSzu_rbcRiSo8d5ZPLMNWmkFUnq2MHN967Lc
Host: Brad Grimm
44 GMP PODCAST SHOW NOTES
Rotary Club of South Reno Octoberfest silent auction. Check their events calendar for details about upcoming event tickets. renosouthrotary.com/ Air Carrier used for the 2019 trip to Lihue (LIH) Kauai, HI was Alaska Air alaskaair.com Ground transportation used was Dollar car rental dollar.com Accommodations used Ali’i Kai Resort, Princeville aliikairesort.com Top 5 places to look at Calotropis plants in Kauai: * #5 Calotropis gigantea and Calotropis procera. Kauai Seascapes Nursery Inc 4741 Kahiliholo Rd # A Kilauea, HI 96754 kauaiseascapesnursery.com * #4 Private Residence (near public road) Calotropis procera. 5204 Kawaihau Rd Kapaa, HI 96746 * #3 Kapa’a First Hawaiian Church. Calotropis gigantea. Enjoy from public road. Advise not to enter property without permission. Address 4-1325 Kuhio Hwy Kapaa, HI 96746 North side of property. * #2 Puakea Golf Course Park Calotropis gigantea. 4391 Nuhou St Lihue, HI 96766 look East toward Costco Gas Station * #1 Kekaha Beach Park Calotropis procera. 1-7698 Kaumualii Hwy Kekaha, HI 96756
Calotropis gigantea is propagated by stem cuttings. Place the cut part in water and watch for roots. Calotropis procera is propagated by seed. I sell this seed at growmilkweedplants.com/procera $8.00 Hawai’i has two native butterflies. Hawaiians should get to know them. Love them. Grow their host plants. 1 Udara blackburni which can go by the names Koa butterfly, Hawaiian Blue or Blackburn’s Butterfly. The host plant for Udara blackburnii includes but is not limited to the following species. Dodonaea viscosa (Broad leaf hopbush) and Acacia koaia (Koai’a). 2 Vanessa tameamea goes by the names Kamehameha butterfly and the Hawaiian name of pulelehua. Host plants include but are not limited to Pipturus albidus (Mamaki). Grow Milkweed Plants launched a Free Milkweed Seeds program on October 1st 2019. Did you read the email? email link $475 was raised in a facebook fundraising campaign. Grow Milkweed Plants matched $500. The goal was to ship 250 packets of Free Milkweed Seeds to 250 people by Christmas Day 2019. The goal was achieved!!! Learn more about the program at growmilkweedplants.com/freeseeds Consider purchasing a packet that funds a packet of Free Milkweed Seeds for others or make a direct donation thru the PayPal link provided on that webpage.
MILKWEED HIT LIST
✔️ Asclepias asperula https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/62298
✔️ Asclepias nyctaginifolia
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/62294
✔️ Asclepias tuberosa
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47912
✔️ Asclepias linaria
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/62295
✔️ Asclepias hypoleuca
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/158742
✔️ Asclepias nummularia https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/158751
Nestor R and Brad G wander the Coral Pink Sand Dunes in search of the rare Welsh's milkweed.
Plant page: growmilkweedplants.com/welshii
Observation: inaturalist.org/observations/30008278
Google's top six results for Asclepias welshii
- Wikipedia
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- USDA Plant Guide (.PDF)
- USDA Plants Profile
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service A. welshii (.PDF)
- Grow Milkweed Plants - Asclepias welshii
Host Brad Grimm
Unspoken guest: Nestor Robles
What you will hear in this episode.
Asclepias cryptoceras grows in a remote location on a shale slope in the Great Basin east of Reno NV. Three experts and me have an unplanned meeting in the mountains and talk milkweed over a rare milkweed.
Cocoa Beach Florida has sun and fun but I take a time-out under an umbrella to talk about the diverse number of locally native milkweeds in central Florida.
Guests: Anurag Agrawal, Elizabeth Pringle, Aramee Diethelm
Host: Brad Grimm
Monarch Population Status
The Xerces Society Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count 1997-2018
The Western Monarch Thanksgiving & New Year’s Counts
Second New Year’s Count Supports Monarchs Movement Between Sites
This master gardener is luring monarchs to Las Vegas
Host: Brad Grimm
Guests: Anne Marie Lardeau, Glenda Bona, Nestor Robles, David Dewenter
ROYALTY FREE MUSIC by BENSOUND
I still laugh about the first time I "found milkweed". It was actually dogbane. I revisit this location and walk along the Truckee river in Reno Nevada. Learn about the different kinds of leaf damage on milkweed leaves. Milkweed bugs make a living on the leaf and we meet both the small milkweed bug and red milkweed beetle.
Support the show by clicking thru the E-Z Straw amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/2MXtQWh E-Z Straw is the perfect mulch for busy professionals who have a large container garden in need of mulch.
For incomplete show notes visit growmilkweedplants.com/38
Podcast Location: Mayberry Park, Reno, Nevada
Host: Brad Grimm
Intro Music: sunny - Bensound.com
Outro Music: acusticbreeze - Bensound.com
Fall monarch migration is beginning now. Monarch's keep warm in Mexico and California. If they were people we would call them snow-birds. Are you ready for winter? Check out these parkas insulated with the fibers of milkweed plants. Asclepias clothing is light, hypoallergenic and renewable. Plus it will keep you warm thru the winter!
Mason bees and summer leaf cutter bees do 10x the pollination work that a honeybee does plus they don't have a hive to protect so they don't sting. This summer, with the help of an instructables guide, I built a solitary bee house. Then to my surprise seven nesting tubes got used to build a bigger pollinator workforce.
Over the winter I will make more and offer them for sale in the spring for you to place in your garden. Sadly, we mourn the passing of Mr. Lincoln Brower. Mr. Brower advanced the study of monarchs and milkweed and expanded our knowledge with over sixty years of research and education. His contributions will not be forgotten.
All this and more!
Visit the complete show notes page at http://www.growmilkweedplants.com/37
Host: Brad Grimm
Location: Grow Milkweed Plants HQ
Intro Music: sunny - Bensound.com
Outro Music: acusticbreeze - Bensound.com
Water germination of milkweed seeds was introduced to me by Francisco Julich. I recommend following Francisco on Instagram at jardimdeborboletas he is based in Brazil.
My understanding of water germination of milkweed seeds was expanded by Dr. Steven Broyles who is a professional on the subject of milkweed.
I credit Francisco and Steven with being first to share the water germination method in my blog post Water Germination of Milkweed Seeds.
Looking for a simple guide to help you grow milkweed plants from seed? A milkweed seed germination guide is available for download. Cold Moist Stratification is recommended if it is October through March. Water Germination is recommended from April through September.
Intro Music: sunny - Bensound.com
Outro Music: acusticbreeze - Bensound.com
San Juan milkweed
Paco's Reserva de Flora y Fauna
The monarch butterfly isn't the only butterfly that uses Asclepias plants as their host. Queen butterflies and Soldier butterflies are a common sight in tropical regions like Mexico and central America.
The summer is the slow season for milkweed butterflies in Mexico. Due the the heat and it's drying effect on the milkweed in the area I did not see any milkweed butterflies during my visit.
December and January are the rainy season in Mazatlan Mexico. During the wet time of year in the winter months the milkweed that was dry and dormant thru the summer comes back to life and grows with vigor.
SaveSave
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Three main topics discussed.
One Gallon Greenhouse update including forward looking statement for the upcoming growing season.
Water Germination of milkweed seeds. The easiest way to go from seed to plant in the fastest time possible.
Recap of Milkweed Madness winners and a tease at whats to come in the 4th annual Milkweed Madness free seed giveaway.
royalty free music by: Ben Sound at bensound.com
Lynn Rosenblatt, author of MONARCH MAGIC and MONARCH BUDDIES dedicates 20 years to "POM-POM Paradise!"
Connecticut teacher and author LYNN ROSENBLATT devoted twenty-five years to teaching energetic and spontaneous first and second grade children. She empowered students through a global teaching approach and welcomed student creativity and spontaneity. Her websites http://www.lynnrosenblattbooks.com/ and MonarchButterflyUSA continue that work.
Lynn’s latest book Monarch Buddies: Munch-A-Bunch of Milkweed! is the revival of an original story, “Butterfly Buddies” – the framework for her award winning book MONARCH MAGIC. Follow along as MAX and MAISY and their monarch mentor, Montgomery take the reader through an engaging tale of friendship and discovery. Learn more about Lynn’s other books, videos and music at her author website at www.lynnrosenblattbooks.com
Kids are the inspiration. The creative eye of children allows them to see the magic.
MONARCH MAGIC! includes the inspiration and photographs of the children who worked with monarchs in the classroom.
"Children see the MAGIC because they LOOK for it." - Christopher Moore
If you are interested in educating and inspiring children then I strongly encourage you pick up a copy of MONARCH MAGIC! and Monarch Buddies. Connecticut has ten native milkweed species. If you are interested in finding out how many milkweed species are native in your state you can use the Milkweed Map to Locate Native Milkweed. Lynn grows and plants a few beautiful kinds of milkweed. * common milkweed * swamp milkweed * purple milkweed
Most milkweeds are perennial flowers that will grow back to provide habitat each summer. Plant it once and enjoy them for decades. Pictured here is swamp milkweed. Milkweed is The "Heart" of the Monarch Life Cycle. Are you interested in seeing a list of nearly all the different milkweeds the grow in North America? Discover milkweeds from Aquatic to Zizotes A-Z of MILKWEED SPECIES POM~POM Paradise perfectly describes the milkweed field in the summer months when the milkweed plants are in full bloom; showing off their POM~POMs! The bright milkweed umbels (flowers) are like a group of POM~POMs. For years I have been searching for a description of the habitat that is the nursery where monarchs grow. Fireworks seem pretty close. It's often around the 4th of July that the milkweed blooms seem to display their color explosions. POM~POM Paradise is my new favorite saying for whenever I am surrounded by milkweed in bloom. Monarchs need MILKWEED ACROSS AMERICA and so do we! Tony has an incredible story made possible by a POM~POM Paradise. Twenty years after Lynn published MONARCH MAGIC! Things came full circle and the beautifully crafted story Monarch Buddies: Munch-A-Bunch of Milkweed! has been published. Follow along as MAX and MAISY and their monarch mentor, Montgomery take the reader through an engaging tale of friendship and discovery. Their story shares their adventures as they munch and crunch milkweed, experience complete metamorphosis, life cycle changes and embark on a quest for survival. With hope in their hearts for a safe tomorrow, they will always remember their joyful days in the milkweed fields, and forever in their hearts they will always be…MONARCH BUDDIES! Earth Day is April 22, 2018. Lynn likes to plant milkweed as an Earth Day activity. "Do something special to create something for the future. Something to save what we have and something for the future." The musical score ~ ONE BIG WORLD For ALL of US to Share! ~ is a poignant plea for World Peace and Environmental Habitat Protection for the Monarch Butterfly. Contact Lynn Rosenblatt directly at USAMonarch24@gmail.com to share your favorite photo of monarch butterflies or milkweed.
Look for exciting changes at http://monarchbutterflyusa.com in the coming months!
It was an absolute privilege to speak with Lynn!
Now is the time to plant the milkweed seed that becomes the POM~POM Paradise of tomorrow. In addition to milkweed being the sole food source of the monarch butterfly caterpillar (Max and Maisy) it is also a flower that provides very high value as a nectar source for bees and other pollinators. MILKWEED ACROSS AMERICA! Complete Show Notes at GROWMILKWEEDPLANTS.COM/32
Register now for Milkweed Madness.
Listen to The Garden Path Podcast with Misti Little. I was a guest on her show. Look for Ep. 3-18: Grow Milkweed Plants | Brad Grimm
Host: Brad Grimm
Intro Music: sunny - Bensound.com
Outro Music: acusticbreeze - Bensound.com
Anurag Agrawal author of Monarchs and Milkweed speaks to us on the topics that are most interesting to us.
Book title - Monarchs and Milkweed: A Migrating Butterfly, a Poisonous Plant, and Their Remarkable Story of Coevolution
Grow Milkweed Plants podcast - Season 3 Episode 3
Read the recent blog posts by todays guest. Click on the titles which are links to monarchs and milkweed in Oxaca Mexico and the surrounding area.
Monarchs & Milkweed in Mexico – Pt 1 Posted on January 16, 2018 by Anurag Agrawal
Monarchs & Milkweed in Mexico - Pt II Posted on January 28, 2018 by Anurag Agrawal
Listen to the sounds of the monarch butterflies by locating Cerro Pelon on the SoundMap provided by Locus Sonus. Be sure to tune in during the daylight hours because that is when the monarchs are active but more important is that the microphone is powered by solar energy and the location only appears on the map when the sun is shining on the monarch butterflies. http://locusonus.org/soundmap/051/
View the book which is available from Amazon (press and hold link below)
- Monarchs and Milkweed: A Migrating Butterfly, a Poisonous Plant, and Their Remarkable Story of Coevolution
Host: Brad Grimm
Intro Music: sunny - Bensound.com
Outro Music: acusticbreeze - Bensound.com
Winter sown. Garden grown. Use milk jugs to grow milkweed plants starting in the winter.
Grow Milkweed Plants podcast - Season 3 Episode 2
Step two of winter sowing milkweed seeds in a one gallon greenhouse.
My YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/5VMLrbqBauU
How many monarch butterflies in the western population? See for yourself at https://www.westernmonarchcount.org Numbers should be released very soon. The 2017 Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count runs November 11th - December 3rd and the second annual New Year's Count runs December 30th - January 14th.
The November 9th blog by Pacific Grove Museum said the arrival of the monarch butterflies at their location was slower and with lower numbers then in years past. http://www.pgmuseum.org/blog/2017/11/9/slow-monarch-arrival What does that mean for the western population as a whole?
Monarch Butterfly Flight Challenge: Monarch Butterfly Fund Issues Technology Design Challenge to Solve Mystery of Monarch Butterfly Migration Inventors invited to participate in $50,000 challenge to create new tracking device. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fhX4d5bxmmB5ISwHhWho5-gGyGoLlxtXm_iqQhGzz88/edit
Milkweed Madness registration is going to open in February. Stay tuned for more information about how to win wonderful prizes thru this free giveaway. If you are interested in donating seeds or milkweed related products as prizes then contact Brad G at growmilkweedplants@gmail.com and use "milkweed swag" as the subject.
Host: Brad Grimm
Intro Music: sunny - Bensound.com
Outro Music: acusticbreeze - Bensound.com
Sorry for the long delay between episodes. I'm back and this episode is full of awesome content that will get you thinking about and growing milkweed plants.
Episode timeline...
2:15
NRCS.USDA.GOV link to Regional Pollinator Efforts - Monarch Butterfly NRCS encourages farmers to plant pollinator strips to help the monarch butterfly. Seeds recommended included eight species of native milkweed which would directly make a positive contribution to monarch butterfly habitat.
7:00
Featured news story: Destructive weed threatens U.S. corn fields Seeds received, in some cases, contained the noxious invasive weed called Palmer Amaranth. The plant is resistant to herbicides which translates to increased application of herbicide to curb the plants spread.
11:00
Lets dig a little deeper with a popular news story this summer titled: Why planting milkweed won’t halt monarch butterfly decline by the Washington Post. With the context presenter earlier could increased herbicide use be a problem for the fall migratory monarchs?
11:30
Butterfly counts may be higher this summer based on observations in the northern breeding grounds. Monarch Butterflies Flying High This Year After Recent Declines
14:20
Local milkweed report. Hint, it was a good year!
18:00
The time for action is now. With my help, I will guide you thru the process of growing strong healthy beautiful milkweed plants. Your homework is to collect those one gallon and half-gallon milk jugs (or chocolate milk jugs).
20:00
SAVE YOUR MILK JUGS! Next month we will use the plastic milk jugs as a tool to start growing milkweed plants in November. That's all for right now. As extra credit you can pick out your favorite milkweed. Click on your state, using this tool, to locate milkweed that is native to your area and follow the directions to find native milkweed.
"If it's good for the butterflies, it's good for me" -Brad G.
host: Brad Grimm
Detailed show notes : growmilkweedplants.com/28
growmilkweedplants.com/store
Vocabulary word: Phenology
Cautionary tale of blindness. Milkweed sap poses a serious health risk to humans. Learn about the risks and how to safely work with milkweed.
Milkweed Madness 2017 winners have received their prizes. I'll tell you what the prizes were, who donated some of the prizes and what you can do to make Milkweed Madness even greater in 2018.
Monarch butterflies have advanced north and are passing thru southern Maine and have reached Canada, spread out around the great lakes region. Check out the observation by Jaremy in Harpswell, Maine.
Book recommendation - The MONARCH: Saving Our Most-Loved Butterfly by Kylee Baumle. The book is currently sold thru Amazon. Please visit my affiliate link to purchase the book. By using my link to purchase the book, I receive a small portion of your purchase, thank you.
Host: Brad Grimm
Show notes will be published at www.growmilkweedplants.com/26
Vocabulary word: DIAPAUSE
Milkweed plant donation by Cat R of Green Thumb Gardnes, on Instagran @hbgtg or https://www.instagram.com/hbgtg/
REGISTER NOW FOR MILKWEED MADNESS 2017 (press and hold here for link)
or
Visit growmilkweedplants.com/milkweedmadness game registration closes on March 12 at midnight.
host: Brad G.
Arizona Milkweed & the Queen Butterfly
Arizona has about thirty native milkweed species that are host to both the monarch butterfly and the queen butterfly. On episode 24 I take you to Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area where I see my first Queen butterfly.
Locations visited:
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Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area
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Desert Botanical Garden
Discover butterflies in the desert near Tucson by following Sergio Avila on twitter @savila2015
www.growmilkweedplants.com/24
Host: Brad Grimm
In Australia the Wanderer Butterfly is found on the East coast from Brisbane thru Bundaberg.
www.growmilkweedplants.com/23
Host: Brad Grimm
Music by Gary Thomas, Breath on the album Didgeridoo
Congratulations to my brothers family on the birth of their new baby Rosemarie Sarah Grimm!
Peaces - Handmade jewelry & adornments with a nature-theme, perfect for wearing your essential oils!
How a Quebec company used a weed to create a one-of-a-kind winter coat
Support monarchs and the show by ordering milkweeds from Grow Milkweed Plants
View the complete Show Notes by pressing and holding here!
Host: Brad Grimm
The Biggest Little Butterfly Garden In The World has been raising and releasing the monarch butterfly since 2014.
In this episode you will hear:
- Season start dates
- Season totals (or totals to date)
- Biggest single release date of the season
- Learn about monarch tagging programs
Thank you for listening!
Host: Brad G.
Follow on social media @growmilkweedplants
Visit www.growmilkweedplants.com
Monarch butterflies in the East are passing the 49º Latitude aka USA/Canada border and beginning the migration South toward Mexico. Learn where they will be in the next month and when they traditionally arrive in Mexico.
Tim Wong is saving the California Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly by growing the host plant, California Pipevine. I travel to Golden Gate Park to meet Tim and learn about his amazing mission to preserve a rare butterfly species.
Monarchs may be in Newport Beach but its other bugs and birds that we meet as I take a bug walk with my seven year old neice Josephine.
Local Milkweed Report shows that the monarch butterfly has visited the butterfly garden.
View the complete show notes at www.growmilkweedplants.com/020
Host: Brad G.
Publish date 8/20/2016
Connect with Bryan Burks @BSburks who gave me a guided tour of the LA Arboretum @LAarboretum
http://www.arboretum.org
Discover more about monarchs via Monarch Arc and read the story by the VC Reporter featuring Juliana Danaus. The story is - The butterfly effect http://www.vcreporter.com/cms/story/detail/the_butterfly_effect/14163/
Featured song Chasing Butterflies by Karoline
Host: Brad G
Show brought to you by www.growmilkweedplants.com
Brad G. flys to Omaha Nebraska to discover that common milkweed is pretty common.
Links mentioned in the show:
THANK YOU RACHEL C. THE "ORIGINAL BUTTERFLY" AKA O.B.
THE STORY OF AN ORGANISM: COMMON MILKWEED
Raising Butterflies and Moths for Conservation
Show Notes are available at www.growmilkweedplants.com/018
Host: Brad G.
Original publish date: 6/20/16
Milkweed at large, seeking out native milkweed in Washoe County, Nevada - 017
View the complete show notes page at www.growmilkweedplants.com/017
- Invitation to the Grow Milkweed Plants facebook group
- Local milkweed report
- Monarch Passion tee shirt at Teespring.com (Milkweed Planter)
- Mowing down a monarch and the apology
- Traveling to Omaha, NE to search for milkweed
Outro music by Waylon Jennings, Omaha (affiliate download link)
@growmilkweed on twitter
growmilkweedplants on instagram
Host: Brad G.
1M Monarchs vs. a Mine, MexiRocks, Garden Vandalism & Jewel Milkweed - Episode 016
View complete show notes page: http://www.growmilkweedplants.com/016
Learn about the threat that could deplete the water supply for the Oyamel Fir trees resulting in massive habitat destruction of the habitat that the monarchs overwinter on in Mexico.
Learn how to order MexiRocks which directly support the citizens. MexiRocks is an alternative form of "butterfly tourism" that brings the monarch to your home or garden.
Read the entire story as published in the San Diego Union-Tribune. "Plants crushed, but not Conway School’s spirit. Community helps revive garden after vandalism"
Get up close to a wonderful, but rare, milkweed plant Asclepias cryptoceras that I discuss in great detail.
Host: Brad G.
Grow Milkweed Plants Podcast
Show notes: www.growmilkweedplants.com/015
- Monarch deaths in Mexico on March 11, 2016
- Cold moist stratification of milkweed seeds
- Milkweed Madness 2016
Host: Brad Grimm
Host: Brad Grimm @growmilkweed
Content in this episode:
- Eastern Monarch Population in Mexico 2015/2016
- Milkweed Madness seed giveaway
If its good for the butterflies, it's good for me.
Featured song: The Great Monarch Migration
Visit "Milkweed Madness" free seed contest and enter to win!
Visit the page that accompanies this podcast episode for expanded notes.
GMP Podcast Episode 013 - "Western Monarch Butterfly Population 2015"
page that accompanies this podcast<
Featured content:
- Western monarch population count is 271,924 butterflies.
- Data collected at 187 overwintering locations from Mendocino county to San Diego county (most ever visited in one year).
- New overwintering sites located in Alameda and Marin Counties.
- Monarch breakup (think valentines day) marks start of spring migration.
Outro music bump by Jeff & Paige Mighty Wolf Album song Plant More Milkweed Please.
Download their entire children's album at https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/mighty-wolf/id1057647028?at=11lQdU&app=itunes
Host: Brad Grimm
@growmilkweed
GMP Podcast Episode 012 - "Braderfly at the Museum"
page that accompanies this podcast<
Featured content:
The nickname given to the host is revealed.
- Recap of the conversation with Gail at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History.
- Learn why there is no milkweed within ten miles of overwintering sites in Pacific Grove, CA.
- Start your milkweed seeds now using a mini greenhouse like I am featuring on todays show!
- Featured product: Gardman R687 4-Tier Mini Greenhouse Amazon's #1 Best Seller in the Greenhouses catagory.
Facebook Page: Facebook.com/growmilkweedplants
Host: Brad Grimm
GMP Podcast Episode 011 - "Pacific Grove Monarchs"
page that accompanies this podcast<
Featured content: Monarch butterflies overwintering at Pacific Grove Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary and Cooper Cabin at Andrew Molera SP.
Featured products: Butterfly weed, Swamp milkweed and the groovy Pacific Grove Monarch sticker.
Host: Brad Grimm
If it's good for the butterflies; it's good for me.
Visit growmilkweedplants.com to find milkweed native to your area.
View the show notes page for this episode by pressing and holding this link: growmilkweedplants.com/010
August is peak breeding season for monarch butterflies. Milkweed is tall as your head. Caterpillars are chomping away at leaves. Start planning next year's butterly garden today.
Facebook groups mentioned:
The Beautiful Monarch Open Group - Admin Holli Webb Hearn
Raising Butterflies and Moths for Conservation Closed Group - Admin Mona L. Miller
Grow Milkweed Plants Public Group - Admin (me) Brad Grimm
Visit the show notes page for video of the monarch butterfly mentioned at the end of the eppisode.
Podcast brought to you by Brad Grimm at Grow Milkweed Plants
Sources for monarch research tags:
Monarch Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest This page includes the recovery of monarch tag #4130 that flew from Annabella in CA to Kendra in ID
Southwest Monarchs
Monarch Watch Tags ($15)
To find more information about the rearing cage that I am using to raise a monarch from egg to butterfly visit the Grow Milkweed Plants Resources Page
Monarch butterfly in my own backyard. Marine Monarchs is funded thru generous donation's including a match by Monarch Watch. Have you seen any monarchs this year? Milkweed is growing as the weather warms. Flowers are begining to bloom and the Spring migration of monarchs is reaching the Northern US. Continue the conversation at: http://www.growmilkweedplants.com/007.html
Texas Monarch Migration 2015
Migrating monarchs pass thru Texas in early spring. The Texas milkweed is super important and provides a habitat that allows the monarch to reproduce. If you would like to help this podcast then you can start by planting and growing a milkweed plant. More information is available at my website www.GrowMilkweedPlants.com a link will be available in the show notes. I was tipped off about the swamp milkweed plant by an acquaintance on twitter who goes by @spiderwort52 spelled - s p i d e r w o r t 5 2 Needless to say it was nice to see the additional plant. Low and behold I saw a monarch butterfly scouting out the flowers. A few days later in San Antonio the reverse was true. It was pretty nice to see that the San Antonio River Authority milkweed garden was maintained and even more exciting to see the monarch caterpillar and eggs in a city park environment. I have found pretty good success with following milkweed observations using iNaturalist.org and PlantsMap.com do you grow and sell milkweed in a nursery business? Visit www.GrowMilkweedPlants.com/grower
Episode 005 show notes: Title March Monarch Madness
Links mentioned in this episode: Find Milkweed for monarchs at:
Grow Milkweed Plants website
Marine Monarchs:
facebook.com/marine.monarchs
Monarch Migration data:
learner.org/jnorth/maps/monarch_spring2015.html
The company jet:
Southwest Airlines
On this podcast I will be talking about three main topics. Weather, Marine Monarchs and my upcoming trip to Austin.
Welcome to Grow Milkweed Plants podcast episode five. Today is March 26th 2015 and I am the host Brad Grimm. Thank you for joining me on todays wonderful podcast.
Spring is here, at least thats what our calendar are indicating. Based on a quick look at the 10-day forecast between the monarch biosphere preserve and the U.S. Border weather seems to be favorable for the 2015 spring migration. Winds are north at approximately 8 miles per hour in Mexico and north-northwest at 16 miles per hours in Austin. Longer range forecasted winds are light and variable with predominately north-west to easterly breezes. The temperatures between Rosario and the Monterrey range from 41º to 85º. Its very nice to see that a freeze is not in the forecast. Central to south Texas is slightly cooler but is trending toward warmer weather. Texas has had a bout of storms recently that yielded precipitation. The precipitation seems to be followed by warm weather and that is typical for spring. It should be very good for the milkweed plants that the monarchs will be searching for.
The specific path along the Migration route is not clearly understood but funding is underway for monarch monitoring on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Monarchs may or may not intend on crossing the gulf and monarchs over the gulf could certainly become fatigued on that long flight. Monarchs can be blown into the gulf and monarchs have been seen resting on the oil rigs. Oil rigs may be an oasis for them to rest upon should the wind push them out over the water. One question that this study is looking to answer is at what frequency do the oil rigs host these overseas monarchs. There is a facebook group for the project that is called Marine Monarchs. Updates about funding and their progress will be available on their facebook page. I have no affiliation with the Marine Monarchs project but there is a good chance that I will make a small donation to the program. If you make a donation then Dr. Chip Taylor is matching your donation until half of the $8000 project goal is reach. Chip Taylor is matching up to $4000. But it's not really about the money. The project focuses on providing real time data about the monarchs migration pattern which can be compared to winds and weather to help everyone understand more about the amazing monarch migration.
With Monarch Madness in full swing I am going "all in" with a trip to the great state of Texas! My wife and I are taking the company jet to Austin for the first week of April. Our hope is that the migrating monarchs will be traveling thru Austin at the same time that we are traveling to Austin. Despite the fact that I am setting my expectations very high I have some concern that they may not be there in the numbers that I am expecting. The odds of being there when the peak number of monarchs are traveling thru is about as likely as docking my model Estes rocket with the space station based on a gut feeling about where to point the rocket and when to initiate launch. I hope I scheduled the right launch time and trajectory for the trip when I booked everything back in November of last year.
Connect with me at Grow Milkweed Plants
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First growth on milkweed. Transplanting showy milkweed to the ground.
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Breakup of monarchs In overwintering sites and start of migration
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Plans to monitor and report in travel podcasts on the migration thru Austin in Spring and Summertime milkweed in Yosemite.
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Milkweed restoration projects and late season mowing.
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The ebb and flow of milkweed and monarchs. Walking the Truckee River looking for milkweed and finding it all dormant 3/11/15
Yosemite video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3jpu2th34o
Delay roadside mowing? http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2015/03/10/port-colborne-butterfly-project-begins-to-take-flight
Monarch population is nearly flat but greatly reduced from previous decades. Pestacides in your garden could be lethal to monarch caterpillars nearby. Interstate 35 is becoming the Monarch highway. Milkweed in my backyard. Where are the monarchs vacationing in Mexico?
Grow Milkweed Plants
Sources:
The Washington Post - http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/02/09/the-monarch-massacre-nearly-a-billion-butterflies-have-vanished/
Western population numbers - http://monarchjointventure.org/news-events/news/western-overwintering-population-2014-15
RoundUp - http://darwin.bio.uci.edu/sustain/global/sensem/burry298.html
Monarch Watch Population Status - http://monarchwatch.org/blog/2015/01/27/monarch-population-status-22/
Winter roosting sites in Mexico - http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarch/PopulationMexicoSites.html
Visit www.growmilkweedplants.com for more information
On todays episode I am going to share a few of the expeditions that I took this winter. I said expeditions but what I am talking about is visits that I made to monarch overwintering sites in California. I did not visit all of the more than 100 locations. I visited six locations. The first two were great because of their location in San Diego but didn’t have many monarchs. The last four locations were amazing because they were monarch butterfly honey holes. I’ll try to give you a few tips about the overwintering locations that I visited so that if you retrace my steps you get the most from your visit.
Welcome to Grow Milkweed Plants podcast episode two. I am the host Brad Grimm and thank you for joining me today. At the time of recording this episode it is January 30th 2015 and it very near the end of the overwintering season in both Mexico and California. But more importantly, in my opinion, it is nearly the beginning of the Spring migration. The Spring migration is massive. So if you are in southern Texas or Sacramento the migration will be sooner than if you are in Winnipeg or Spokane. If you are patient and you are growing milkweed then I wish you luck is seeing monarchs in your own backyard.
Very early in the monarch migration season, on November 13th 2014, I flew down to San Diego. I had collected some data that was published in 2009 by UCSD that there are three overwintering sites in San Diego. The first location is called Grape Street the second location is at the Presidio and the third location is on the UCSD campus. The first location, Grape Street, is at the edge of Balboa park where grape street terminates into a parking lot for a dog park. The second San Diego location is in old town San Diego at the Presidio.
The Presidio is a beautiful location. I was not able to make it out to the third location which is on the campus of UCSD so I won’t be able to comment on that location today. There are two reasons I was only able to visit two of the three locations in San Diego. The smell of tacos at The Alamo restaurant in old town was amazing and overpowered my desire to search for monarchs and because I was limited on time because and needed to catch my return flight.
As I arrived via bus, the Weather in San Diego was fast approaching the hot 70º high temperature. I walked a few blocks to the Grape Street dog park. There are no signs pointing toward the eucalyptus trees for monarchs. I did a lot of wandering around and besides seeing about five monarchs I came to the conclusion that there was not going to be any clusters on this warm November morning. The visit did have some highlights which includes seeing a great horned owl resting high in the trees. It was also good exercise. The official monarch count at Grape Street is 15. I think I may have seen them all this winter.
Back on the bus I made a transfer in downtown san diego and headed to the Presidio that is on a hill above old town. I walked a path straight up the side of the hill and arrived at one of the most beautiful areas for a picnic. Ocean views and shaded lawns made me think that if I were a monarch that that is where I would stay for the winter. Despite the beautiful location and ideal weather conditions there were no monarchs in San Diego besides the few that I saw flying about in gardens. I retreated toward the airport but not before having a couple delicious carne aside tacos and a local brewed beverage at the restaurant I mentioned earlier. The official monarch count at the Presidio Park, Old Town is 30
Turning the dial forward to November 21st. It is only 8 days later and my wife, Ashley, and I go to Santa Cruz California. It is still considered early in the overwintering season but I had heard that there were pretty good monarch counts. I should say that the premise of the trip was to visit the Monterrey Bay Aquarium to view sea life in their world class facility. It is only due to the extreme patience and understanding of my wife that I was fortunate enough to parade her thru the monarch groves on this visit.
First stop. Natural Bridges on the north side of Santa Cruz. The state beach and monarch butterfly trail are delightful during any time of year. Although there is a quiet buzz in the air today. We paid the state park vehicle fee and parked in the main lot near the visitor center. I could see there were others visiting the monarchs. I felt a little under prepared because my camera was about one tenth the size of what others were carrying. But it’s not about the photos you leave with. In fact, it’s not about gaining anything from the experience. For me, what I try to do while under neath the thousands of butterflies, is learn from them. I’m not talking about getting lecture notes from a butterfly. What I am trying to convey is the idea of being more butterfly like myself. Some may say zen or meditation and that is pretty close to what I mean. The monarch butterfly gives us so much by doing so very little. The monarch is able to do what it does best which is be simply amazing and live among us without being destructive or a nuisance. People like me on the other hand do destructive things and call it progress. Lets take farming for example. Some farmers plow under all the native milkweed and grow corn or soy beans. Is that progress? I’m not a farmer and if you are then I am not saying to stop farming. It is a systematic process of changing the natural course of the land. Monarch butterflies on the other hand fly over the field and see that there is no milkweed and simply die off as a result. Wow. that sounded kinda dark. I wonder if that’s a factual representation found in the real world. I’ll let you decide.
Back to the experience at natural bridges. It is a facility that is easily accessible for everyone. I would recommend you visit in December or January. The season may be longer in some years but your prime time for monarchs will be those two months. Either bring a big camera and a tripod or bring no camera at all. but your iPhone is only going to get good photos in the milkweed garden because monarchs are in trees high above you. The official monarch count at natural bridges is 3,400
The following day on November 22nd 2015 Ashley and I parked at Pacific Grove monarch butterfly sanctuary. The site is basically like a wild backyard with tall trees and shady trails. It was raining and despite having an umbrella everything was pretty wet except my tiny camera. We got there early because the main stop is the Aquarium. After homing in on the entrance to the monarch sanctuary we walked a very short distance to the trees where thousands of monarchs were clustering in the cool moist air. At first we walked right by most of the clusters. It wasn’t till we looked where others were looking that we saw them. The pine needles were thickly covered. I wanted to cheer for them like it was a sporting event. Having driven hundreds of miles to see them I felt like I had just won the game or hit the jackpot. I refrained and I kept my voice to a whisper like everyone else. The pamphlet says that loud voices disturbs the environment for the monarchs. So after our necks were throughly tired from gazing up at the tree limbs we departed for a wonderful day indoors at the Monterrey bay aquarium. The official count at pacific grove is 24,122
Turning the dial forward again to January 17th. Ashley and I headed back to the coast but this trip was to go whale watching near Half Moon Bay California. On our route I had cleverly routed us past Ardenwood Historic Farm. Ardenwood is a working farm and part of the East Bay park system. Entry is $3 per person. We visited on a Saturday and after walking the paths for a while we met at the milkweed garden and greenhouse where two employees greeted everyone and talked about monarchs and milkweed. I love hearing other people talk about my favorite subject. Time stands still when I am learning about milkweed. It seemed like the talk lasted only seconds. On the milkweed there was a few caterpillars. I saw a small one and a big one. There was also a monarch laying eggs on the tropical milkweed. I am going to save my opinions about the choice of milkweed that was growing at Ardenwood for a future episode. It was not native milkweed and that is all I will say right now. We headed down well traveled dirt path toward some of the tallest eucalyptus i have ever seen. It was another warm day, maybe 67º and the monarchs were very active. I wouldn't say we saw thousands but there were more than one hundred that were on the move. The location combined with the butterflies makes this mu second favorite place to see monarchs only after Pacific Grove. The official count at Ardenwood Historic Farm is 2,061 monarchs
Whale watching was a bust, no whales, but we did have a nice boat ride and a great experience overall. Once on land my wife and I went to Yurba Buena Native plant nursery where I got three new milkweed plants. Two of them are showy milkweed and the third is mexican whorled milkweed. They are still doing well and I will have them in the ground in the next month or two. As we headed away from the coastside we stopped at the golf course in san leandro. We weren’t there to hit balls. I brought my wife to yet another overwintering site for monarchs. Did I mention how patient she is? Very patient.
It is super important to know that this site is on private property. The only days that you may visit to see the monarchs is on Saturdays and there is a process to participate. Ashley and I arrived on a Sunday. With my tiny camera I approached the entrance seeking permission. We were directed to the clubhouse to see the general manager. I pleaded with the GM for access and he must have taken pity on me because he was kind enough to present two waivers that we signed before entering the course. We safely dodged all the golf ball while we took the path to the back of the property. Flying around in the trees was a few hundred monarchs. I felt like it was my lucky day because I was surrounded by monarchs. I just wish I could see that many monarchs every summer; everywhere.
When an acorn falling 70’ from above hit me in the forehead I decided it was time to go. This concludes my season visiting overwintering sites in California. The official count at the golf course is 7,750 monarchs I think there was a larger population being the driving range but given my experience with the acorn I wasn’t going to risk going there without a tour guide.
Thank you for listening to the second episode of Grow Milkweed Plants. Visit www.growmilkweedplants.com for more information and photos of the places I talked about in this podcast. If you are signed into itunes and enjoyed the show then please take a moment to subscribe, rate & review this podcast. On the next episode I will tell you what the total monarch population is in both the Western and the Eastern population and much more.
Milkweed is the host plant for monarch butterflies. I discovered that the monarch population dropped to historic lows between my visit to over-wintering sites between 1996-97 and 2014-15.
Visit www.growmilkweedplants.com for more information.
The decline in milkweed plants as a habitat may be the most important factor in population. I have taken action to grow milkweed plants. I share a few ways you can find milkweed and why it's important.
As a California boy raised on the central coastside I loved the ocean and the forest. One place that was a special treat for me in the winter was the State Beach named Natural Bridges. Natural Bridges State Beach is located in California on the North side of Santa Cruz. There is a butterfly sanctuary for Monarch Butterflies that is open to the public.The Monarch Trail is a place you must go.
At Natural Bridges they have a small demonstration garden with Milkweed Plants. Most of the year it is not much to look at but it is educational. On my last visit there were thirteen caterpillars and one monarch chrysalis in the milkweed demonstration garden.
Visit http://www.growmilkweedplants.com/about.html to learn more about me; Brad Grimm
Now days, I am involving myself in growing milkweed plants and sharing information about milkweed with everyone. By sharing information about milkweed in a clear and detailed way I look forward to the day that Monarch Butterflies return in abundance. So that they may once again dominate their massive migration route between Canada and Mexico.