Comments on: Asclepias Season http://hayefield.com/2008/06/23/asclepias-season/ A Pennsylvania Plant Geek's Garden Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:27:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Linda Pastorino http://hayefield.com/2008/06/23/asclepias-season/#comment-714 Linda Pastorino Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:15:38 +0000 http://hayefield.wordpress.com/?p=470#comment-714 HI Nancy, I see I'm going to be a pest but your sight is so interesting in the topics you're covering. Speaking of milk weed, I put it in 6 years ago. I have it in my "wild border" and for years until this year it was always in the same spot. Now I discovered three more clusters same bed which is about 200 feet long. It moved and is not in original spot. They are blooming now and not in June as they were in years past. So those are out and the three types of Joe Pye are out and Mondarda etc. My milk weed head is not as nice as yours and the colors is weak this year. Yours is like a pom pom This is the year I see more butterflies of every type than any other year ever. I have tons of Monarchs and other types very abundant at all times since about May. I don't feel that it will be a problem introducing other strains or flowers and in fact as in my case has helped increase good insect populations. What I would like to rid myself of is the devistating japanese beetle that devours everything in sight! Milky spore didn't cut it here in Chester for the past two years! Linda <em>You're not being a pest, Linda; I enjoy your enthusiasm. How neat to hear about your experience with milkweeds. Funny you should mention your Japanese beetle problems; I was just thinking that I've hardly seen any this year, though they were horrible last year. -Nan</em> HI Nancy,
I see I’m going to be a pest but your sight is so interesting in the topics you’re covering. Speaking of milk weed, I put it in 6 years ago. I have it in my “wild border” and for years until this year it was always in the same spot. Now I discovered three more clusters same bed which is about 200 feet long. It moved and is not in original spot. They are blooming now and not in June as they were in years past. So those are out and the three types of Joe Pye are out and Mondarda etc. My milk weed head is not as nice as yours and the colors is weak this year. Yours is like a pom pom This is the year I see more butterflies of every type than any other year ever. I have tons of Monarchs and other types very abundant at all times since about May. I don’t feel that it will be a problem introducing other strains or flowers and in fact as in my case has helped increase good insect populations.
What I would like to rid myself of is the devistating japanese beetle that devours everything in sight! Milky spore didn’t cut it here in Chester for the past two years!
Linda

You’re not being a pest, Linda; I enjoy your enthusiasm. How neat to hear about your experience with milkweeds. Funny you should mention your Japanese beetle problems; I was just thinking that I’ve hardly seen any this year, though they were horrible last year.
-Nan

]]> By: pennsybob1 http://hayefield.com/2008/06/23/asclepias-season/#comment-667 pennsybob1 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:54:36 +0000 http://hayefield.wordpress.com/?p=470#comment-667 WOW!.. folks who love this plant and all it's many varieties as much as i do!!.. was just wondering, since i've grown it from seed as well as transplants in the yard in s.w. pennsylvania, what the difficulty seems to be?.. the toxicity thing and non-native forms.. what the heck do the monarchs feed on when they migrate??.. or winter over??.. or summer over??.. s.w. pa is a loooong way from their winter home in mexico.. or do they fly domestic commercial planes that don't feed you between origin and destination ;>) <em>Hi there, Bob! Who knows why plants can be touchy for some people and tough-as-nails for others. Part of the challenge of gardening. I'm guessing the issue of native vs. non-native isn't an issue during migration; isn't it the larvae that feed on the milkweeds? -Nan</em> WOW!.. folks who love this plant and all it’s many varieties as much as i do!!.. was just wondering, since i’ve grown it from seed as well as transplants in the yard in s.w. pennsylvania, what the difficulty seems to be?.. the toxicity thing and non-native forms.. what the heck do the monarchs feed on when they migrate??.. or winter over??.. or summer over??.. s.w. pa is a loooong way from their winter home in mexico.. or do they fly domestic commercial planes that don’t feed you between origin and destination ;>)

Hi there, Bob! Who knows why plants can be touchy for some people and tough-as-nails for others. Part of the challenge of gardening. I’m guessing the issue of native vs. non-native isn’t an issue during migration; isn’t it the larvae that feed on the milkweeds?
-Nan

]]> By: PrairieGirl http://hayefield.com/2008/06/23/asclepias-season/#comment-649 PrairieGirl Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:33:51 +0000 http://hayefield.wordpress.com/?p=470#comment-649 Okay Nan, as I understand it, alkaloids are like inoculations, hence the protection from predators factor. I don't know, and likely wouldn't understand, many of the details! I wish I had taken better notes... <em>Thanks for checking in again. I wonder if we heard the same speaker? I sure wish I could remember who it was.... -Nan</em> Okay Nan, as I understand it, alkaloids are like inoculations, hence the protection from predators factor. I don’t know, and likely wouldn’t understand, many of the details! I wish I had taken better notes…

Thanks for checking in again. I wonder if we heard the same speaker? I sure wish I could remember who it was….
-Nan

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