Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District
  • Home
  • About
    • About >
      • Staff & Supervisors
    • Donate/Affiliate Membership
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Newsletter >
      • News articles
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Strategic Plan
  • Programs & Services
    • Ag Stewardship >
      • Agriculture Resources
    • Drainage
    • Financial Assistance/Cost Share Programs >
      • Invasives Cost Share
      • Landscape Callery Pear Removal Grants
    • Invasive Species >
      • Invasive Trade In Program
      • Landscape Callery Pear Removal Grants
      • Hamilton County Invasives Partnership
    • Map Resources
    • Spring Native Plant Kit Sale
    • Fall Native Sale
    • Rain Barrel Info & Sales
    • Rule 5 Submission
    • Soil Is Alive: Soil Health Trailer
    • Soil Maps & Surveys
    • Soil Testing
    • Stony Creek Feasibility Study
    • Photo Contest
    • Report a Polluter
    • Tool Loan Program
    • Video Resources
    • Water Resources >
      • Well Capping
      • Well Water Testing
  • Urban Conservation
    • Backyard Conservation
    • Landscape with natives
    • Urban Agriculture >
      • Micro-Irrigation
      • Donate Your Vegetables
      • Garden Resources
    • Creating and Maintaining a Prairie
    • Restoring HOA Native Landscapes
    • Stormwater Landscape Maintenance Training
    • Rain Garden Info
    • Seed pack
    • Tree Info
    • Where to buy native plants & seed
  • Events
    • Workshops & Events
    • Rain on Main
    • Pay Dirt Hamilton County
    • Past events & recordings
  • Online Store
  • Home
  • About
    • About >
      • Staff & Supervisors
    • Donate/Affiliate Membership
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Newsletter >
      • News articles
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Strategic Plan
  • Programs & Services
    • Ag Stewardship >
      • Agriculture Resources
    • Drainage
    • Financial Assistance/Cost Share Programs >
      • Invasives Cost Share
      • Landscape Callery Pear Removal Grants
    • Invasive Species >
      • Invasive Trade In Program
      • Landscape Callery Pear Removal Grants
      • Hamilton County Invasives Partnership
    • Map Resources
    • Spring Native Plant Kit Sale
    • Fall Native Sale
    • Rain Barrel Info & Sales
    • Rule 5 Submission
    • Soil Is Alive: Soil Health Trailer
    • Soil Maps & Surveys
    • Soil Testing
    • Stony Creek Feasibility Study
    • Photo Contest
    • Report a Polluter
    • Tool Loan Program
    • Video Resources
    • Water Resources >
      • Well Capping
      • Well Water Testing
  • Urban Conservation
    • Backyard Conservation
    • Landscape with natives
    • Urban Agriculture >
      • Micro-Irrigation
      • Donate Your Vegetables
      • Garden Resources
    • Creating and Maintaining a Prairie
    • Restoring HOA Native Landscapes
    • Stormwater Landscape Maintenance Training
    • Rain Garden Info
    • Seed pack
    • Tree Info
    • Where to buy native plants & seed
  • Events
    • Workshops & Events
    • Rain on Main
    • Pay Dirt Hamilton County
    • Past events & recordings
  • Online Store

Hamilton County SWCD News

Harvesting Hope: How to Collect and Spread Milkweed Seeds for Monarchs

10/23/2024

0 Comments

 
Picture

How to Harvest and Spread Milkweed Seeds
Milkweed is a crucial plant for monarch butterflies, as it serves as the only host plant for their caterpillars. If you're looking to support monarch populations, collecting and spreading milkweed seeds is a simple and rewarding way to help.

When to Harvest Milkweed Pods
Milkweed pods are typically ready for harvest in the fall, between late September and early November, depending on your location. The pods are ready when they turn brown or gray and start to split open at the seam. Inside, you'll find the fluffy "silk" attached to the seeds. To ensure the seeds are mature, wait until the pod opens naturally, or give it a gentle squeeze—if it pops open easily, it's ready.

How to Collect Milkweed Seeds
When collecting, grab the entire pod and place it in a paper bag or breathable container. Be mindful not to take too many pods from any single area—leave some for natural dispersal and wildlife. Once you've collected the pods, open them and separate the seeds from the fluff. This can be tricky, but placing the pod contents in a paper bag and shaking vigorously can help loosen the seeds. Another method is using a screen or colander to sift out the seeds.

How to Spread Milkweed Seeds
There are a couple of ways to spread milkweed seeds. You can plant them in your own garden or distribute them in natural areas where milkweed is needed. For successful germination, milkweed seeds require cold stratification, which mimics winter conditions. You can sow seeds outdoors in late fall or early winter to allow this natural process. If starting seeds indoors, place them in a damp paper towel in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 30-60 days before planting.
​
Things to Consider
  • Ensure you're spreading seeds from native species of milkweed, as some non-native varieties can become invasive or less beneficial to monarchs.
  • Avoid areas with heavy herbicide or pesticide use.
  • If planting in your yard, choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil.
  • Be patient! Milkweed takes time to establish but will reward you with beautiful blooms and essential habitat for monarchs and other pollinators.
  • Don't take milkweed pods from pubic or private property without the landowner/land manager's permission.
  • Don't take all the pods from one area. Leave some to naturally open and reseed themselves.

By collecting and spreading milkweed seeds, you can play a part in supporting monarch butterfly conservation. Happy harvesting!

More info:
Harvesting Milkweed Seed: A Pod and a Plan by the Xerces Society.
BACK IN THE DAY WHEN PICKING MILKWEED WAS A PATRIOTIC PURSUIT - Wisconsin DNR



0 Comments

Indiana Native Plant Finder Database

6/20/2022

2 Comments

 
Diane Turner - Conservation Technician and Outreach Assistant ​
The Indiana Native Plant Finder is a valuable database tool will help you choose garden-worthy Indiana native plants that fit your site and support pollinators. Originally focused on garden-worthy Indiana native plants and their relationships to pollinators, this database has grown to include many Indiana native species, including those that are wind pollinated.

​The aim for this database is to provide gardeners, landscapers, restoration specialists, botanizers, school children, and the interested public with a reliable source of information about plants native to Indiana and photos showcasing their beauty. 
The Native Plant Database provides the following filters to help with your needs. 
          plant type                                       pollinator type
            light                                                aquatic
            moisture                                         container friendly
            bloom color                                     pollinator magnet
            bloom season                                   caterpillar magnet
            plant height                                    garden friendly
           ​spring ephemeral


​Check out the Indiana Native Plant Database here. 
Native Plant Finder
Picture
​
​Once users choose a particular native plant species, they may click on a plant to link to a printable species page with plant characteristics, notes, resources, and additional photos. See examples below of native species printouts.  
Picture
Picture



2 Comments

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    August 2023
    June 2023
    March 2023
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019

    Categories

    All
    Canada Thistle
    Crop Diversity
    Garden Tower
    Hamilton SWCD
    Indiana
    Invasive Species
    Karner Blue
    Lupinus Perennis
    Native Plants
    Pet Safety
    Soil Health
    Soil Testing
    Urban Conservation
    Urban Gardening
    Volunteer
    Water Quality
    White River
    Wild Lupine

    RSS Feed

Your SWCD

​About
​Services
Newsletter
Volunteer
Contact Us

[email protected]
317.773.2181
1717 Pleasant St. Suite 100
Noblesville, IN 46060
Established in 1968
© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Photo from andurache