Learn how to plant milkweed, get care tips and recommendations for which types to grow. Indoors, you can mimic this by placing the seeds in the fridge for several weeks before sowing them. Plant seed … The pods open when the seeds are ready to go so you can just reach in and take as many as you need. Preparing the Seeds for Planting. The cold winter temperatures chill the seeds to prepare them to grow in the spring. Container Grown Milkweed Plants There are more than 100 species of milkweeds that grow in North America, and not all of them are hosts for the Monarch. They blow away on the wind thanks to their silky parachutes. Clear away any mulch or rocks from the area which could potentially block the growth... 3. exposing them to the cold temperatures that they would experience in the wild and that trigger spring germination. If you miss the window for fall planting, the seeds can be planted in the spring, too. Spring-planted seeds need to be chilled in the refrigerator, which replicates the natural process of snow and cold breaking down the seed casing. If you live in a climate with a warmer winter, you can plant your seeds in either the spring or the fall. Winter Sowing is also a much more frugal way to start seeds. Milkweed often does not begin growing in northern gardens in time to be fully beneficial to butterflies. All milkweed seeds need vernalization, which is a chilling period prior to germination. Fall seed planting. Milkweed is a lovely wildflower and the sole host plant for Monarch butterfly caterpillars. Simply sprinkle seeds on well-tilled soil and pat them down, add a topdressing of soil, and water them … Winter sowing milkweed doesn’t require a huge investment (of your time or money!) 1. Frugal Seed Starting in Winter. For the swamp milkweed (A. incarnata), these seeds receive consistently good reviews, and are sold via Seed Needs USA. I plant the seeds indoors, and then just pop them outside and let nature to the rest. Native milkweed seed is expensive–as it should be. You don’t even need to buy seed. Winter care of milkweed depends on your zone and which milkweed you have. Fall seed planting. Water frequently after planting until plants become established. Growing Milkweed Seeds. Milkweed plants benefit from vernalization, a process of cold treatment, before sprouting. Put your seeds into a small bowl and bring out to planting area. Since milkweed is sometimes considered an unwanted specimen in the landscape, and can be invasive, we might consider growing milkweed in a pot. Winter sowing allows me to actually begin gardening in the winter, but without really dealing with the nastiness of winter. Milkweed seed planted in fall is naturally stratified. It is best to plant the seeds as early as possible, but make sure that you plant after the last frost. After wetting and preparing the growing medium, add one to three seeds per pod. I was going to sow seeds into my raised beds early winter especially for those seeds that need a chill. 50 Whorled Milkweed Seeds from Zellajake Farm, available via Amazon Doing this greatly improves the chance of having a successful harvest in Spring. Those of us with cold winters need to either sow our seeds in the fall or cold stratify them for spring planting. Indeed, eradication of milkweed both in agricultural areas as well as in urban and suburban landscapes is one of the primary reasons that monarchs are in trouble today. Once they sprout, immediately put them in a sunny window or under a grow light. Texas longterm drought has sparked a broader interest in native plants, so the availability of milkweeds and other “from here” pollinator plants will continue to grow. To optimize the germination of the seeds, shock them or rough up the exterior coating. For 3-5 days, your seeds won't need light but a seed heating mat will help them to germinate. Planting and Growing Milkweed Most seeds of temperate plants should be vernalized (cold treated); this ensures a higher germination rate than if seeds are sowed without this pre-treatment. Grow milkweed plants in your garden for colorful, fragrant and nectar-rich flowers that attract pollinators of all sorts. I like your idea better since I won’t have to hunt for the seeds in the spring. If you really want to start your seeds in the spring, first you must break their dormancy with cold stratification, which we cover in our guide for starting milkweed from seed. If you live in a climate with a warmer winter, you can plant your seeds in either the spring or the fall. There you can start seeds of milkweed inside so they will be ready to plant when the soil has warmed. Scarification-- breaking down the outer coating of the seeds -- can help improve the milkweed's germination rate. Milkweed is easy to grow from seed. If you can collect your own seed in the wild, go for it. Milkweed seed planted in fall is naturally stratified. Learn more about prechilling seeds before planting. Planting Milkweed Seeds We recommend planting milkweed seed in the spring or fall in most parts of the U.S.