I hope that those of you who read my previous blog have begun searching for milkweed seeds in your area, which are available for purchase year round. Now that spring is here, you will begin to find more milkweed plants for sale through the rest of the summer. Be sure to research which ones are hardy for your area and learn about any potential issues before you plant any non-native milkweed. With campaigns underway to restore native milkweed, the Internet has a wealth of information on this topic.
Milkweed plants can be purchased at your local garden center or garden retailers/wholesalers. I even found Swamp Milkweed plants for sale in trays containing 84 plugs on eBay! Be certain, however, that the common milkweed name on each plant includes the scientific name Asclepias, as those are native milkweed. You can simply search eBay for plants, plugs or seeds, and many different sellers/vendors show up. Be sure sellers/vendors specialize in native plants or seeds. It’s best to purchase only from those who have customer feedback above 95%.
In my next blog, Hazards of Handling Milkweed, I will share various hazards and precautions to take when planting and growing milkweed. In the meantime, I advise you to check into that topic on your own if you are already planning to handle or add milkweed to your gardens.
“The universe is a continuous web. Touch it at any point and the whole web quivers.” Stanley Kunitz, poet
