Milkweed, Not Just For Butterflies

If you ever get the chance to stand in a patch of blooming milkweed, do it!  When it's really blooming, I can smell it from all the way across the yard as I walk up the driveway.

Here's a new puzzle for you if you are looking for a cool "inside job".

June

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A post shared by Sara Dunham (@thecrazysheeplady)

There is a big chunk of June that really requires several blog posts to get everyone back up to speed...including myself :-o.      

  

B-eautiful

I was worried the B Garden was going to be a bust this year after Blossom and friends basically mowed it to the ground...twice...back in the early spring.  Thankfully it survived and is really beautiful right now.  I did a video tour this morning.  Besides being here, that's really the best way to see everything.  Well, almost everything.  Here are a few pictures of some things that I missed.

I think this same butterfly has been here for almost two weeks.  It's not a monarch, but still quite pretty.  I've wondered if she's laying eggs on the milkweed as I'm pretty sure that's what I'm seeing and I'm even more sure that I haven't seen a monarch yet.

We added a second purple martin house last month.  No one has moved in, but at least they know there is more room to expand.  They have been very busy this summer.

Here is a link to the video tour.  For some reason it won't let me embed it here directly like normal.  It's worth a watch :-).

Crawling Under A Leaf

I've seen way more monarch caterpillars this year than last...but I'm still not sure they are making it to the chrysalis stage.  I've yet to find a chrysalis in real life. This is not just for this year, but ever, so maybe they are just really good at hiding them.  I hope.  

I've toyed with collecting them and putting the porch nursery back in service.  I kept all my supplies.  Watching the caterpillars grow and change was really fun...but it was a lot of work keeping fresh food picked for them.  Providing habitat was my go forward plan, but if they aren't actually surviving, then it's still not a great plan.

While I'm stewing on what to do, here are some fun pictures from a couple of days ago.  The greens are turning brown rapidly, but there are a few younger plants that can hopefully keep everyone fed.

If You Build It They Will Come...Or Not

After the milkweed took off like...a weed...this spring I had high hopes for a record number of monarch butterflies this summer.  I've only seen four so far and none of them stayed more than a couple minutes and I can't find any evidence of egg laying, much less caterpillars.  

I can only guess that maybe the cold spring caused problems?  Or maybe I should say I hope that is just the problem.  I'd hate to think the loss of habitat and too many pesticides have pushed them to the point where it might be too late to help them.

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Biggest swallowtail I’ve ever seen! Hopefully it’s a female and she’s getting ready to head to The B Garden to deposit a bunch of eggs 🤞. . #pollinatorgarden #butterflies #swallowtail

A post shared by Sara Dunham (@thecrazysheeplady) on Aug 2, 2020 at 12:45pm PDT

I have seen a few more swallowtail butterflies than normal this year, but interestingly they have all been in pretty rough shape.  Even this one has a tattered "tail".

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The B (birds, bees, butterflies and blooms) Garden just gets better and better. Only one or maybe two Monarchs, but several Swallowtails this year. Tons of bees from tiny to huge and even a hummingbird working the flowers. The sunflowers and buckwheat are a big hit with several different types of birds. The Goldfinches are moving in now. ❤️❤️❤️

A post shared by Sara Dunham (@thecrazysheeplady) on Aug 7, 2020 at 7:45am PDT

Here's a short video tour of the B Garden.  I have thoroughly enjoyed this messy place full of blooming and seeded out buckwheat, sunflowers, milkweed and all sorts of bright colors, shapes and sizes tucked here and there.  So have tons of wild bees, some smaller moths and butterflies, lots of birds and even a couple bunnies :-).

Monarchs!

Well, one. One monarch. But more are surely coming!  

How could they resist this buffet :-D. 

Last year I planted milkweed seeds in two of the raised beds and my cousin and I transplanted 10 plants from the back field into the lavender garden.  Nine of the 10 plants came back this year with extras on the side and one of the raised beds is so packed with milkweed plants that I haven't even had to weed it all summer.

I also planted plenty of buckwheat and scattered several packets of seed mixes for butterflies, bees and birds.  There are still a few lavender plants left after three years of way too wet winters and a few volunteer sunflowers have popped up as well.  I'm just now seeing some mixed flowers and I can't wait until the whole garden is blooming!

This picture shows how many milkweeds are packed in the raised bed just outside the lavender, now known as the butterflies, birds and bees garden.

This picture maybe better shows how tall they are.

I tried (once again) to plant some vegetables this spring, Victory Garden style, and (once again) in the event of a zombie apocalypse, we're going to be some of the first folks out.  But, hey, we'll have lots of pretty flowers ;-).

Here's a new puzzle that ought to keep you busy for awhile.  Enjoy!