Garden

[FindingMyJoy]

We're half way into summer and I'm not seeing many Monarch butterflies or any type of butterflies this year? We have a great assortment of flowers that have attracted a lot of butterflies previous years.

Anyone seeing a lot of them this year? I know there have been scientific stories saying their numbers are on the decline. So sad to hear since they are such delightful visitors.

[Mz iMac]

I have not seen any this summer *yet.*

[bostonian]

Don't despair.  The spring Monarchs laid eggs for the late summer arrivals.  The spring Monarchs die off after depositing the eggs, that turn into caterpillars that will spin cocoons and burst forth in late summer, hopefully.  Pesticides and fertilizers have done great harm to these beauties.   These Monarchs will then migrate after they complete the cycle.  Plant milkweed.   Monarchs lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves.  Do not use plant fertilizer on them. Milkweed is a perennial... It will come up every year and you will help perpetuate the life cycle of the Monarchs!

[January121]

I think it's a little too early to see the Monarch Butterflies.... look for them towards the end of August into September ... I have plants called October daisies that bloom in early October & the Monarch Butterflies love that plant! 🌷🌷

[Gram W]

Our Agway store gives out free butterfly home seed packets for a brief time in the spring.  These seeds come with the butterfly story of how and why to plant..  The seeds are for milkweed plants so that the Monarchs have a home to attach their cocoons.   The children are told how to start a small butterfly garden in the best safe locations.  The highway departments regularly dig out the ditches and spray to kill weeds".  These weeds include the milkweed plants.  Can't wait for the Monarchs to arrive.

[Lilysmom]

@January121, I had a Shasta Daisy plant as one of the first ones I ever planted.  It never showed a flower until October and flowered like crazy until the frost came.  I divided that plant at least five times.  It is all over my community lol.  I loved that plant too.

i think it's early for monarchs as well.  I planted milkweed for them. Love to see their annual arrival.  LM

[nomless]

Here, we don't see them until the last week of August.  They'll show up here about a month from now.

[DiAnne]

I was sitting on the patio with my morning cup of coffee and saw two today but they are the first ones I have seen.  

[silkyk]

Lots of them on my Butterfly Bush the last week or so..... Monarchs and Swallowtails. Plant this and they WILL come!

[blankette]

I planted Milk Thistle for them which is the very best thing you can do, I have only seen one so far. I am extremely dissappointed with the cottge farms butterfly bush. It has grown and produced perfectly awful buds and flowers. Wish I had just bought local, this really ticks me off. MY milk thistle from seed is growing but not the plant from you know where.