Sunday, January 8, 2017

Winter Musings

Winter is officially here! We have just a few more envelopes left to stuff and mail out, and with that concludes another successful Monarch Mail season. Having a PO Box has been a huge help in encouraging folks to mail in their envelopes, and we wish you all much luck this growing season!

With the unusual winter conditions we've been having in the Portland Metro area, we are a bit concerned about our dormant two year old plants that are over-wintering in our yard. Crossing fingers that the freezing temperatures we've been having won't bother the plants. Our native milkweed, Asclepias speciosa, has a native range extending into North Dakota; however, who knows if our localized milkweed can tolerate such unusual Winter conditions, especially given their age and that they are in pots, not deeply rooted into the ground.

I've just updated our 2017 events! We are hoping to expand into a larger booth for the annual Spring Garden Fair in Canby, and this year we will be at the Master Gardener Conference!

We hope to start offering native nectar plants. Although milkweed is a vital food source for Monarch caterpillars, equally important are nectar sources for the adult butterfly as they journey across state lines. These plants will plenty benefit local bee and pollinator populations as well.

Stay warm everyone, and enjoy a sleepy winter of seed catalogs and hot tea. We can't wait for Spring to come.

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