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beth_b_kodiak

butterfly gardens seed swap

beth_b_kodiak
17 years ago

Someone did this a year or so ago and it seems like something worth doing again. I have become an avid butterfly watcher this summer and hope to provide both nectar for a larger variety of butterflys and forage for their catarpillars next year.

Suitable plants vary by geographic areas but if the butterflies in your yard seem to enjoy it.... feel free to send seeds. Up to ten packs of the same type are acceptable. Try for as great a variety as possible and send as much info as possible about the growth and cultivation of the seeds and about the types of butterflies they support. I can make copies of the info if necessary.

I hope to make up packets of both seeds and info about butterfly gardening to send out to players.

Deadline for sending seed to me will be Monday October 30th

As usual, send enough postage to get the packet back to you and mail in a padded envelope with an enclosed return address lable/sticker. Also be sure to include your real name AND your GW name.

Comments (86)

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Seeds arrived from Michelle, Thanks Micyrey that is a nice assortment and some real fat packs. I may separate some of them into smaller packs if we need more of those seeds. I hope to get a nice variety back to everyone.
    This swap is looking good.
    BB

  • simplylisa
    17 years ago

    Hi, My seeds are ready to go. Beth, I couldn't find your address so if you will send to me again I'll get these in the mail Monday morning. I am so excited I've been driving my hubby crazy the past few days with new plans for the Spring. LOL

    Hugs,
    Lisa & Kayla

  • west_texas_peg
    17 years ago

    My package of seeds was mailed the 19th.

    We have hundreds (or more) Monarchs sailing by on each front that comes in now. I still have various butterflies in my garden including some Monarchs that appear to be loading up for the long trip to Mexico, had 4 on one of our Vitex one day last week.

    Peggy

  • darlene87
    17 years ago

    My asters are blooming now, so it will be after the set date for seeds, so will omit them. I also will need your snail mail address Beth, to check if the one I have is correct. Think you are in Alaska now, but not sure if the address is correct.
    Darlene

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Wow Peg that must be fantastic to see. When I worked for state parks they were frequent visitors in the fall but never in large groups. Just one or two at a time, working their way along the shore sipping at the goldenrod. I always enjoyed watching them.
    There are still a few here on sunny days. Hope they have enough time left to get to where they are going before it gets truly cold.
    Darlene Whatever works best for you is fine. If you think it will be only a few days, you could wait, or as you say, just send without the asters.
    I sent you the address.
    There is one week left to sign up and mail seeds. Does anyone else need the address?

  • Aurore
    17 years ago

    Sent mine today.

  • mmqchdygg
    17 years ago

    Shoot- What a maroon! I very nearly forgot this swap; thanks for bumping! Had I planned ahead, I would have sent it ALL in today with the Sunflower Swap seeds!
    Ok, will send you another packet either tomorrow or Thursday. My evening is booked up with making an Yvonne's Salvia bed, and getting my hair done.

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks M&M and aurore for posting that your seeds are on the way.
    Seeds arrived today from West Texas Peg and from Gardeningjunkie.
    Things are looking good in the seed swap box. I was especially hopeing for Swamp milkweed and glad to find some of that in the package. Most regular flowers we can find if we search but things like, the different milkweeds, we need to depend on getting from others interested in butterfly gardens.
    Thanks again to all.
    BB

  • mmqchdygg
    17 years ago

    Here's some basic info that I dug out of my little b-fly book I got this weekend at a yard sale in case anyone is interested. Although I'm sure you can find more information over on the butterfly gardening forum:

    Name of Butterfly- Food Source

    Spangled Fritillary- Violet
    Regal Fritillary- Violet
    Diana Fritillary- Violet
    Gulf Fritillary- Passion Flower Vine
    KarwinskiÂs Beauty- ? Texas
    Red Spotted Purple- Oak, Birch, Willow, Currant, Apple, Cherry, Plum, Hawthorn, Gooseberry and other trees & shrubs
    WeidemeyerÂs Admiral- Cottonwood, Oak, other trees
    California Sister- Oak
    Thistle Butterfly- Thistle, nettles, althea, Marsh Mallows, Burdock, Sunflowers, Hollyhock
    Red Admiral- Nettle Butterfly- Nettle
    Monarch-
    Viceroy- Willow, Poplar, Cottonwood, Aspen
    Tiger Swallowtail- Orchard Trees, Wild Cherry
    Black Swallowtail- Variety of Garden & Field flowers
    Giant Swallowtail- Citrus Fruit Trees
    Blue Swallowtail- DutchmanÂs Pipe
    Great Purple Hair-Streak- Oak & Mistletoe
    Question Mark- Elm, Nettle, False Nettle, Basswood, and Hops
    Compton Tortoise- Willow, Elm, Birch, over-ripe fruits in orchards, variety of flowers
    American Tortoise Shell- Nettle
    Snout- Hangs out in wooded sections, near waterÂfood???
    Zebra- Passion Flower Vine
    Mourning Cloak- Elm, Willow, Poplar, Maple (sap), Orchard fruits
    Goatweed Emperor- Goatweed
    Dog Face-
    False Indigo, Leguiminous Plants
    Cloudless Sulphur- Cassia & Legumes
    Orange Sulphur- Red/White Clover, Grass,
    White Cabbage- Cabbage, turnip, mustard, etc
    Orange Tip- Mustard family, creiciferae hedge, and rock hedge
    Common Blue- Dogwood, rattle weed
    Wanderer- wooly aphids,
    Baltimore Checker Spot- turtlehead
    Grayling- variety of garden, woodland, orchard plants
    Colaenis Julia- Passion Flower leaves
    Buckeye- Gerardia, fig-wort, plantain, and snap dragon

    I'm only up to page 54 of a 95-page booklet, so more later.

  • giverny4me
    17 years ago

    Hi Beth, my seeds are in the mail. I put curassavica and tuberosa milkweeds in the envelope... here in FL the curassavica is a monarch host and nectar plant,however, for a universal nectar plant I find simple is best. Annuals that are easiest on the gardener would be cosmos and zinnias. I have many types of plants the books say are butterfly nectar plants but they all love these readily available, easily grown plants. So I do my best to please them...lol. Staggering plant start times so you have food for the butterflies as long as possible is important. Don't pull up a volunteer zinnia or cosmos without thinking where you could supplement a bare place. Right now I have a lot of monarchs loving the dahlia zinnias. I think they are trying to fatten up for the rest of the migration route....

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks for the heads up and the good information Susan. I'll be watching
    Seeds arrived yesterday from both of the Brendas...mimib and msprettyky.
    Jennifer J, monarch girl, please contact me. I tried to email you but have not heard back.
    I'll post others as they arrive.

  • sguanzon
    17 years ago

    Mine will be going out shortly Beth!

  • mmqchdygg
    17 years ago

    Beth- Mail is on the way from NH:

    DC: 0304 1560 0002 1532 7272

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Monday, is the last day to get in on this swap. There are lots of others going on but if you have been wishing for milkweed this may be the swap for you. There are several different types and lots of nectar flowers for your butterfly gardens.
    Aurore, your seeds arrived yesterday and some bulbs too. That was a nice surprise. Thanks for joining the swap.
    BB

  • simplylisa
    17 years ago

    Wanted to let you know I sent my seeds yesterday. Please let me know when they get there. Thanks again for hosting.
    Hugs,
    Lisa & Kayla

    NEW E-MAIL: watchingthegardengrow@yahoo.com

  • zabecc
    17 years ago

    My package is all put together and I was on my way out the door with it when I realized I can't find your address aywhere beth, yikes! Sorry... can anyone email it to me asap so I can get this fat package in the mail today?!?!
    Thanks!!!
    zabecc
    (zabecc@hotmail.com)

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Seeds arrived today from:
    Gingerin NC
    M&M in NH
    Sue P in FL
    Nice packages and some very generous offers to share seeds. Thanks so much. This is going to be a great swap.

  • simplylisa
    17 years ago

    Beth,

    Just checking to see if my package arrived yet.

    Hugs,
    Lisa & Kayla

    new e-mail watchingthegardengrow@yahoo.com

  • zabecc
    17 years ago

    beth-
    also just checking to see if my seeds arrived :D
    -elizabeth

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Sincere apologies to any who have been waiting to see if their seeds arrived. My daughter from Alaska came to visit on rather short notice to celebrate her sisters Birthday and do some long overdue visiting, so... we have beem running around like crazy the past few days.
    Not much of an excuse, but that's what happened.
    Seeds are from these people are here now:
    Brenda S, mimib
    Leslie P, aurore
    Ginger W, ggwrn
    Lisa L, simplylisa
    Mariann,M galium
    mmqchdygg ( I was confused a while over M&M and galium)
    Donald M, dem_pa
    Susan P, Giverny
    Michelle R,mickeyrey
    Beverly O, beverly SC
    Peg W, peg in w tex
    T.S. in Ohio, gardeningjunkie
    I did not get to thge PO yesterday to pick up mail so anything that arrived yesterday will be posted on Monday. There are still a few out but hopefully we will be wrapping this up this week.
    Many thanks for your participation AND for your patience.
    BB

  • sguanzon
    17 years ago

    Mine should be there too Beth, let me know Monday!

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Seeds were at the post office today from,
    Sue G
    Lisa M and
    Elizabeth G
    Some nice info sheets in there too. i may copy all or most of that info to share.
    This swap should be wrapping up this week. I'll post as the rest of the seeds arrive and again when I get them ready to send back. There are some very generous traders in this group who sent extras so even the newer traders will be getting a nice variety. Of course there are duplicates too of some things... for example, butterfly bush and zinnias.
    Looking real good from this end. Thanks everyone.
    BB

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Looks like all seeds have arrived except for
    girlsingardens
    and
    kaymell
    I'll check with these two gals and start wrapping this swap up for this year.

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    I started sorting seeds today and there are over 500 packs. That is from 17 people (including me). This is amazing to me. I never expected so many.
    Now, I have question for you. There are a lot of duplicates on seeds and I'm wondering if I should just divide them up and send them to all of the traders OR if you might want extras to go to new butterfly gardeners as SASBE packs.
    For example, there are:
    24 packs of coreopsis
    21 of cleome
    35 of columbine
    38 of cosmos and,
    10 "other" on the "C" section
    There are 34 packs of asclepsias in two or three varieties. Some are quite large packs.
    there are also lots of zinnias amd scabious just to name a few.
    Two senders have already said they sent extras to share but please let me know what you would like to do. If you would rather have the extras to trade yourself that is fine. I'm just trying to figure how to make the most people the happiest ( does that sound like a Politician?)
    If there is any type of seed you DO NOT want back because you have tons...please let me know. If you want "as many as possible" of something tell me that too ( be careful what you wish for here ;q)
    I was hopeing to get a few milkweed seeds and share my dill, parsley and fennel with other gardeners. What a delightful surprise to have such a terrific response to this swap. So far past my expectations!
    Ok everyone, let me know what you prefer.
    Beth B

  • ggwrn
    17 years ago

    Beth thank you for hosting the swap! I only sent in a few packs of seeds compared to what you received, so I will let the people who sent more in decide what to do with all the duplicates. I'm always interested in cosmos, zinnias and coreopsis and I can use more asclepsias. I don't need any more cleome.

    Ginger

  • MimiB1
    17 years ago

    Beth,

    I remember how wonderful it was as a "Newbie" to be able to get some of those wonderful packets of seeds just for the postage. I am kinda in hopes of getting some Milkweed but other than that, please feel free to post my share of dupications for some of our new friends wanting to get their Butterfly Gardens going. Thanks so much for hosting!
    Brenda

    btw - - are you still looking for Forsythia slips? I saw it on your "wish" list and have some that I plan to send to you in the Spring since it is getting pretty cold in your neck of the woods right now.

  • sguanzon
    17 years ago

    Beth,

    I recall I didn't send in a huge amount of seeds but I could use some of the different varieties of asclepias. I don't need any of the others you listed. Don't know what else you received....................

  • galium
    17 years ago

    Hi Beth,
    What ever you decide is fine with me. It was fun just getting the seeds together and sharing them.
    Mariann

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Here are some of the other types of seeds that were sent in. Liatris, lantana, larkspur, lunaria ( money plant)
    Marigolds, malva, morning glories,
    Yarrow (achillea)
    butterfly bush(budleia) various colors, though not as many packs as a lot of the others
    feverfew,four o'clocks
    rudbeckia (black eyed susans)
    gallardia, cone flowers (mostly purple)
    Small amounts of lots of others that I'll distribute and send back. Memebers of the swap get theirs first. I just wanted feedback on what to do with surplus? and any you particularly want or don't want
    I plan to send aselepsias back to everyone. A variety different than they sent if I am able to identify them for sure. Some have Latin names and some are the common names. That was my main wish and it seems to be for others as well. I can look at the seeds and tell there are at least two different types of "milkweed" in the assortment.
    Hope this helps and if there is something you are particularly hopeing for, feel free to ask. It just might be here either in seeds sent for the swap or in my stash
    BB

  • giverny4me
    17 years ago

    Hi Beth, I sent asclepsias tuberosa and curassavica (tuberosa is orange, curassavica is orange and yellow...) if you have any other milkweed than those... cool! If not, whatever I get is fine....Also SASBE to newbies sounds good to me. Susan/giverny4me

  • Michelle Reynolds
    17 years ago

    hi
    mostly I want host plants for cats., cosmos,
    **columbine**( as many as I can get , I've gone quite nuts for them), and coriopsis, but I will take anything.
    thanks very much
    michelle

  • zabecc
    17 years ago

    beth-
    i'd love some asclepsias and butterfly bush!!
    -elizabeth

  • sguanzon
    17 years ago

    Just giving this a little "bump"

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks Sue. Still no response from the two missing traders so I'll pack seeds over the weekend and get them into the mail Sat or Monday at the latest.
    Beth B

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    At last seeds are sorted, packed and taped shut, ready for mailing in the morning.
    Sorry about the delay but I got called to work the weekend and I'm not very good about saying NO!
    These are some nice fat packages. Hope everyone finds some things they were wishing for.
    BB

  • Michelle Reynolds
    17 years ago

    hi I'm sure the seeds will be great, thanks for all the sorting and packing.
    and have a happy thanksgiving
    michelle

  • galium
    17 years ago

    Hi Beth,
    My seeds arrived today. What a wonderful surprise. Thanks so much for hosting.
    Mariann

  • zabecc
    17 years ago

    Beth-
    My seeds arrived yesterday! what a wonderful variety!! I can't wait to plant them in the spring, thank you for all of your hard work... and you should definitely do this one again next year!!
    -Elizabeth

  • beth_b_kodiak
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Good to hear that the seeds are arriving. Sure hope each of you is pleased with the variety you get. Almost everyone is getting back some things different that they sent.
    I was hopeing fo at least one "milkweed" and am tickled to have three from the swap.
    On the subject of milkweed.... it was being discussed at the most recent gathering of Mid Atlantic GW members and we agreed that it is difficult to germinate and grow from seed. General concensus was that "winter Sowing works best". That is what I plan to try but wonder if anyone has other ideas, experiences to share?????

  • Aurore
    17 years ago

    Winter sow milkweed...maybe that's why I couldn't get mine to grow. Thanks for the tip.

  • dem_pa
    17 years ago

    I received my seeds today. What a great variety. Thanks for hosting and doing a great job. It must have involved a lot of work. Thanks for the tip that milkweed would be great for winter sowing. I too hope you will do it again next year.

    dem_pa

  • lisam627_ohio_z6
    17 years ago

    Hi Beth,

    I received my package of seeds...thanks so much! I appreciate all your hard work and really like the nice variety you sent to me! Thanks again! - Lisa

  • Aurore
    17 years ago

    Got mine today. Thanks for the printouts. Looks like you put a lot of work into it. Appreciate it.

  • sguanzon
    17 years ago

    Hi Beth, thanks so much for the seeds, you did a very good job with this robin!

  • mmqchdygg
    17 years ago

    Clap! Clap! Clap! Great job, Beth! Thanks to everyone for sharing your wonderful seed stashes! Can't wait to have critters next year!

  • MimiB1
    17 years ago

    Beth,

    I got my seeds today. What a WONDERFUL package! I cannot thank you enough for hosting and everyone else for sharing. My yard will be full of butterflies next year thanks to all of you and this great selection. Beth, as always, it is a pleasure to participate in one of your swaps.
    Brenda

  • Michelle Reynolds
    17 years ago

    hello
    I got my seeds today, and thanks for such a great swap.
    I hope we are all up to our ears in "flutterbyes" next summer.
    thanks michelle

  • ggwrn
    17 years ago

    I received my seeds today. Thanks for the wonderful swap. I got some great seeds! I can't wait to see all the butterflies they attract.

    Ginger

  • simplylisa
    17 years ago

    I received my seeds. Thank you for hosting a wonderful swap. I can't wait til next Spring. Happy Holidays everyone.

    Hugs,
    Lisa & Kayla

  • giverny4me
    17 years ago

    Thanks so much for hostessing Beth! I received some new varieties of milkweeds which I definitely plan to winter sow.
    One thing I've learned is that milkweed resents being transplanted so if you can, dedicate a small patch of earth to it, direct sow and cover very lightly with soil just enough so the seeds don't blow away, and ignore till spring, you may get a nice surprise! If you have problems with kitties scratching in your beds like I do push twigs/sticks in ground every 6in. or so, Then toss milkweed seeds, toss soil lightly to cover, leave till spring once the plants are up they will leave it alone, then I pull the sticks up.