Author Topic: Milkweed And Pollination question (Read 24584 times)

Marion · « **Reply #40 on:** August 28, 2014, 03:14:37 pm »

Buttonbush, bees love its blooms, is a plant that likes sunny moist areas, such as edge of swamps. I started some from seed this spring and have transplanted them in my swampy areas. When I ordered the seeds of the Buttonbush, I also got a free packet of Rose Milkweed. I did not follow the germination process, just planted them as any seeds and one plant survived. I planted it in a bank near my hive and it is now about 3 feet tall with a small flowering tassel on top. Before this I did not know there were other milkweed types. You can buy seeds and plants that honeybees like from Prairie moon nursery www.prairiemoon.com

Something else I have in my yard is a blue thistle bush which the honeybees like. It is a perennial and gets a little bushier every year.

I have a large Japanese Knotweed bush, looks like bamboo, which is being tended by the bees. All of these plants are blooming now in Massachusetts. I will take pictures.

Jen · « **Reply #41 on:** August 28, 2014, 03:17:04 pm »

Would Love some pics Marion, Thanks!

Gypsi · « **Reply #42 on:** August 28, 2014, 04:56:18 pm »

I've never cooked and eaten milkweed, but the darned drought and grasshoppers got my swiss chard and other veggies so I did cook some lambs quarters and wild purslane a couple of days ago, used like spinach and stirred into my scrambled eggs. If I can't get real veggies to grow just have to eat what grows....

riverbee · « **Reply #43 on:** August 28, 2014, 06:58:56 pm »

marion, prairie moon nursey is the best! this is where we get all of our seed and seed mixes, and they are very knowledgeable and very helpful.

japanese knotwood~japanese bamboo, this is a very invasive species, but the bees sure benefit from it. it's hard to kill and hard to control. we have some of it left, and the bloom is now waning, but when the bees are on it, i can hear the buzz from the house, just thousands of bees on it. we are in a forest management program which requires eradication of non native species. can't tell you how i went around and around with the county forester over taking this out. i hope he doesn't come back for awhile........

Marion · « **Reply #44 on:** August 28, 2014, 08:09:59 pm »

The flower at the top was very small and it appears to be past its prime now. I'm hoping it gets larger next year.

riverbee · « **Reply #45 on:** August 28, 2014, 09:14:26 pm »

thanks marion!

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #46 on:** August 29, 2014, 04:07:27 pm »

Given the interest in this thread, I thought some might be willing to participate in this. http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/take-action There are petitions here to protect honey bees and Monarchs as well as a few other things.

Jen · « **Reply #47 on:** August 30, 2014, 12:55:21 am »

Thanks for this Baker

I haven't read it yet, but I'm definately interested. The three main critters that I'm concerned about for now is honeybees, monarchs, and bats. So many think that bats are creepy, but they are really docile sweet creatures and are crucial to our pollinating system.

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #48 on:** August 30, 2014, 06:49:20 am »

Quote from: Jen on August 30, 2014, 12:55:21 am

Thanks for this Baker I haven't read it yet, but I'm definately interested. The three main critters that I'm concerned about for now is honeybees, monarchs, and bats. So many think that bats are creepy, but they are really docile sweet creatures and are crucial to our pollinating system.

We've had a problem with rabid bats in this part of the country this summer.
Last weekend we went to a rock concert at a large amphitheater. Bats were flying and feeding over the crowd. I wondered how were they able to do that when the music is so loud? How is that possible when you can feel the drums and bass? It wasn't so loud that ear plugs were needed but how was a little bat able to use their sonar in all that?

lazy shooter · « **Reply #49 on:** August 30, 2014, 08:18:30 am »

Baker, you've had a problem with Rabies? Has anyone been bitten by rabid bats?

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #50 on:** August 30, 2014, 09:38:04 pm »

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article738803.html

There was also the young girl, I believe from Lee's Summit as well, whose parents found a bat in her bedroom. As bats have razor sharp teeth and bites may not show, the parents decided to go ahead with the rabies shots for her.

Jen · « **Reply #51 on:** August 30, 2014, 10:08:00 pm »

Actually, I mentioned bats as an important pollinator along with monarch's and honeybee's, this thread is getting high jacked. I do think that bats are worth discussing, so many misconceptions. Maybe a new thread for bats?

riverbee · « **Reply #52 on:** August 30, 2014, 10:59:35 pm »

.......okay back to milkweed......

common milkweed, just a short blurb and this is from my trusty field guide for wisconnie and the notes of the author:

"there are over 2,000 milkweed species worldwide, 13 in Wisconsin. A unique pollination system involves sacs of pollen that snag on an insect's leg; the insect then unwittingly inserts the sacs into slits on other flowers. The plant's milky sap contains cardiac glycosides and, if eaten, will cause hot flashes, rapid heart rate and general weakness. The Monarch butterfly lays it eggs exclusively on milkweeds. Monarch caterpillars ingest the toxic sap with no ill effects, but they then become toxic to birds and other animals. Fibers from old stems are used by orioles for making nests."

Jen · « **Reply #53 on:** August 30, 2014, 11:01:38 pm »

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #54 on:** September 01, 2014, 09:41:39 pm »

NOT.. to change the subject.. but has anyone else read Shepherds Watch's profile statement?

My biggest fear is that when I die my wife will sell all of my beekeeping stuff for what I told her I paid for it.

I laughed SO HARD I had rum going through my nose.. WELL SAID my newest finest friend!

Gypsi · « **Reply #55 on:** September 04, 2014, 02:53:18 pm »

I would plant some milkweed seed but if I did the wind would carry my dirt off it is so dry and windy

riverbee · « **Reply #56 on:** September 05, 2014, 12:10:00 am »

here's a good one,
two days ago, the mister and i went for a long walk. on that long walk we came across some milkweed, (not like we don't have any) and took the pods off.
they were a bit green and had not opened yet, i told him to wait and we'd come back for them......nope, picking them now. how to properly harvest the seeds from these.... he googled it....... so he GLUED THE PODS SHUT WITH EPOXY .......
seriously!
oh please i hope he never decides to come on this site, i will be SOOOOO sleeping somewhere else........

..........

Jen · « **Reply #57 on:** September 05, 2014, 12:17:59 am »

LOL

"Oh please i hope he never decides to come on this site, i will be SOOOOO sleeping somewhere else........

Copy that Riv! Hubby has no idea about the forum side of me

Retroguy · « **Reply #58 on:** September 08, 2014, 11:00:07 pm »

Well, from what I can tell from my milkweeds, the deer must bite off the flowers because all mine have been "topped". Considering all the other browse they have to eat around here it makes me suspect that we're over populated. Maybe the flowers aren't quite so toxic. Hope I can collect some seed pods so I can get a stand started for the monarchs also. When I was a kid it was no effort to find a leaf with an egg on it and raise a caterpillar to adulthood and release it. Now I might see one monarch a week.

Jen · « **Reply #59 on:** September 08, 2014, 11:17:28 pm »

Same here Retro, and it's been a long time since I've seen many swallow tails either, but this year there were many more. I love them so

I'm going to plant some milkweed in a barrel within my fences yard as well as on the bank behind our fence. I have a very nice elderly lady behind me as well that prob would let me put some milk weed in her empty raised garden beds

Author Topic: Milkweed And Pollination question (Read 24584 times)

Gypsi

Gypsi