Even if there’s snow on the ground, you can start to get ready for your butterfly garden.
Some types of seeds (like milkweed) need to be vernalized to ensure a higher rate of germination. This means that they need to be stored in a damp, dark, cold place for 90 days to increase the percentage of seed that germinate, or sprout.
Other types of seeds (like for some nectar flowers that will bloom just in time for the arrival of the butterflies this summer) can be planted indoors now and transplanted outdoors after the last frost. Most people in our area go by the rule of thumb that it’s safe to transplant after Mother’s Day.
Use the Planning Calendar for this station. Follow the directions at the bottom of that worksheet to find the dates for one host plant, one nectar plant, and once butterfly. Use a different color marker to show the date range for each one of these.
When this is complete, mark the time on your Record Sheet. This is Station #10.