Date: 04/30/2002

Number: 1

MY MILKWEED (A Syriaca) IS UP! Not leafed out or anything, just the
tight closed spears poking through the ground 1 to 3 inches high.

It is emerging later than any of the previous years I have recorded--
4/4/1999, 4/4/2000, 4/20/2001--I'm wondering if maybe my roots are
getting deeper and sprouts are taking longer to break ground...we'll see
how much comes up this year. There is fairly well established chicory,
goldenrod, wild asters, catnip, yarrow, and grasses as well and I want
to be sure that the milkweed doesn't get choked out.

This is a patch in my yard that I created by transplanting roots and
starting seeds 8 years ago in south western PA. My soil is a clay shale
mix covered by a long time thatch with an established selection of weeds
and grass that were consistantly mowed until I began my experiement. I
brought in the milkweed and chicory--- the rest is all long time
residents or volunteers. I harvest the milkweed flowers for food and let
only a small percentage of the patch form pods. In past years the
milkweed has been fullest and bloomed by the end of June. Although I
cut the milkweed back to encourage fresh growth it has always been
pretty decimated by mid-August.

The densest part of the patch has moved each year as has the area in
which the first shoots show up. These first shoots are coming up in an
area that didn't have milkweed any previous year...further adding to my
pondering about the effects of depth of the roots on emergence. I had a
pretty large milkweed beetle population last year as well and I wonder
if it is possible that the larval stage that burrows into the roots and
stems is having an effect on the health of my milkweed underground.

I have been considering breaking up the soil at the surface to encourage
the milkweed. Any one with experience with how a common milkweed patch
matures and how best to select for common milkweed in the development of
the patch please send me any advice on managing my patch. Is there a
prefered PH? Are there plants that are particularly antagonistic to
healthy milkweed.

Contributed to Monarch Watch

Glenshaw, PA

Latitude: 40.5 Longitude: -80

Observed by: Ba
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