MBGC: Monarch butterflies have arrived

If you have flowers in your garden, you surely have noticed all the monarch butterflies fluttering around. They are pollinating our veggies and flowers, but they are also looking for milkweed plants to lay their eggs.  

Last month's presentation by Katie Kleinpeter about raising monarch caterpillars was enjoyed by all attendees. The most important thing we learned was that monarchs only lay their eggs on milkweed plants.  We were shown how from finding a tiny white pearly egg on the underside of a milkweed plant, one could clip off that branch and protect the egg from predators — spiders, mice, praying mantis, wasps — by putting the egg in a mesh butterfly house (vivarium) or critter keeper. 

Kleinpeter recommended using a deli cup with top to hold the milkweed upright. From this point, you can watch the egg emerge into a caterpillar, grow antenna, form a chrysalis and finally become a beautiful orange-and-black monarch. You must add more milkweed as the caterpillar’s food supply and spritz leaves to avoid dehydration. The above is my five-sentence summary of a wonderful process to behold. 

For much more information, check out https://monarchbutterflygarden.net.

In the garden we are enjoying the very showy dahlias and gladiola now. Dahlias are like peonies; if you want a bigger flower, you must pinch off the side buds.  I have balsam blooming now.  Balsam is an old-fashioned perennial member of the impatiens about 24 inches tall, pink, and deer do not like it.  It blooms at a perfect time when other perennials are fading out. 

On Sept. 21, the National Garden Club's standard flower show "A Social Whirl" will be open to the public at historic Brecknock Hall, Greenport. It's free and our garden club will have a horticulture entry. The guest speaker at our regular meeting this month is Luke Gervase, who will talk about invasive aquatic plants. 

Take a minute to find a spot in your garden for milkweed.  Swamp milkweed, which has nice pink or white flowers and is about 36 inches tall, or butterfly weed, the bright-orange flowers you see blooming along our roadways now, are available at most nurseries.