Help Save the Butterflies

Most everyone is aware of the rapid decline of the Monarch Butterfly population. According to the National Wildlife Federation, one of the main reasons is the eradication of their host plant, milkweed. As more of the nation’s grassland is converted to farmland and urban development the milkweed is disappearing. Milkweed is the only plant on which the Monarch will lay eggs. The National Wildlife Federation is urging home gardeners to plant milkweed in effort to help save the Monarchs. Their website lists seven varieties of milkweed that will grow successfully in Kentucky.

Common Milkweed requires a lot of sun and moist soil. It usually grows 3-5 feet.

Butterfly Weed requires a lot of sun is drought tolerant, grows 1-2 feet.

Swamp Mlkweed is shade tolerant, needs a lot of water, grows 2-5 feet.

White Milkweed is moderately shade tolerant and likes a dry soil, grows 1-3 feet.

Whorled Milkweed moderately shade tolerant and requires little water. It grows 1-3 feet.

Green Milkweed likes lots of sunshine, moist soil and is both heat and cold tolerant. The mature plant grows to 4 feet.

There is a milkweed that will grow in most any location.

To find out other ways you can help save the Monarchs, visit the National Wildlife Federation

If you are age 55 or older, you are invited to a Seniors Learning for Fun presentation by  Bill Black on the Monarch Butterfly including its normal behavior pattern of migration, how stress of migrating is creating the danger of extinction and how we can help by what we plant in our yards. Tuesday, April 14 at 2:00 p.m. in the Emerging Technology Center, Room 109, at West Kentucky Community and Technical College in Paducah. For more information,  (270) 534- 3335 or click on view the brochure on their website. 

Garden Solutions

Yes, folks, spring will be here and we will be able to plant our gardens!  Along with the beauty of the flowers and the taste of fresh vegetables, there can be some frustrations. Snails like your strawberries as well as you do. Weeds can threaten to take over the flower garden. Those beautiful red tomatoes can develop an ugly blossom end rot. Your plants may just sit and refuse to grow or produce. These and other problems can take the fun out of growing flowers and vegetables. Should you just quit before you start? Of course not! McCracken County Master Gardeners can provide answers to your garden problems and questions. So, you may ask, how can you contact a Master Gardener?

You can post your question on the Purchase Area MasterGardener Association Facebook page.

Email your question to McCCMGA@gmail. com

or

You can call the Hort Line at 270-554-9520; leave your name, telephone number and the nature of your problem. A Master Gardener will return your call.

Now, just sit back, relax and wait for the snow to melt and the ground to thaw. Soon enough you will

be as busy as a bee planting, watering, weeding and harvesting.