 There may be snow on the ground and the Monarchs may be tucked away on a tree in Mexico but it's still a great time to start thinking about their return in the spring. Specifically, it's a good time for making a plan to add more milkweeds to your landscape, large or small.
The Milkweed Marketplace run by Kansas University is taking applications to provide free milkweeds for: 1) habitat restoration projects greater than 2 acres OR 2) schools and non-profits. You can also buy milkweeds if not eligible for free plants and now is a good time to order.
Details are listed below in their recent announcement!
We have been pleased with the application process for our “Free Milkweeds for Restoration Projects” program for Spring 2021. This program provides free milkweeds for habitat restoration projects of two acres or more east of the Rocky Mountains. A few areas are wait-listed, however, we are sorely in need of applications from Texas. Please visit the link below or pass it on to someone who might benefit. More info and application here: https://monarchwatch.org/bring-back-the-monarchs/milkweed/free-milkweeds-for-restoration-projects/
Monarch Watch is also seeking applications for our very popular grant, “Free Milkweed for Schools and Nonprofits.” If your organization already has a garden and you want to enhance it with milkweeds, this grant is for you! If your organization doesn’t have a garden at all, but would like to start one, this grant is for you! We award these plants to libraries, schools, nature centers, churches, community gardens, scouting and 4H organizations, master gardeners and much more. Help us meet our annual quota of 6,000 plants so that we can reapply for future funding. Apply here: https://biosurvey.ku.edu/application-free-milkweed-nonprofits-and-schools
The following map shows the distribution of milkweeds since 2014, all funded through the generous support of the Natural Resources Defense Council: https://monarchwatch.org/milkweed/free/nonprofit-grant.jpg Apply now for plants that will be shipped in the spring. Awardees will receive one free flat of native milkweed plugs! Sorry, private gardens are not eligible for this grant. Sorry, previous grant recipients and home schools are not eligible.
If you are not eligible for free milkweeds, you may purchase them from the Milkweed Market:
Pre-ordering your flats of milkweed is easy and helps us know how many plants to grow. You can order milkweed by entering your zip code into the search field on this website: https://shop.milkweedmarket.org/ Once you’ve entered your zip code, a selection of plants should be presented to you. Plants are between $74-$80 for flats of 32, and are $115 for flats of 50 plants. These plants are grown from ecoregion-appropriate seed and shipped to you in the spring. We take credit cards and purchase orders. For those of you in California, we are adding plants in the near future! Come back soon.
You can always email monarch@ku.edu if you have any questions.
Monarch Watch
The University of Kansas
2021 Constant Ave
Lawrence, Kansas 6604
And while you are dreaming of adding milkweed for Monarch caterpillars, don't forget to add some more flowers to provide nectar for the adults. You can find a list of native plant dealers in Iowa on the Plant Iowa Native website!
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