Friends of Monarchs
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FREE MILKWEED SEED REQUESTS STILL AVAILABLE
Please email monarchsinutah @gmail.com to request native milkweed seeds, and we'll do our best to get them out to you promptly. The remaining seed stock includes Asclepias speciosa (showy), A. incarnata (swamp or rose) and A. tuberosa (butterfly weed).
Late fall is the best and easiest time to sow milkweed seeds outside, whether in the ground or in pots. Cover the seeds with 1/4". The rain/snow freeze/thaw process of winter helps to break down the tough shells enabling the seeds to germinate when temperatures warm in the spring.
Mark your seed locations. Watch for signs of sprouting beginning in April through June, depending on location in Utah. The first few monarchs arrive in the state in May, laying eggs that will hatch in June.
QUICK TIP!
Did you get a seed packet with a QR code?
Click the Home button and look for Seed Prep for tips to ensure your seeds thrive.
NOTE: The easiest way to get milkweed started in your yard is to sow seeds outside in late fall - either directly in the garden, or in pots. 1/4" deep
What's Happening Now?
Monarchs are overwintering at various sights along the California coast and potentially in central Mexico where they spend the winter without food. They clump together to stay warm, and as long as they stay dry, they can live in temperatures down to about 30 degrees.
Starting in late February or early March, they start breeding and migrating to find fresh milkweed to lay their eggs on.
People start putting gardening out of their heads as the holidays come and go, but actually November/December is still a great time to get some milkweed seeds in your yards. Plant them just 1/4" deep and mark them so you know where to look for them to grow come late April or May 2025.
THE WESTERN MONARCH OVERWINTERING COUNT
We are currently waiting to get the results of the 2024 Thanksgiving Monarch Count that has been occurring for a number of years. As you can see on the right, the annual overwintering count has taken a severe plunge to lower numbers, with the lowest number being recorded in 2020.
Natural fluctuations occur from year to year, but the overall trend is not good. Stay tuned for an update as the counts come in.
EXCELLENT RESOURCES
Southwest Monarch Study
Our Tagging Source
Monarch Watch
Home of the national "Monarch Waystation" Program
Monarch Joint Venture
Excellent resources and webinars
Xerces Society
Utah Pollinator Habitat Program
Western Monarch Advocates
Our Mission
To engage and educate Utahns in conservation of the monarch butterfly. We do this by providing expertise and training, native milkweed seeds and/or seedlings, and leveraging partnerships with other organizations (public and private) to advance the cause of the monarch butterfly and the other pollinators who will benefit from this work.
Utah FOM Official 501c3 status August 31, 2021
Federal ID 87-2412373
Rachel Taylor, Utah Friends of Monarchs, Founder
Monarch Conservation Specialist, Monarch Watch
Board Treasurer, Western Monarch Advocates