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2. Planting Milkweed

• Potted plants: plant them directly into the garden in spring after the danger of frost has passed.
• Seeds: plant your seeds directly into the soil in the fall. As an alternative, you can start your seeds indoors, 4-8 weeks before the average date of last frost. Use plastic flats or seedling trays. Fill them 3/4 with potting soil, scatter the seeds on the soil surface 1/2 in. apart (1 cm). Cover with 1/4 in. (0.5 cm) of soil mix. Water thoroughly and place them either in a sunny window or directly under the grow lights. Most seeds will germinate in 7-10 days if the flats are maintained at 75˚F (24˚C). After the seeds have germinated and are 3-6 in. tall, they are ready to be transplanted into your garden.
• Loosen the soil where you will be planting.
• Plant your seedlings 6-24 in. apart (15-60 cm) depending on the species. Water regularly. Add mulch around the seedlings to hold in the moisture and minimizes the growth of competing weeds.

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3. Aftercare

• Asclepia incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) needs evenly moist soils. Most other Milkweed species are suited to a dry environment.
• No fertilization is needed.
• No division is required.
• To avoid unwanted seedlings, remove all seed pods in early fall before they split open and spread their seed.

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