March 12 is the first day of Daylight Saving time, but we're not waiting for the clock change to spring ahead. We're sprucing up the butterfly garden at Alpine Groves so it will be ready for the Bartram Bash on May 13. Our monarch committee had its kickoff meeting to plan for distribution of the native milkweed we expect shortly. We had the pleasure of visiting Jeanne's flower garden and monarch nursery featuring the biggest monarch rearing tent we'd ever seen. Two chrysalis' were already hanging inside!
We also saw the biggest staghorn fern we'd ever encountered. It is so big it has to be hoisted up into a tree by crane so it can take advantage of warmer temperatures. Jeanne's husband acquired it in 1978 and it's become a member of the family. Lastly, Jeanne was kind enough to give us some of the spring flower bulbs she collected at the end of the planting season. They'll keep nicely in the refrigerator as long as we keep them away from fruits or vegetables (which emit gasses that can interfere with flower production).The latest issue of the St. Johns Sun has hit the streets featuring, "Monarchs on the March," an article about the monarchs returning from their overwintering grounds and our own experiences raising monarchs at home. The monarch committee has some history doing this and we are always adding to our store of knowledge. See our updated Resources section and the posting, "More About Monarchs."
No comments:
Post a Comment