Earthyman Responds to a Customers Question on Advice on Planting Butterfly Milkweed : Asclepias Tuberosa Seeds

Question:  Hi.  I recently received 6 packets from you of Butterfly milkweed.  Could you provide some advice on planting?  I have a small flower garden ( full sun,) as well as 15 acres of various prairie plants and grasses. Began as all  switchgrass but I am slowly planting more and more grasses and forbs. Thanks.  Stan

Response:  Stan, you may start the seeds indoors after you have moist stratified them.  Place the seeds in a zip lock back mixed with moist vermiculite.  Leave them in a refrigerator for 30 days.  Remove and plant in open flats or small pots with sterile soil medium at a depth of 1/8th to 1/4th inch.  They must receive considerable light and warmth to adequately develop.  Once they have started to form the white root, they can be transplanted to your garden or field.  Keep the competition down from weeds and other plants.  They prefer well drained to excessively drained soils in full sun.  They do well in rocky poor soils with maximum exposure to the sun and wind.  If you want to do a dormant seeding, you may spread the seed now or anytime the ground is exposed.  Make sure your seeds are not on frozen ground as they may wash away.  Wait until the ground thaws and spread your seed but only lightly cover with a sprinkling of soil or compost no deeper than 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Nature can then freeze and thaw offering the best stratification.  Once plants are mature, you must be very careful when you attempt to transplant as the roots are very massive and at least 90% of the roots should be dug with plant and immediately transplanted.  You should start seeing blooms the second year and thereafter the plants will grow much stronger and have many blooms in the following years.  If your plants, for some reason die or disappear the following year after planting, they are probably in a poorly adaptable site for this species.

Thanks,

Howard aka "Earthyman"

"Helping You Create Your Own Natural Beauty"

Howard Bright
800-291-2143
1878 Old Mission Drive
Harpers Ferry, IA 52146

To Purchase Butterfly Milkweed Visit us at Ion Exchange, Inc. or Native Wildflowers & Seeds

The Birth of a Butterfly You Tube Video by jamesmenful

This is not intended for infringement, sound track used and copyright still belongs to the owner.
Background music by longzijun

The Birth of a Butterfly You Tube Video

To Purchase The Bird & Butterfly Attractor Station Plant Starter Kit Visit Our Website At

Ion Exchange, Inc.

Kayaking on The Yellow River in Beautiful NE Iowa

Whoever thought that people would be attracted to Northeast Iowa just to go kayaking.   Every year a group of people, sometimes up to 20 of them flock to Northeast Iowa’s Yellow River.  Iowa, known for cornfields is seldom thought of as a great place to kayak.  Low and behold in a remote region of Iowa that is full of limestone bluffs, valleys, trees and scenery beyond belief with eagles and vultures flying overhead, there is a clear stream with rainbow and brown trout and smallmouth bass. The Yellow River has the steepest vertical elevation fall of any river in Iowa.

Your launch may be at a bridge called 16, a name that was given to a small community that existed there in the late 1800’s.  Spend four hours on the Yellow River, stopping to fish or have a shore lunch with friends on a hot July day and you would swear that you were in Colorado or somewhere out west having the time of your life.  There are beautiful vertical walls lush with liverworts and often the more observing kayakers will stop by the walls and pet the Lichens or Liverworts as they are known because they have a feel that is so special and unforgettable.  Takeout may be at Ion, a ghost town now with nothing left.  A huge flood destroyed the whole town of 149 people back in 1916.  There was a hotel, a hardware store, a sawmill and a gristmill.  An old timer, Bill Aard, saw his best friend cut in half at the sawmill.  Bill never traveled more than 20 miles out of the valley during his whole life.  He died at 103 years of age.

There now exists just downstream from Ion a well known native seed and plant nursery and The Natural Gait.  Many people stay at The Natural Gait in one of their exquisite log cabins for their venture down the Yellow River.

Whether you go to kayak or scenery or just to relax, the Yellow River is a place to remember.

By Howard Bright

www.ionxchange.com

www.thenaturalgait.com

Chip in for Monarch Watch! A Fundraising Campaign In Chip’s Honor

“Chip in for Monarch Watch” Fundraising Campaign
—————————————————————-
The 2012 “Chip in for Monarch Watch” Fundraising Campaign is now underway!
Please help us spread the word about this annual campaign which brings in
funds to keep Monarch Watch’s education, conservation and research programs
going…and growing!

If you are in a position to offer financial support to Monarch Watch (or if
you know someone who might be), please consider making a fully
tax-deductible donation of any amount during our 2012 “Chip in for Monarch
Watch” fundraising campaign.

Visit http://monarchwatch.org/chip/ for more information or to submit your
pledge and tax-deductible donation. Be sure to check out the comments and
photos submitted by other donors – we are continually amazed by the
connections that are made through monarchs and Monarch Watch.

Last year’s campaign was a huge success, raising more than $31,000 – think
we can top that this year? 

Thank you for your continued support!

Chip in for Monarch Watch:http://monarchwatch.org/chip/

To Purchase Native Wildflowers & Prairie Plants visit Ion Exchange, Inc., at http://ionxchange.com/ or Call Us at 1-800-291-2143

The Great Sunflower Project Article On The BUZZ: Join Us for the Great Bee Count on Saturday, August 11, 2012

The BUZZ: Join Us for the Great Bee Count on Saturday, August 11!

Greetings citizen scientists! Our poll results are in, and, at last count, some 46% of you have sunflowers up and blooming. About one-third (34%) are still waiting for blooms (or encountered an gardening mishap), and another 21% didn’t plant sunflowers this year.

Those of you lucky enough to have sunflowers in bloom are diligently sending in your bee observations. Congratulations to all those who have already had the opportunity to observe, collect and report their data. Well done! Without your thoughtful observations, we would not have the wealth of information that we have to date.

To see results from the project using data reported up to 2012, have a look here: http://www.greatsunflower.org/results#map - you can zoom in on your area, see averages by type of garden and trends by year. Great stuff, and all because of your participation!

It’s important that you keep sending in data, so please join us and thousands of others across the country in The Great Bee Count on Saturday, August 11th.

Even if you do not have blooms on your sunflowers by August 11th, you can still be enjoy, learn and be part of the project by observing bees on other plants that you may have in bloom. Cosmos, tickseed, bee balm and echinacea, are all on our list, so you can collect data on these if your sunflowers are not blooming yet. And, it’s okay if your sunflower hasn’t bloomed yet. They will in time so you can make your 15 minute observation when they do open up.

And, this year, in support of the Great Bee Count, YourGardenShow.com will present a special online live broadcast "Double Feature" on August 11th, from 10am - noon EST (7am to 9am PST). First hour: a special "Ask Ian" Q&A show about pollination and pollinators followed by an hour of moderated interviews with bee experts talking about our pollinator friends. Join us for this one day event!: http://www.yourgardenshow.com/ask-ian

As you can see from our map, bees are declining in certain areas, and there are some areas where we have no data. Could that be your garden? The more we know, the more action will be able to be taken to preserve and enhance pollinator habitat.

Join us on August 11th!

Freddy B

To Purchase Pollinator Seed Mix Click on Ion Exchange, Inc. Link Below

Ion Exchange, Inc. Pollinator Mix

Ion Exchange, Inc.

Canada Anemone Seed Harvest Completed at Ion Exchange, Inc.

Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis) seed harvest completed at Ion Exchange, native seed and plant nursery in NE Iowa filmed by Earthyman

To Purchase Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis) Click on Link Below

Ion Exchange ANEMONE CANADENSIS Canada-Anemone

Ion Exchange, Inc.

Skullcap: A Summer For Rabies Article

Over time little known plants were often targeted as miraculous cures for one thing or another. Skullcap is one of them. For some time it was publicized as the only cure for rabies, rabies in people, of course, not in animals.

Here Is An Article On Skullcap:  A Summer For Rabies

Article from davesgarden.com Skullcap: A Summer For Rabies

It went by the name of maddog weed when I was small, and it seemed that every summer a new supply of its miracle cure was hastily made to insure the well being of those who might have come in contact with rabid animals. There was a time that I was so young I can barely remember, when a rabies scare turned normal parents upside down. When I think of it, I call it the summer for rabies. I remember only bits and pieces of that summer since I was not quite 5, but it was not a happy time. My dog Pepper, who was approximately my age, had her first litter of puppies. I only remember naming one of them Sandy and it was to be a pet for my uncle and his new wife. There were not many dogs in my life at that time, only Pepper, and she was a beautiful mixed breed of something or other. Long white hair that glistened and a personality that could easily win the coldest heart, that was my Pepper.

Word got around that a rabid raccoon had come close to homes where children were playing in the yard; then we heard that squirrels, opossums, rabbits, and finally my Uncle Dock's beautiful collie, Shep, had to be put down because of the dreaded rabies.  When that happened, dogs were put on a makeshift chain and contained within a fenced area, or they were put in an inside area where no other animals could get to them.  Pepper was given living quarters in a toolroom just off the back porch.  I breathed a sigh of relief because she was safe.   

Publicized as a cure for rabies, Scutellaria lateriflora caused a stir during the mid 18th century. One doctor announced at the time that he had successfully treated hundreds of cases with it. His claims for skullcap were finally discredited, but not before earning the plant more common names referring to its association with rabies: madweed and mad dog weed. It grows in moist woods and swampy areas, and as a native North American plant, can be found across the country. It is a perennial with an erect, smooth branching stem that grows to 3 feet. Broadly lance shaped, toothed leaves grow in opposite pairs. Small tubular blue, pinkish, violet or white flowers bloom in July and August. The blooms have two lips, the upper one is hooded.

The name of the plant, skullcap, refers to the shape of the flower, which resembles a helmet with the visor raised. Skullcap was the word for a type of military helmet that was familiar to earlier colonists. The Indian tribes used it as a sedative, and there were at one time claims for it's effectiveness as a "nervine" or tranquilizer. It has achieved a reputation as a sedative and antispasmodic, properties that may account for its sometimes being effective in alleviating the symptoms of rabies. For years herbalists have acclaimed the plant as an excellent "nervine", and have prescribed it for a gamut of so called nervous disorders from mild anxiety to epilepsy. That achieved some controversy, but less controversial is the calming effect of the tea made from the whole plant.

Skullcap contains scutellarin a flavonoid with sedative and antispasmodic properties. This was probably the active ingredient in the skullcap extract used in 19th century medicine. It is still used in modern herbal medicine for the prevention of epileptic seizures, insomnia, hysteria, anxiety and withdrawal from barbituates. It is currently an alternative herbal medicine to treat HDD. More cautious pharmacological opinion concedes as possible the validity of skullcap's use as a sedative, but only on the basis of animal tests. It is one of those plants that should not be used as a home remedy in any instance, the plant has some effect on the nervous system, and as such should be considered too dangerous to be used in any way without the attention of trained medical personnel. 

The summer for rabies is only a dim, distant memory, and not a very pleasant one at that. Dogs and cats were being put down for no reason other than folks had no place to keep them contained. Somehow I lost the puppy, Sandy, perhaps as a precaution, but my Pepper dog was spared at a time when many animals were not.  People were worried, and children were not allowed to roam freely that year.  And bottles of skullcap infusion lined many kitchen cabinets.   

That's the way of things sometimes, we have to survive a scare to make us more aware, more cautious. It has always bothered me that so many animals were wiped out simply as a precaution. But there again, veterinarians were unheard of in the mountains, and fathers simply did what they had to do to protect their families. 

Ion Exchange, Inc.

Invasive Species Field Day

What are Invasive Species?
Non-native invasive plants, typically transplants from distant places, that threaten native habitats in Iowa. There are a variety of non-native invasives that have been introduced into the United States and Iowa that are significant threats to the quality of many different ecosystems (i.e. prairies, forests, wetlands, rivers, and lakes).Why are they a problem? • They have a variety of survival strategies that enable them to out-compete and replace native species.• Insects and birds that rely on native species are also displaced as invasives take over.• They can alter entire ecosystems by changing soil chemistry or hydrological processes.• They cause a heavy economic toll. On a national level, invasive species are costing Americans approximately $140 billion annually in tax dollars spent on control, lost recreation, health hazards, and decreased land values.

Hawkeye Cooperative Weed Management Area Invasive Species Field Day June 11, 2009Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center 10260 Morris Hills Road Toddville, IA 52341Managed by the Linn County Conservation Board Field Day Brochure (includes map) <http://www.extension.iastate.edu/NR/rdonlyres/ABCE6DF3-724E-4752-962F-64BB1DEDF983/97257/InvasiveSpeciesBrochure_forPRINT.pdf>

Directions From I-380 northbound: go west on Blairs Ferry Road. Turn north (right) on Feather Ridge Road; From I-380 southbound: Exit west (right) on the E-34, Toddville/Robins exit, follow WHOLC signs through Toddville to Feather Ridge Road, turn south (left); go to Morris Hills Road, turn west.Proceed approx. 1.2 miles to Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center.

Agenda 8:30am –9:00am Registration 9:00am –9:10am

Welcome 9:15am –10:00am Potential Impacts of 2008 Floods on Iowa’s Natural Resources Keynote Speaker: John Pearson, Botanist/Plant Ecologist, Iowa Department of Natural
Resources

10:15am –11:10am (select session A or B)

session A - outdoors Woodland Management and the Use of Prescribed Fire in Woodlands Mark Vitosh & Ryan Schlater, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Forestry Bureau

session B - indoors Wetland Beautification & Selecting Native Plants for your Home Landscape Howard Bright, Ion Exchange, Harpers Ferry

11:25am –12:20pm (select session A or B)

session A - outdoors Identification & Management of Invasive Plants in Prairies Rob Roman, Linn County Secondary Road Department (Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management)& Chris Taliga, Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development

session B - indoors Water Infiltration & the Establishment of Backyard Rain Gardens Wayne Petersen, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship & Liz Maas, Transition Ecology, Iowa City

12:20pm –1:20pm Lunch & Learn provided by the Living Roadway Trust Fund at the Outdoor Learning Center1:00pm Weed Seed Free Forage & Mulch Certification Program Eileen Wuebker, Iowa Crop Improvement Association, Iowa State University

1:30pm –2:25pm (select session A or B)

session A - outdoors Identification and Management of Invasive Plants in Woodlands Dana Kellogg, Linn County Conservation Board & Dave Wehde, Johnson County Conservation Board

session B - indoors Got Goats? A conservationist’s exploration of browsing and grazing to restore natural areas Loren Lown, Polk County Conservation Board Field Day Reservations There is no charge for this program; however, lunch is provided, so please make reservations by Noon June 9th (Tuesday). Register online at http://www.linncountyparks.com/ <http://www.linncountyparks.com/> by clicking on the "Events" area or call (319) 892-6450.

Lloyd Vann named Costa Rica Strong Man of 2009

As an employee of Ion Exchange, Inc. where my wages were doubled every week, I was still depressed. My employers were going to give me one last chance to come around. In desperation, they sent me to the jungle of Costa Rica where I became a real man and now I'm pumped and ready to go with both feet on the ground. I’m Lloyd Vann, nominated as Costa Rica’s Strong Man of the Year 2009. Take a look! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B1eJprNUew

Butterfly Forecast For Central Iowa for Aug 1-15th 2008

Reprinted by Ion Exchange with permission. Forecast for Central Iowa August 1, 2008-August 15, 2008

Butterfly numbers and diversity are at their peak right now. Diversity will continue to be at a peak until about the middle of September. Numbers will remain high after that—possibly as late as the end of October depending on the weather. However, by that time the diversity will have crashed and only a few species will be represented.
Many of the butterflies you see at this time of the year are newly emerged, but some, particularly the larger butterflies, may be individuals who have lived for several weeks. If you have appropriate habitat you may see the same individual eastern tiger swallowtail or great spangled fritillary over several days. Butterflies can become quite raggedy over a period of time, but can still survive.
There can be some unexpected butterfly watching opportunities at this time of year. A few years back I went on a ride on the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad (Boone, Iowa). The ride goes for several miles, and there are wooded stretches and areas with some prairie plants. I got great looks at lots of butterflies, especially eastern tiger swallowtails and giant swallowtails. The northwestern part of the route, near Fraser and Holst State Forest had very large populations of giant swallowtails.
Rides on bike paths can be quite good as well. You might need to keep the ID books at home and just concentrate on the ride, however.
If you happen to pass a hay field you might see clouds of butterflies—clouded and orange sulfurs in numbers much greater than you will see elsewhere. Puddles near a hay field may yield hundreds of these butterflies which all fly up at the same time.
Watch the white butterflies at this time of year. Cabbage whites are common, as are white forms of clouded and orange sulfurs. If you look closely, you can tell them apart quite easily—the forewings of cabbage whites coming to a point instead of being rounded, and lacking the black border. You may see a white butterfly that is clearly different from either—one that is very white with no border, but which has more dark spots on it than the cabbage white. That will be the checkered white, which is a migrant that comes in to the state late in the summer.
In normal years we would be seeing great numbers of little yellows about now. However, I have not seen any yet this year. There have been huge numbers of summer azures, however—many more than normal, and flying about 3 weeks after one would expect their peak.
The American snout is a distinctive butterfly with a long nose. It can form huge swarms in Texas, where certain forms of hackberry tree are found.
In Iowa it is found in smaller numbers. I usually see only a few individuals each year.
Cloudless sulfurs can sometimes be seen late in the summer. Once again, they are quite common in the south but not so common in Iowa. Cloudless sulfurs resemble the more common clouded and orange sulfurs but are quite a bit larger. Look for fiery skippers to be fairly numerous as well.
Some species are found here pretty much all summer but reach fairly high numbers late in the year. They include before mentioned clouded and orange sulfurs, eastern tailed-blues, pearly crescents, and silvery checkerspots.
Black swallowtails, painted ladies, red admirals and monarchs may be found in fairly high numbers in prairie and old-field areas, and hackberry and tawny emperors can be found in the woodlands.
Summer is flying by (in more ways than one). Make the time to enjoy the show.

Harlan Ratcliff


References:
Schlicht, Dennis, John C. Downey, and Jeffrey C. Nekola. 2007. The Butterflies of Iowa. The University of Iowa Press, Iowa City, IA.
Scott, James A. 1986. The Butterflies of North America. A Natural History and Field Guide. Stanford University Press, Stanford CA.
IA-BTRFLY: The Iowa Butterfly and Dragonfly list serve.
http://www.wisconsinbutterflies.org/ sightings page.
http://www.naba.org/ sightings page.
Ratcliff, Harlan: 2003-2007 Unpublished butterfly survey results.

Hoar Frost

Occasionally I am reminded that winter also carries many beautiful faces. I wrote this last week after we had days and days of fog. Suddenly the fog lifted it's veil to reveal the following.

This morning on the way to town we had the most spectacular view of hoar frost on the trees and bushes.
The sun was just beginning to peak out from the haze that had created this frosty celebration on the trees.
As we drove along the ridge on our journey, taking in the panoramic view of the hills and valleys for many miles on both sides of the road, we were amazed at the beauty of the landscape.
The pristine fresh snow and the trees all dressed up in hoar frost - as if they were just posing for our delight and enjoyment.
As the sun began hitting the trees it reflected the ice crystals, turning them into a thousand little glass reflections.
Every time I am lucky enough to catch one of these displays of nature’s beauty I am reminded of how glad I am to live in beautiful Northeast Iowa! Kay at the Ion Exchange Inc