I just harvested my first milkweed pods…an ending to a wonderful adventure involving the lifecycle of a Monarch butterfly.

Late spring, I planted milkweed (among other flowers) to aid in attracting pollinators.

Indeed, all sorts of beneficial garden friends made use of the flower. Among them, was the Monarch. We got to see most of the stages. From caterpillar, to chrysalis, to butterfly.

And now, the milkweed has given its pods/seeds for next season.

I used the link below, but wait until the pod begins to dry out and starts to split. You can then gently pry the pod open and harvest the seeds (ripe seeds are brown).

Don’t place them in a plastic bag right away, but rather, put them in a brown bag or otherwise dry place.

https://savvygardening.com/milkweed-pods/

Happy fall!