Dose anyone know when it is safe to put out new swan plants . I have been told to wait until butterflies have stopped flying but when is this . I have plants about 1 meter tall but don't want them attacked before next season. If any one can help much appreciated as we still have them flying around and next years plants are potted up in garage but getting in the way now.
oh_hunnihunni,
Mar 13, 4:40pm
Ours are all seeding frantically, and baby plants popping up everywhere. We will have butterflies for Africa next season. Few butterflies laying though, and plenty of predators still about. Winter will sort them out. I think you'd be pretty safe to plant them out in Palmy, you're a few weeks closer to cool than us.
cantabman1,
Mar 14, 10:47am
Not sure what your frosts are like up their, but too many will kill the plants. Butterflies are still active, even down here in Ch Ch, so unless you want to brush off the eggs, i would leave it a bit later.
starseeker,
Dec 9, 12:02pm
I suggest that you ask on the Monarch butterfly trust website. Some time in late March the butterflies go into diapause, that is, they are still around but will not breed until next season. These are the generation that over-winters in certain areas, usually on fir-type trees. As cantabman says, frosts (& snails! ) can kill off your plants so you may need to cover them with frost cloth & put out snail bait, preferably the snail bait which is safe for pets.
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