For people who want to grow more food with less work. 🌱 This is my weekly newsletter loved by 38,000+ subscribers—here's what one of them had to say: "These are not the regular run-of-the-mill garden-based emails. You actually touch on more unusual tidbits that encourage me to keep growing and learning."
a quick and simple way to collect and separate milkweed seeds
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I don't know about you, but I love scoring free seeds in the wild. This summer I came across a huge patch of milkweed plants that were growing next to the campground we were staying in, and I was able to harvest a couple of seed pods to bring home with me. I've grown butterflyweed before, but not the common milkweed I'd found, and plan to broadcast a few seeds this winter and see how they do. (I've heard that the green seed pods on common milkweed are edible, so now I'm curious!) If you've ever collected milkweed pods, you know how messy they can get. Once the pods burst open, the milkweed floss inside expands and starts flying everywhere, making seed collection quite tricky. You can't reasonably spend all that time separating each seed from the silky strand it's attached to, so is there an easier way to gather the seeds and quickly remove all that milkweed fluff? Yes, there is! The key lies in proper timing—making sure the seed pods are neither too green nor too mature—and knowing these fast and simple ways to extract the seeds so you can sow or store them. Here's how I do it (with examples from butterflyweed pods as well as common milkweed pods). Thank you to everyone who entered my $500 gift card giveaway this week! The giveaway is now closed and winners have been notified by email. I hope you scored some great deals during Amazon Prime Days—I'm personally very excited for my new vacuum sealer! Ultimately I went with this new hybrid model that combines a compact countertop unit with a wireless handheld sealer. The unit stores away neatly in a drawer and you don't have to deal with accessory cords. I also ordered the vacuum container that goes with it (for fast marinating). After wanting a FoodSaver for years, this is pretty exciting and also sort of geeky that I spent so much time reading reviews. 😂 I'll let you know how I like it! P.S. How to collect milkweed seeds and remove all the fluff—quickly and easily! P.P.S. Do you know the best ways to store all your fruits and vegetables so they last as long as they should? My Fruit & Vegetable Storage Guide includes printable charts and little-known tips for extending the shelf life of all your produce (plus a trick for reviving wilted greens!). Download it here. |
Garden Betty
For people who want to grow more food with less work. 🌱 This is my weekly newsletter loved by 38,000+ subscribers—here's what one of them had to say: "These are not the regular run-of-the-mill garden-based emails. You actually touch on more unusual tidbits that encourage me to keep growing and learning."