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Submitted by: Mary

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I raised indoor cats last year. To feed them, I'd cut out the top of a stalk of tropical milkweed, maybe 8-10 inches long and stick the cut end into damp florists foam before sitting in their container. They would eat everything, leaving only a little stub of stalk. I'd then take that stub, providing it had at least two or three leaf nodes left on it, and put it into a pot of damp, good quality potting soil and it would root and grow another plant. I found the ideal is to have at least two leaf nodes above the soil line. The little cutting should put out new shoots from both the exposed leaf nodes. Be certain there is at least one leaf node is below the soil line, as that is where the roots will begin to grow. This is a much faster way of producing new food plants than waiting for seeds to germinate and grow. I'm thinking that maybe the cut ends of the tropical milkweed should be allowed to dry for an hour or two before sticking into their growing medium, just to help preclude rotting problems below the soil line. The stubs I used last year had been sitting in the damp florists foam for a day, which allowed for some drying/ sealing before the ends were put into potting medium. You might also add a bit of perlite to your growing medium, maybe even half and half. Perlite can usually be found in small quanities at the big box stores in the garden center. Keep your cuttings in the shade and mist them along if it is dry outside or cover with a ventilated covering to help maintain humidity. Of course, maintain a damp (not wet) potting medium. Thank you for what you're doing for the butterflies. Mary <b>Karen says:</b> Mary, thanks so much for the detailed instructions on rooting the milkweed. I know it will be helpful to my readers!

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