Common Milkweed Seeds

Skip the indoor seed trays, as Common Milkweed seeds do not like transplanting. Direct sowing is the best approach. In the fall, just press the seeds into the soil and let nature provide the cold stratification over the winter. If you are direct sowing in the spring, you need to cold-stratify first. Mix the Asclepias Syriaca seeds with moist sand and seal them in a plastic bag. Place the bag in the refrigerator for 30 days. After that, it is safe to direct sow after the last frost. Common Milkweed seeds take 10-30 days to germinate.

Full sun is required for the best results. Part sun is okay, but the plants will stretch and bloom less. Common Milkweed plant is not particular about soil, it thrives in poor, dry, and even rocky soil, just the kind of conditions in which other perennials struggle. Make sure, your soil is well-drained, as too much wet causes roots rot. Water it a little during the first growing season to help it set roots. After that leave it alone, Common Milkweed flower can handle drought conditions far better than most perennials.

Thin the seedlings to the strongest and allow it 12-24 inches of space, as Milkweed will spread by rhizome as it ages. Deer will not eat it, so no caging is necessary. To collect seeds, harvest  narrow 3-4 inch pods before they split open in late summer. Remove the fluff, dry, and store somewhere cool and dry. They will remain viable for two years with little trouble.