JARMINATION The Easiest Way to Germinate and Grow Common Milkweed from Seed for a Butterfly Garden 

Thank you. After planting milkweed seeds directly in pots, several times, and not having a single one germinate, I tried your method. 48 hours after putting the seeds in water, 70% of them germinated!

I used to not want to start milkweed because the stratification requirement put me off, but after stumbling across this video I decided to give it a try. Your method works! I got more than 95% germination rate within 3 days using seeds bought on Amazon completely skipping the stratification. Thanks a bunch!

Please make more videos like these, i really enjoy them

The clipping method works brilliantly! After soaking until a bit of seeding popped out, I planted them in a plug tray with a humidity dome and began to see sprouts in 2 days. Thank you!

Thanks for the info!

I am going to try this! Thanks for posting!

wow

Great video! Thank you!

very simple and creative, I love posts that help keep life less complicated. My thanks

Best video I have seen so far! Thank you!

Gracias. I'm going to try this .

I love this video so much ❤ Thank you, I couldn't get them to grow

Jarmination makes it happen🌱🌱🌱🌱💜

I did some experimenting. After multiple attempts to grow milkweed from seeds, in pot, with a 100% failure rate, clipping and soaking the seeds worked for me. First attempt, 70% germination in 48 hours. Next, I put 10 unclipped seeds in water and 10 more clipped seeds in a separate container. After 48 hours, 5 of the clipped seeds had germinated. After 72 hours, 2 more of the clipped seeds have germinated. None of the unclipped seeds have germinated. I'm using Scarlet Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica). I have seed pods on some Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) and will repeat this method on some seeds from those plants. I also have some seeds from Pinewoods Milkweed (Asclepias humistrata) on the way. I was not able to get any Pinewoods Milkweed seeds to germinate using the cold stratification/plant in soil method before. I'll see if clipping off the ends and soaking them will work. If it does, eventually my butterfly garden will only have native milkweed plants.

Hi, have tried your method , It works , Thank you

Thanks Lumberjill! I just clipped a dozen or so of the seed pods that were ready from my 3 plants! I'm excited to jarminate!

Thank you so much! I was skeptical but this really works. I am sooo happy.

Did exactly what you said to do and I’ve got 12 little seedlings! Thank you!!

Good reflexes at 1:22 😆

would make a nice gift

Thank you, I just started some and used this method. We'll see how I follow directions in a couple of days! :)

To clarify: last night I removed 10 day cold stratified seed and used the wet paper towel-back into fridge in a ziplock bag procedure for two days, then took them out into South Georgia heat shock. Two germinated last night. Today I snipped these and they’re back in the plastic ziplock bag on wet paper towel being heat shocked on the hot porch in the sun. I’m hoping to see germination in two days. Another lot of forty cold stratified are in non chlorinated water soaking overnight. I clipped this group prior to soaking. This clipping can be tedious! But there is nothing as frustrating as long waits for germination or seed that took so long in the ziplock bag it’s too late when I look at it four times. I’m really looking forward to seeing if I can germinate butterfly weed seed this quickly. This method would be better than any other one on RU-vid.

Thanks! I've never been able to germinate milkweed. This helped a lot. "Jarmination"

This is an interesting technique, I need to try it. Thank you for sharing it!

I received some milkweed seeds, and not knowing much about growing these, I came across your video after watching several others. I thought, "I can do this!" I followed your instructions and am thrilled to report that germination was a success just 2 days after clipping the seeds and soaking them! Now, a week after planting, I have many little baby milkweed plants ❤ Thanks, Lumberjill!

Wow, thanks, it works perfectly! Greetings from Poland c: I germinated some asclepias incarnata "cinderella" (which is not considered invasive in Poland - contrary to the common milkweed)

🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱👌

I have been watching this video over and over again! I am trying this process today! I am going to get the non-lip ball mason jars today because mine all have a lip that I think may be annoying. Thank you so much for making these videos. I’m so excited to see you transplant the jar into the outside soon in spring! Very helpful stuff!!! Also, do you think this will be fine with grow lights? I know it’s not necessary but it should be fine right? I have a big set up in the basement. I can’t keep plants on the window sills because of my kitties. They are wayyy to curious!

That's really cool! Thanks for sharing this procedure. Now I'm wondering if one could extend this to any seed that needs cold stratification. 🤔

Thank you I apart different type of milkweed seeds, and on two packs, it says cold stratification is required so I will have to wait till fall with these two types? Rose and showy It’s a butterfly milkweed, and the common milkweed it says cold stratification is recommended. I would be thankful if I get your input.

Going to try this. I cold stratified (accidentally in the freezer) my seeds this year, as I forgot to winter sow, and they've been planted for 2.5 weeks now and I don't have any sprouting. So feel like this is a great plan for me to go ahead and try and get quick results just in case the stratified seeds don't grow.

Very nice video. Thanks for taking time to share this information and tips. I just picked up a package of butterfly flower seeds yesterday. Had not idea about the stratification of the seeds. Now my question is what is too hot to start these seeds and have them bloom...and produce more seeds? It's in high 80's here now....southeast Texas. Thanks for your help. Jesus bless.

Esclepsia tuberosa is so difficult to germinate. I did not have trouble on the first twenty. All but 5/30 survived. But having little time for round two in late June I did very quick 1 week cold stratification and and put those into heat shock. Two germinated. I’m using your method today and will report in. But I’ve snipped and am putting them back on wet paper towels. Hoping to see germination in the morning.

Thanks so much for sharing! I’m planning to plant milkweed in my garden this year, this is very helpful! Just one question, should I remove the cling once they start sprouting?

I've currently got my seeds in a moist paper towel in a zip lock bag on the fridge to cold stratify the seeds. Can I still clip them when I take them outta the fridge? (according to my instructions, 30 days) great video! :)

Seems like clipping and soaking are the keys. Why not direct sow the seeds into the garden after that, to eliminate transplant shock?

WOW! Thank you for this information! I do a lot of community presentations, and we're forever frustrated with the stratification failures. This method seems so much more effective than making the clay seed balls or even sprouting seeds from hydroponics or heated seed mats. I work with a wide variety of gardeners--containers on apartment balconies, raised beds in fenced condo backyards, and people with HUGE backyards. I do have a question, though: while the glass jars are obviously more ecologically-friendly, they are not economically great for me to have to purchase for every community presentation, so would there be any harm in using a common paper cup with plastic wrap and a rubber band? Also, what is your recommendation for how tall the seedlings should be before transplanting them?

How many days from the when the sprouts come up can I plant them?

Do you put them by a window, or on a warming mat? How much sun at first? This is great info, as I'm also discouraged by trying to stratify here in SW Florida

Do you place the mason jar in full sun or in the shade while they germinate?

Hi there! Thanks for this video. Just a quick question: Should we put the jar in a full-sun area after finishing the process of planting the seeds?!

Where do you let them grow...inside with plant lights? Do you put them outside like we do with the jug method of germination? Thanks!

Hi, new here and I am sub number 41💕💕💕💕💕💕 I am like👍🏿👍🏿 number 20...awesome garden info sharing...thank you

could clipping the seeds possibly improve germination rates on already cold stratified seeds?

How big should they be before they can go outside? I have come into several packs of seeds from a Monarch group in Cape May, NJ. I'm excited to get a bunch going in the spring.

Do you put the jar in room light or under grow lights or what?

Hi…, Very interesting. I’ve never heard of this method before. Can you recommend a good source for buying Milkweed seeds. So many of them seem to be of poor quality. Thanks.

After doing the soaking of seeds how long before I see growth in jars? Also, I’m in zone 8 can I leave my jars outdoors if it warm?

does miracle Gro contain fertilizer that would make the milkweed poisonous to my caterpillars?

How do you get the new plants out of the canning jar without harming them, once it's time to plant them? Great idea, though!

Hi! Is there anything you could substitute for coconut coir? Maybe sphagnum peat moss?

If I start my seed now in September will they be ok in the jars until spring? I'm in zone 7b. Thanks.

Would this work in a milk jug like your other video?

What if the seeds submerge and sink do they still sprout ?

When do you take off the plastic wrap? I followed the link and read those instructions also, but the instructions jumped from the seeds covered with plastic to seedlings growing out beyond the mouth of the jar.

When you keep them in water, do you need a heat mat or just let it sit out?

Does this work for Florida swamp milkweed ? Never works for me once I put them in the soil after and the roots never germinate much when they’re in the water only a little bit of white comes out I see some where people have huge roots … :(

What time of year is best? Or can these Spout all year round?

Can i use nail cutter to clip that end?

Hello, I'm in Dallas Texas zone 8. I actually seeded 50 in a tray with success but they suddenly died after showing the first true leaves. It's so sad and I'm very confused what to do. I have the tuberosa variety btw. After they sprout, did you transplant or wait until a few inches tall? I used organic mix of pot and mulch. Should I supplement some kind of nutrients? Worms? We have lots of rabbits here to and I read they love to eat them. Deciding if I should keep in a big pot or in ground with cage around it. Any advice? Thank you again

What type of milkweed are you growing? I created an area of my yard for only milkweed plants and am trying to grow many varieties.

Can you do this with other seeds that need cold stratification also?

What season are you doing this?

How often do you add water?

Clipping the seeds is called scarification.

Why not use a red cup you can then cut open. Much easier I’m thinking.

Can this be done with other kinds of milkweed seeds? I am not a big fan of Common Milkweed because it gets invasive.

Have you tried Swamp Milkweed this way ?

I’m going to add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to this second soaking seed group just to oxygenate the germ.