When should I plant swan plants?
spring
If you want to plant lots of swan plants, try growing them from seed. In most places, it’s not warm enough to plant little swan plants outdoors until about November. But spring is a good time to start growing them indoors, ready to plant out later.
Do swan plants survive winter?
Most Swan plants survive the winter if they have been cared for and nourished with water and re-potted either in a larger pot or into the ground. Sometimes Swan plants struggle to grow back if completely chewed back by the hungry caterpillars. This also applies if you have an infestation of Aphids on your plants.
How long does a swan plant last?
Swan plants can live 2-3 years and you are fortunate in having had them establish themselves as you won’t need to buy any more food for caterpillars.
How do you take care of a swan plant?
Swan plants grow best in full sun in a well-drained position, reaching up to 2 metres. A sheltered spot is best as they do not fare against strong winds and like to keep moist over the summer months.
How fast do swan plants grow?
The Swan plant seedlings will take approximately four months to grow into big healthy plants ready for January, when it is peak Monarch season, (if covered and kept away from Monarchs). The Monarch butterflies will soon come and lay eggs on your plant, as they can smell a Swan plant from over 2kms away.
How do you keep wasps away from Swan plants?
To keep the wasps away, cover your swan plant with a mesh net. The butterflies will still be able to lay their eggs on the leaves that are touching the mesh. If you’ve been left with a baron-leaved plant, simply leave it to regrow more leaves.
When should I buy swan plants NZ?
In New Zealand Swan plants can be grown easily from seed from August onwards, in a warm greenhouse, kitchen or classroom window sill. You can purchase seed packets from any local garden centre or online. Seeds can be Asclepias (Asclepias curassavica) or Swan plant (Gomphocarpus fruticosus).
Are swan plants annual or perennial?
perennials
“Swan plants are perennials and will last a few years. Just give the stumps a few weeks to grow more leaves. Plant them in the garden for next year if you no longer have caterpillars.”
Do swan plants need pruning?
Swan plans can also last up to two years, so come early winter, give your plant a good prune back in preparation for next summer. It’s also worth knowing that swan plants can be toxic if ingested.
Can you grow swan plants in pots?
Swan plants in pots is no problem. The bigger the pot the better. Use 40 litre pots ideally and keep then well watered in a 50/50 mixture of potting mix and compost for best results!
Do you cut back swan plants?
How many caterpillars does a swan plant produce?
An average swan plant of 30 cm or 40 cm would only feed one caterpillar. You need to have quite a few plants as spares when you’re raising monarch caterpillars.
Should Swan plants be pruned?
How do you make a swan plant bushy?
If you’ve been left with a baron-leaved plant, simply leave it to regrow more leaves. Swan plans can also last up to two years, so come early winter, give your plant a good prune back in preparation for next summer. It’s also worth knowing that swan plants can be toxic if ingested.
How long does it take for a swan plant to grow?
approximately four months
The Swan plant seedlings will take approximately four months to grow into big healthy plants ready for January, when it is peak Monarch season, (if covered and kept away from Monarchs). The Monarch butterflies will soon come and lay eggs on your plant, as they can smell a Swan plant from over 2kms away.