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 Considered a weed by some, common milkweed is
making a comeback as more gardeners are growing this important food
source for monarch butterflies. Harvest the seedpods and craft them
into wreaths, stars and indoor holiday trees.
Remove the pods from the plants, separate the halves and allow them
to dry as needed. If you don’t have your own milkweed plants, ask a
friend or neighbor if you can harvest a few of theirs.
Search the internet and craft books for creative ways to use these.
You would be surprised how a little paint can turn milkweed pods
into a work of art. Paint a winter or holiday scene on the inside of
the pods. Or add a bit of moss, tiny dried flowers, acorns and
miniatures to create a three-dimensional piece of art.
Decorate the outside with the eyes, nose and hat of Santa Claus or
one of his reindeer. Add some pinecone scales for ears and evergreen
needles for whiskers and you have the start of an adorable mouse.
Even those with limited artistic talent can create pretty ornaments.
Paint the pod and glue a colorful feather or string of beads to the
inside. Add twine with a bead or two to the top for a hanger.
Paint the inside and outside of the pods green, gold, silver or
other color of your choice Purchase a Styrofoam cone and attach the
pods, inner side facing out with pins. Place the pods in rows,
covering the cone to create the perfect evergreen.
Glue the wide end of five pods together to form a star. Fill the
center with a small cone or sweet gum pod. Still more pods? Use them
to decorate a holiday wreath. If you have enough you can create a
wreath of all milkweed pods. Just cover the wreath form or frame
with milkweed pods or use moss, burlap or greens as a base.
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But don’t stop with winter inspired decorations. Save
some milkweed pods to craft into beautiful dahlias, birds,
butterflies, fairies and more. Just start experimenting with paint,
hot glue, florist wire and other natural materials.
Then next fall consider harvesting the pods before
they open. You’ll either contain the spread if desired or harvest
seeds to share with friends. Place the pods in a paper bag in a warm
location to open. Use the fluffy seeds to fill clear ornaments or
separate the seeds from the fluff to plant and grow more
monarch-friendly plants.
Once you get started crafting, friends and neighbors will be leaving
pods on your doorstep to craft into works of art. And you may find
yourself adding more milkweeds to the garden. You’ll have plenty of
pods for crafting and enjoy the monarch caterpillars munching on the
leaves and adult butterflies sipping on the nectar in the garden.
Melinda Myers has written numerous books, including Small Space
Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD
series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV &
radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for
Birds & Blooms magazine and her web site is www.MelindaMyers.com.
[Photo credit: Melinda Myers, LLC]
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