Since 2016, Mosser Lee has sponsored a Milkweed seed giveaway through Facebook. During this time, it has given away over 20,000 seeds to people in 32 states and Canada. This program is one of the Company’s Environmental Support Programs aimed at providing support to help protect and preserve the environment.
Promotion begins in the fall with seeds mailed in January. This provides gardeners with plenty of time to stratify them for sowing. This year, 123 seed packets were given away. The packets also include an information and planting instruction sheet. Most of the seed recipients are home gardeners, however seeds have been sent to schools and Conservation Districts.
Seeds are g
athered each year by a large cadre of gardeners and friends of Mosser Lee in Chicago
Earlier this year, milkweed plants were started from seed indoors using the Company’s SucSeed® Seed Starter as the growing medium. Milkweed seeds require a moist but not soggy environment to germinate. SucSeed® is milled sterile long fibered sphagnum moss, which holds 20 times its weight in water and provides a perfect growing medium for milkweed seeds. All 72 seeds planted germinated, and the plants were set out in a wildflower garden near the Company’s headquarters. Initially, Monarch caterpillars ate all the leaves on the 8-inch plants. A large crop of Monarchs emerged. Fortunately, a months later the plants grew new leaves and are flourishing.