Just a thought, The chili seeds are rather hot for there size and the are oily so if you handle them do not rub your eyes or they will really burn ( a wash cloth with cold water will help.) The plants are used to a dryer climate so do not let them set in water. They also make a really nice potted plant. Tom

Hi Tom...I'm sending out a SASE today. Thanks for the offer.

Hi Tom, I am sending my SASE tomorrow. Thank you for the offer.

Got my seeds yesterday. Thank you Tom!

I received my seeds. Thank you

Hi Tom, I sent a SASE a day or two ago. Thank you so much for your offer.

Hi Tom, I'm sending my SASE today. Thank you.

Hi Tom!! I have received my flower seeds! I am going to plant them this weekend thank-you so much!

I'm sending a SASE

Ugh...just checked and I'm out of stamps!! You're just down the 59 from me! I'll run to the post office tomorrow -- hoping you've got some left. TY for your kindness.

Hi Tom,

i received your seeds yesterday. Thank you very much!

I'd love to add your tropical to the other types of milkweed I've started. I'm sending sase as well. When you've gotten more requests than you want, be sure to close the thread so us butterfly lovers won't swamp you!

And thank you for posting, Tom.

Hi Tom! Thanks for this offer! This thread is almost two months old, but I'm going to send you a SASE. Please notify me if the offer is closed!

Thanks Tom! My first gardenweb SASE seeds came today!

Hello Michelle, The offer is still open. I have a bunch of seeds.

Thanks, Tom! I'll put it in the mail tomorrow!

• A reply to Alice,. Go to Wikipedia for a good description of the Peguin pepper. I have also listed as a chilitepin I do not know if they are the same pepper or not. They are for spicing up your food ,do not be fooled by there small size. One or two of these little guys will spice up a pot of chili. They also make a fine looking potted plant that will come back next year if they are taken inside in colder climates.

Very cool, Tom-- thanks! DH loves, loves spicy, so I wouldn't mind some Peguin pepper seeds, too.

ETA: I wonder if a few planted among the milkweed will keep the aphids away. Those darned things make my milkweeds very sickly and sad -- no amount of spraying with a hose keeps them away for very long at all.

Thanks Tom, I received my seeds today!

Thanks for the tip, Tom. Also received my seeds, and cannot wait to get planting!

Got a SASE headed your way Tom. Thanks so much for the generous offer.

Got my seeds today, Tom. Thank you very much (and my butterflies thank you too!)

Tom: I know it's rather late in the season, but I'm going to try the cold stratification for a week or two -- not optimal, but we'll see how it goes!

I will be sending a sase this weekend. Thank you.

Tom!

I got my seeds today! Thank you so much! I was reading the post above about cold stratification. I need to do some research on that! Anyway, thank you for sharing them! I'm super excited about Milkweed this year. My mother and I are working on a Monarch butterfly garden! Can't wait to see them!

Michelle: just to pipe in again. Cold stratification is just a way to artificially mimic the 'winter' that seeds out in the dirt/yard/wild would experience before they 'wake up' and sprout in the warmth of spring. This is a easily done as sandwiching seeds in between moistened, folder paper towels (being careful to keep as sterile an environment as possible), stuck in a baggie and placed into the fridge for 3-4 weeks. I ordered seeds online from a nursery last year and did the whole stratification thing. Sowed the seeds as instructed (must've been about 100 of them!) ... absolutely none of them sprouted!

Fast forward to this year, a few weeks ago: I found the leftover seeds from the packet, just tossed them straight into a pot, and I must have 40-50 sprouted. Go figure. Good luck...have fun!

Since I haven't researched it, I was wondering why you would have to use stratification, is it to make them "wake up" quicker than a soil method? Or do some seeds/plants have to have this method? (And if this is not a good spot to have this conversation, please let me know). I should note:. I'm quite new at gardening and have never used the process of stratification, but was wondering if the reason I'm not having good results on some things is that I DIDN'T use cold stratification? And thank you for the help, javiwa!

How lovely to have available the seeds for this plant. For sure I would send a SSAE if not for quarantine problems. I had some caterpillars of the Monarch butterfly as a child and I loved them so much. More than the butterflies, really.

Michelle: I guess this is as good a place to have this conversation as any, until they tell us to scoot. :) I'm no expert by far, but I guess it's similar to planting bulbs: they need to 'experience' a cold period....part of the biological process, and ya don't mess with Mother Nature (presumably).

This is an excerpt of the instructions my online nursery sent with the seeds last year:

If you googled "milkweed cold stratification", you'll be up all night w/ abundant reading, I'm sure.

Hmmmm. Okay. And, lol, I'm sure I would be up all night reading and deciphering! This helps me gain a better understanding! Thank you!

Sorry -- I should've read your post more carefully. Not all seeds need to go through this process at all. In fact, this is the first time I'd come across this.

I am so sorry for any confusion that I may of made. The post was in reference to the chili seeds not the milkweed. The chili seeds are rather hard to start in just soil. The bleach solution softens the seeds outer shell so it can start to grow easier. Try planting some directly in soil and Tom

some seeds in the bleach solution and tell us what one did the best for you. Tom

The monarch are on my milkweed plants. We had a mild winter and all my girls survived and are really pumping out with new growth.

When I came to Texas it was not uncommon to see a old A1 type of a bottle filled with chili pequins and vinegar sitting on the kitchen table. (I like it on my home frys) After the two are mixed it will take about two weeks for the vinegar to soak up the heat from the chilis. Tom

I just found another web site that describes how to start hot pepper seeds in bleach. It may be better than my method.. Go to Amishland Heirloom Seeds once you are there scan down the list on the left hand side of the page until you see "Seed starting and growing tips " click on it and scroll down the page until you come to the Pepper section and there it is. While you are there check out this Lady's selection of heirloom seeds. Tom

Tom: home fries...well, now you're just getting us all hungry!

Any more tropical milkweed Tom? I have read that this kind doesn't need cold stratification? Any input on that? As well as how well these would do in Iowa. I have common milkweed seeds on the way but I'm afraid I won't have the time do a cold stratification on them for they need to need planted or sown around the beginning of may here... Is what iv read. Complete milkweed newbie here!

, I have more seeds to give away. I just planted four trays of milkweed and they came up in about three days,

No stratification just threw some dirt on them . I think they will do just fine in

Iowa. Also these larva are really big eaters. So you want as many plants as you can get started. It is a weed and it will grow like one so do not worry about them once you get them started they are.pretty tough. Tom

All sounds good! I will send you a SASE today!

New to this site, would love some seeds, where do I send the SASE?

For your free seeds send a SASE to Tom Cunning 5479 State Highway 111 North Edna Tx. 77957

Hey got my seeds today. Looks like the post office had to inspect mine first! Thanks so much

I would like to say a big 'Thank You' to Tom for taking the time to share these MW seed with home gardeners. Bless you, Tom, for your efforts to help the Monarchs.

For those who are wondering, Tropical MW does not require cold stratification.

I'd also like to thank the home gardeners for helping the Monarchs. We can make a difference!

Mary

Hello! If the seeds are still available, I would like some milkweed. I'll send a SASE soon.... Thank you!

Hello CarolLyn. I have plenty of seeds left just send that SASE and I will ship them right off to you

Sending an envelope. How do you think they'll do in southern Louisiana? Also with bees? I plan to use polinators as well. Just getting my garden started.

Hello Gina ,. I believe that the plant will do very well in your area. We are in the souther part of Texas and they love it here.

Just another thought, These larva are BIG eaters They will strip a plant of all of its leaves in a day or two so you want to have as many plants growing as you can. So plant all of the seeds that I give you if you are able to. The bare plants will start to releaf again in a week or two.