tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post2441823608683775972..comments2024-03-28T17:42:54.646-05:00Comments on PlantPostings: On dogs, butterflies, and bruises...Beth at PlantPostingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-81183581518010260842013-11-30T19:28:28.345-06:002013-11-30T19:28:28.345-06:00I read several articles about how some pets have m...I read several articles about how some pets have made appearances at vet clinics with Milkweed poisoning. Usually, they would take one bite and spit it out. But some dogs are so anxious to eat everything they can chomp on. I just didn't want people to be uninformed of the possibility--even if it's unlikely.Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-92132718402046507842013-11-30T18:25:27.150-06:002013-11-30T18:25:27.150-06:00I miss the monarchs, too. And the other butterflie...I miss the monarchs, too. And the other butterflies, and the summer songbirds, and the flowers. Oh well, time to curl up with a good book and take a rest while the garden takes hers. :)Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-77324517639440436632013-11-30T18:23:50.296-06:002013-11-30T18:23:50.296-06:00Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Andrea. I had ...Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Andrea. I had heard about that experiment--it's fascinating! I believe there are a lot of "unseen" phenomena going on around us--unseen to human eyes, but perceptible to us and the plants and animals around us. We just don't always realize or acknowledge them. I think you're right that animals in the wild learn what they can and cannot eat. Rabbits and deer do not eat Milkweed.Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-41964544666920822992013-11-30T18:19:49.687-06:002013-11-30T18:19:49.687-06:00Thanks, Donna! I'm just catching up with some ...Thanks, Donna! I'm just catching up with some comments after hosting Thanksgiving and then having a wonderfully relaxing, lazy day yesterday. ;-)Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-78050526778084914892013-11-26T13:54:57.182-06:002013-11-26T13:54:57.182-06:00Do dogs and other cats really have a tendency to c...Do dogs and other cats really have a tendency to chew on milkweed? This is the first I have heard that this was a problem. I have been cautious about planting things that might attract and poison children (Baneberry for example), but have not considered this before.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-47267378100336325982013-11-26T12:45:42.327-06:002013-11-26T12:45:42.327-06:00I have tried to grow milkweed with little success,...I have tried to grow milkweed with little success, but I have started another sunny garden with room for some more flowers, so milkweed will be added to that area. I have seen few monarchs lately, and I miss them! I believe the use of pesticides in many areas has contributed to the monarch's decline. Thanks for including the All I Know video. I really enjoyed it. I have heard it before, but your post gave me a new perspective!debsgardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15656883577922890561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-21350567373944639482013-11-25T22:16:55.210-06:002013-11-25T22:16:55.210-06:00I appreciate your post about these things. Regardi...I appreciate your post about these things. Regarding poisonous plants, we have lots of them and lots of free dogs roaming around (you see our area in the province is still free, unlike here in urban areas). Our dogs, cats, chickens roam free like the old days, and only few houses have fences. I guess they know what is bad for them and what are used as their medicines! We always see dogs eating that special type of weeds when they are not in good condition.<br /><br />Regarding the ONENESS of things, we are all connected. Have you heard or read the experiment to illustrate this? Some live shrimps are put in a glass aquarium wired with electrodes to measure their responses. Then in another room, few meters away from the shrims, a live egg was slowly dropped in boiling water. Do you know what happened to the shrimps? They showed very agitated movements and showed unusual results in their electrode measurements!Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06044386271018560595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-23278003033216872132013-11-25T19:48:30.100-06:002013-11-25T19:48:30.100-06:00Beth what a great post especially for pet owners. ...Beth what a great post especially for pet owners. I do not have pets and had not considered those who did and their trepidation...Donnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13420133886162844400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-33248228276179499842013-11-24T22:07:32.864-06:002013-11-24T22:07:32.864-06:00Yes, I felt lucky to have monarchs in my garden th...Yes, I felt lucky to have monarchs in my garden this year--which seems strange because they used to be so plentiful, I took them for granted. I'm glad to know that many dogs are unlikely to eat plants that are bad for them. Thanks for visiting!Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-81014598934635410112013-11-24T22:03:28.247-06:002013-11-24T22:03:28.247-06:00Thank you! It sounds like you're on the right ...Thank you! It sounds like you're on the right track--and that's truly the joy of gardening. Seeing how the beautiful habitat you've created welcomes wildlife and is a pleasant place for humans and all visitors. Cheers!Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-88253076670895577922013-11-24T05:45:01.337-06:002013-11-24T05:45:01.337-06:00How lovely to have monarch butterflies, you are so...How lovely to have monarch butterflies, you are so lucky. But I'm surprised that dogs would eat milkweed. I grow so many poisonous plants-we all do.The only way my dog would eat them is if they were served in a sauce with roast chicken or braised steak. I love the John Muir quote.<br />Chloristheblooominggarden.wordpress.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00241020433302687248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-30846110971068490352013-11-23T20:19:48.469-06:002013-11-23T20:19:48.469-06:00What a beautiful and articulate post on Monarchs. ...What a beautiful and articulate post on Monarchs. I'm truly an amateur gardener but am working on habitat gardening. I especially love seeing the Monarchs utilizing what I planted. Sallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16914703548887252991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-75354042367094631122013-11-22T23:18:59.938-06:002013-11-22T23:18:59.938-06:00I've read that rabbits and deer avoid Milkweed...I've read that rabbits and deer avoid Milkweed, but dogs, horses, and cattle sometimes eat it. Generally, they spit it out after one bite, but then some dogs (and cats) don't know when to quit. My kitties are inside cats, so it's not an issue for me. And the neighbors' dogs have an invisible fence. Yes, I have a feeling this topic will continue to be discussed.Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-90527268174045908432013-11-22T23:15:13.739-06:002013-11-22T23:15:13.739-06:00Thank you for your kind comment, Dee. Yes, I would...Thank you for your kind comment, Dee. Yes, I would have to agree with your mom, and I think we could all learn a lot by considering the gray in our own lives and in others'. Good to know your dogs don't go for the Milkweed!Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-75088174714307096352013-11-22T22:41:50.378-06:002013-11-22T22:41:50.378-06:00Better safe than sorry, I guess. Sophie sounds lik...Better safe than sorry, I guess. Sophie sounds like a well-behaved dog. ;) I have friends who say their dogs chew on everything! I didn't plant Milkweed until this year, because I didn't think any Milkweed would do very well in shade. But I found a spot in dappled sun where it thrived, and it did attract the monarchs! No sign of eggs, but maybe next year when the plants are more established. "Flight Behavior" is on my book club's reading list this year--I'm looking forward to reading it!Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-52147157778851525622013-11-22T18:59:26.316-06:002013-11-22T18:59:26.316-06:00Ah, I see. Actually it looks like Dregea sinensis ...Ah, I see. Actually it looks like Dregea sinensis is in the same family (Apocynaceae) as the Asclepias plants, but a different genus. The monarchs, unfortunately, can only eat species in the genus Asclepias--that's part of the reason they're struggling now because American development and farming has destroyed too much of their habitat. Anyway, that is amazing that monarchs would fly in from such a distance. Butterflies are amazing.Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-29780849263826521252013-11-22T17:51:43.426-06:002013-11-22T17:51:43.426-06:00I have many poisonous plants in my garden. I alway...I have many poisonous plants in my garden. I always assumed that creatures (all but humans) are hard-wired to know what is good for them and what to avoid. It could be that we have bred that instinct out of some dogs (shame on us). We're cat people, and Sami is much too smart to nibble on the wrong things out there. I have heard of animals harmed by eating something familiar that had been treated with pesticides (a duck dining on slugs that had been poisoned).<br />You raise issues that could keep a conversation going ad infinitum.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843132106213356234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-90963001302050009792013-11-22T14:46:45.471-06:002013-11-22T14:46:45.471-06:00How beautifully written. As my mother always said,...How beautifully written. As my mother always said, the older we get, the more gray we see. She wasn't talking about her hair either. Thank you for this. I'm going to post it on Facebook and everywhere else. BTW, I have dogs and milkweed. The dogs have never touched it. There are so many poisonous things out there anyway. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-87465774050344399202013-11-22T12:54:34.098-06:002013-11-22T12:54:34.098-06:00Oh my, I just planted some milkweed seeds, but I h...Oh my, I just planted some milkweed seeds, but I had no idea they were poisonous to dogs! My dogs generally don't eat anything from my garden--other than Sophie chewing on fresh green beans while I'm picking them:) So I think we'll probably be okay, but I'll be extra careful when they're around the milkweed...that is, if it grows for me.<br /><br />I wouldn't plant milkweed at all if it weren't for the Monarchs; they may not be "man's best friend," but they are such beautiful, fragile creatures that symbolize so many different things, including hope and rebirth. I can't imagine what life would be like if we lost both of those ideas.<br /><br />By the way, have you ever read Barbara Kingsolver's "Flight Behavior"? A great book, and one I know you would enjoy.Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01384059342847120951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-59079498643768620042013-11-21T21:04:55.838-06:002013-11-21T21:04:55.838-06:00Good point, Carolyn. I certainly think of the mona...Good point, Carolyn. I certainly think of the monarchs as "canaries in the coal mine." Maybe losing them would be sad, but losing their habitat--which supports so many other insects and animals, too--is scary and tragic. Thanks for sharing your wise thoughts.Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-43039433292662472442013-11-21T21:03:17.241-06:002013-11-21T21:03:17.241-06:00The Dregea sinensis is a milkweed plant, although ...The Dregea sinensis is a milkweed plant, although not an Asclepia, not sure if all milkweeds will do, this is a topic I know very little about! The monarchs that sometimes appear here usually fly over the English channel or are brought here on winds from the Canary Islands or the coast of Spain/Portugal in the autumn, they do not survive the winter sadly.HELENEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16112289914239038835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-16951052500684500172013-11-21T21:01:15.836-06:002013-11-21T21:01:15.836-06:00Thanks, Jen. The crisis has certainly made me thin...Thanks, Jen. The crisis has certainly made me think about these things lately. I would be sad if my cats ate Milkweed, too, but they're indoor cats. I suppose Donna's right that most dogs and cats would probably take one bite and spit it out. But it's better to be safe than sorry. Take care of your sweet Boo!Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-40659298647637803002013-11-21T20:58:06.785-06:002013-11-21T20:58:06.785-06:00Thanks, Patty. It's hard to plan ahead and mak...Thanks, Patty. It's hard to plan ahead and make choices, but sometimes it really pays off. I sprinkled more Swamp and Whorled Milkweed seeds in my garden recently--hopefully they'll sprout come spring. I also have Butterfly Weed, but it didn't produce seeds--I don't know if the plant will come back next spring.Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-51778902864718387712013-11-21T20:54:33.485-06:002013-11-21T20:54:33.485-06:00Hehe. Yes, I had the same problem. Their little fa...Hehe. Yes, I had the same problem. Their little faces are so distracting. I remember reading about how Milkweed is toxic to all mammals, and then I read some information about how dogs have had to go the vet after eating Milkweed. I guess that's why monarchs eat it--which has served them well until now--when we've destroyed so much of their natural habitat and the Milkweed plants.Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905148744278712684.post-47792715321232677822013-11-21T20:52:04.982-06:002013-11-21T20:52:04.982-06:00Yes, I remember seeing your photos of your cutie. ...Yes, I remember seeing your photos of your cutie. Take care, and have a wonderful weekend with your family, Giga!Beth at PlantPostingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10473637655960119672noreply@blogger.com