A fall heat wave is here and so are monarch butterflies!
Monarch butterflies who pass through Napa in late summer and early fall favor the late-blooming narrow-leaf milkweed. Five sites have reported monarch visits so far (including nectaring and mating adults, larva, and chrysalises).
Now for a few monthly bites. October is time to…
… plant lettuce, chard, and other leafy greens. 🥬
… sow cover crops before the first rain and get the garlic in before Halloween (to keep away vampires 🧛).
… visit the California Native Plant Society fall plant sale on Oct. 17-18 for Asclepias fascicularis (narrow-leaf milkweed). 👐🏼
Coming soon: a Save the Date for a spring event
We look forward to seeing (or hearing from) you soon!
About
Napa School Gardens the foundational program of The School Garden Doctor. Ten years ago, it started as a blog. Today, it’s a grassroots collective dedicated to sharing best practices to sustain school gardens.
Did you know?
Napa County was featured in a new documentary about the western monarch butterfly.
You can see western monarch clusters at a dozen state parks (especially during Thanksgiving Break).
Would you like to plant a monarch waystation in your school garden?
The School Garden Doctor has funding to plant one more site. Do you have at least 100 square feet of space in full sun with access to water?
Napa School Gardens shares local stories that inspire you to grow. Check out lessons from the last decade (below) or visit our quick links Resource page from the page navigation (top left).
- A Decade of Learning Series
- Back-to-School Common Core Cooking and Tasting Activities
- Seasonal News & Updates
- Teaching in Nature’s Classroom
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