milkweed
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: mnhunter
19-Aug-21
I picked some milkweed last week and took the white fluff out of the pod and put it in a ziplock until I got a holder for it. It appears like it picked up moisture and discolored. Do I need to let it dry out after taking it out of the green pods and before putting it into a storage container or did I pick it a little too early? First time picking milkweed so any help is appreciated.
From: wytex
19-Aug-21
If they were green it's too early. Our are just starting to turn yellowish and the fibers are not ready yet, I peeled one open.
From: 2Wild Bill
19-Aug-21
When they pop open they are ready.
From: craigmcalvey
19-Aug-21
Agree-wait till pods are brown and starting to open.
From: Mpdh
19-Aug-21
It might have been ok if you put it in something that allowed it to dry out first.
From: SIP
19-Aug-21
Put a hair tie from ur daughter or wife around the pod and forget the plastic baggie
From: JusPassin
19-Aug-21
Been using that stuff for 50 years. Works best if you let it dry natural though.
From: Will
19-Aug-21
Pick it anytime from when the pods are full sized and soft to opening on their own. If you pick it early, bring it in, set it on a newspaper or paper towel on a windowsill for a few days, it will start to dry out, and may even start to open. Then you can open it, and slide out the puff's, pinching off the seeds as you drop the puffs into a baggie/canister. The stuff is awesome.
Just spread the seeds so you have more next year.
From: goyt
19-Aug-21
I pick them when they are green, Take out the seed pod and scrape off the seeds. I then put the seed pod less the seeds back into the shell and put a rubber band around it to stop it from opening up. The shells with floaters are then allowed to air dry until they are completely dry. They can then be stored in a sandwich bag. I take a dried shell with floaters and attached it to the riser on my bow somewhere below the grip with electrical tape. Now the floaters are available anytime I have my bow in my hand or in a hanger. They get beat up and may look a little crude but I find that I use them more if all I have to do is reach down and pull one out. Even if a bull is closing in it is possible to use one to check the wind without a lot of movement or the chance of being caught out of position.
From: Nocturnal II
19-Aug-21
You need to open them and leave them in the sun. When you up3n them and leave them in a zip lock they give off moisture
From: Keefers
19-Aug-21
I made several of these as gifts to my friends and did a “Giveaway” on Stickbow last year . These are my diabetic strip containers I dressed up and drilled a 1/4” hole in to pull out . The lids have a flip cap that resembles a ball cap brim and have a hinge built on the lid so you don’t lose the cap. I like them better then my film containers but if you have a friend or someone with those diabetic strips tell them to save you a few containers if you desire to make one.
From: Keefers
19-Aug-21
From: Shawn
19-Aug-21
Even if ya pick a bit early, peel it open and let sit in pod and dry out on the sun or on your dryer at home. I use hundreds of them. It's best to wait til they get a bit greyish brown and pick. I am making milkweed dispenser pouches whole I am laid up and will be doing a couple give aways!
From: Aspen Ghost
19-Aug-21
I pick em green because they are always still green here when I pack for the mountains. It's easy to crack them open and peel off all the seeds in one big lump when they are still green. I put them right into a ziplock bag to dry but leave the bag open. They dry up just fine like that.
From: lawdy
20-Aug-21
I pick them when the pods dry out. The white sap is good for getting rid of warts or moles.
From: Zbone
22-Aug-21
Tried them years ago and like them but dispensing them out of a baggies was noisy and a pain so gave it up and went with the powder squeez bottles... You guys pull/cut the seeds off the fluff?
