Native milkweed seeds usually need one to three months of cold stratification for the seeds to germinate and even then, I’ve found that sometimes the seeds won’t germinate outside.
One technique I am trying out is clipping off the pointy end of the seed and then put them in water which I change daily.
I’ve found that fingernail clippers work well to cut off the end.
While the “directions” I got maintain that I need to use distilled water and change the water every 12 hours, I’ve had good results using tap water and changing the water every 24 hours.
About 60% of the seeds germinate within 2 to 3 days.
At that point I put them in my potting mix with the root pointed down into the soil.
I water the mix around the seed and make sure not to move the seed.
I then cover the cells with a clear plastic top and put my lights right on top of the mini-greenhouse.
I’m also testing, clipping the seeds and putting them directly into my moist soil mix.
I’ll post pictures later to see how these plants do.
Butterfly Gardening 