Caterpillar Chow Habitat Farms

06/03/2026

Sneak peek at our garden going in at the San Diego Fair!

😍

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05/03/2026

From Susie Vanderlip in Orange County:
“Communication this past week (April 30, 2026) with Dr. Chip Taylor, Founder Monarch Watch and preeminent expert in monarch research.
Thought you might appreciate his comments relative to migration and native vs non-native (tropical) milkweed.

• What is happening from San Diego to Ventura is going to move up the CA coastline. Tropical Milkweed is going to be the dominant milkweed as far north as San Francisco in a matter of decades.

• The seasons are out of whack [due to global warming] and there is nothing we can do about it - and it's going to get worse.

• Regarding tropical milkweed: More milkweed equals more monarchs. It’s that simple.

• As to breaking diapause, or not entering diapause, that’s all about temperature. The production of JH is temperature dependent and has nothing to do with the plants [what milkweed is or isn't around in October/November].

• BLOG by Dr. Taylor on Monarchs, milkweeds and O. e.: It’s time for a more holistic approach”



https://monarchwatch.org/blog/2022/04/19/monarchs-milkweeds-and-o-e-its-time-for-a-more-holistic-approach/?fbclid=IwdGRjcARkI8dleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEep3urx1ZQi_EoP5h0NSriqmti8t8t7c1nCjHFnGQtDs5wUO0MnhioQFyd67U_aem_pshIzuNq-ryWmgz6xGY8Dw

There have been many papers written on the relationship between monarchs and their neogregarine parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, hereafter referred to as O.e. These papers have covered a number of topics including, infection rates, how spores are distributed by infected adults, how the relative...

04/25/2026

Milkweed and other native plants for sale tomorrow!
Saturday April 25
9:30-3
11470 posthill pl
Lakeside, ca 92040

All 2” pots are
Mix/match 5/$20!

Small air-bag narrowleaf (lots of roots!)
$6 each or 6/$30

Ask about California milkweed too! (Limited supply)

See you then!
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04/18/2026

We’re here at Vista La Mesa for the ribbon cutting of the new pollinator pathway installed by our local community!

We have native pollinator plants including milkweeds for sale!

Come see us, we’re here till 6pm today!

4210 Massachusetts Ave, La Mesa

We have vining and California milkweed here and lots of fresh Narrowleaf!

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03/25/2026

Come see us this Saturday only! Details on the post! Milkweed for sale!

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Uh oh! Some of our Narrowleaf milkweed are getting too big for their britches! We’re going to have to have a super secret emergency sale this Saturday to thin them out!

Saturday 3/28/2026 8am-12pm sharp.
Narrowleaf milkweed in our small air bags are ready to go!
Just $6 each or 20 for $100!
We may have a few 12” hairy balls as well.

11470 Posthill Pl
Lakeside, CA 92040

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02/01/2026

🫢 wow

01/31/2026

Surprise milkweed fundraiser sale in La Mesa, California Saturday 1/31 only!
We are joining our friends with San Diego Wild Ones native plant group. We are almost done with a new public pollinator pathway garden and you’re invited to come check it out!

Milkweed plug bar is now traveling to a neighborhood near you. Get a jump start on your own gardens with milkweed plugs from Caterpillar Chow. Your purchase helps fund school pollinator and food gardens all over San Diego County.

Milkweed plugs available:
Narrowleaf $5
Tropical $5
Hairy balls $5
Tweedia (blue flowers) $10

Buy 5 get one free

Join Wild Ones and Caterpillar Chow on social media and show us to get another 20% off

Join Wild Ones as a member and get a free pollinator workshop at Caterpillar Chow Habitat Farms nursery and a guided tour of the Monarch butterfly gardens.

This event is from 9am -12 pm only

Location:

4210 Massachusetts Ave
La Mesa, CA 91941
Saturday, January 31

PS

Milkweed seedlings are in plugs for you to transplant to your container or garden.
We will not have larger plants available at this sale.

01/22/2026

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTyQZ2UEjPG/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

01/20/2026

Barona Charter School from Barona Band have sent their middle schoolers and seniors here for some monarch and propagation education. In exchange they helped fill up pots and plant Narrowleaf milkweed which will go to benefit the local community.

Thanks to them we’ve gotten caught up and trust we are growing plants as fast as we can!

We will be heading to Barona later this year to explore their new student gardens and provide some more education. We’ve been providing classes to the younger kids for the past few years now so our relationship has been growing.

Both groups went home with native plants for their communities.

THANK YOU FOR COMING BARONA!!
SEE YOU SOON!

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12/21/2025

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM MARVELOUS MATTIE AND THE GANG!

Oops, why am I screaming? And what do you mean wrong holiday? I have not seen a list of holidays to specificaly exclude from having a happy one, have you? Well then.

Whatever your favorite holiday is, have a happy one from ALL of us at the farm!

Warmest wishes
Caterpillar Ken

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