Be patient and wait to remove milkweed plants until after the butterflies have emerged from their crysalids, or in the late spring before the butterflies arrive. If you decide to remove all of the common milkweed

When can I cut down milkweed?

Cut back milkweed stalks in the late fall or winter, after they have produced seed pods and these seeds have had time to mature. Leave at least 6 inches of stalks to provide habitat for insects throughout the winter. Leaving stalks also gives you a marker so you know where your milkweed patch is.

Can you dig up milkweed?

Dig around all four sides of the plant before attempting to lift it from the ground. Dig about 4″ out from each side to avoid cutting the taproot. … It’s much easier to get the entire tap root when digging up a first or second year plant. If your milkweed is more mature, you’ll need to dig deeper for success.