I have 2 questions, 1 have started from seed parsley plants and transplanted them in a raised bed garden, they were doing fine and now they have like a pinkish/purplish tint coming on the leaves, does anyone know what this could be?

Also, I am raising some monarch cats and I have an abundance of milkweed plants but the leaves are starting to turn yellow fall off and also some of the leaves are beginning to have black marks on them, also wondered if anyone knew what this was from. I live in zone 8a

Any help would be appreciated

Not sure about the milkweed problem but a picture would help a lot there.

On the parsley, a reddish tint on the leaves can be caused by a magnesium deficiency. Try a tablespoon of Epsom Salts dissolved in a gallon of water. Water the plants with that a few times, and the red tint should disappear within a week or so.

What kind of fertilizer have you been giving the parsley plants? A balanced slow-release fert will usually have most trace elements in it, but if you've just been using soluble fert (like Miracle-Gro) the heavy rain at this time of year washes the soluble elements away very quickly.

I hate to say it but I have not fertilized them yet. I have them in my butterfly garden and I am petrified to do anything ie fertilize OR anything for bugs because I have had a tremendous amount of butterflies there and did not want to mess with anything as I am not sure what would be safe to use. Might someone have a suggestion on both accounts? I am thinking the milkweed probably are having the same issue since I do not fertilize them

Fertilizer won't affect the butterflies, especially if you use a pelleted time-release type. Just sprinkle some on the soil around the plants, then water as usual so it will release over 3 to 6 months (depending what kind you get).

I don't bother fertilizing milkweed, as the monarch caterpillars will eat it before it gets to have any nutrient deficiency problems anyway. Expect to have just sticks pretty quickly once the caterpillars get to feeding on it.

As far as bugs go, you're right, you don't want to spray with anything toxic, but a good misting with the hose once in a while will wash off a lot of mites and aphids but won't hurt your butterflies. Check first for baby caterpillars though, as they can be washed off along with the bugs.

Great advice. I somehow have accumulated 20 something Monarch eggs and cats, some are dying off as quickly as can be. I assume they have some sort of disease from what I have been reading. I have been washing off the aphids as they also are all over my milkweed plants and that seems to do well so far.