@Sallyg et al. Here's what I am doing this year.
At least once a day I inspect my various MW plants and patches for any eggs, (I hope to hand raise as many as I find...none so far this year.) This gives me a chance to smoosh any orange aphids I find. New aphids don't turn my fingers orange, like the older ones and crush more easily without damaging leaf.
I've also started 'harvesting' some of the Common leaves while they are still green and tender and freezing them (an experiment), so would definitely do this with any stems I had to remove (storm damage or whatever)
I'd like to get some good seed pods from some of mine so am planning to encase select baby pods (SO cute!) in a fine mesh netting while they ripen to avoid the beetle that eats pods.
Would hate for you Sally to lose all those seed pods because of aphids, otherwise Id say do what worked for you last year! We know mama Monarchs are partial to those tender new shoots!
If you need smooshing help or company, let me know! I love your Milkweed patch.
