It would probably save your back if you stained before installation. Trust me, working on a ceiling HURTS. You’ll feel pain in places you didn’t know existed. So I recommend spending as minimal time as possible working on the ceiling. So stain it all before hand & then install. You’ll also stop yourself from making a mess on the floor with the stain dripping.

Why not hire someone to plant some milkweed for you? Make sure they don’t use ANY pesticides or chemicals though, only organic!