How to Grow Catnip

How to Grow Catnip

There is an old wives saying

"If you set it the cats will get it...

If you sow it the cats won't know it"

Catnip is easy to grow and makes a fine and attractive border plant for any yard. It has white or lavender blossoms grows to a height between 3 and five feet tall. It usually achieves a diameter of approx. 3 feet. Although it has been my experiance that it can reach a height of six feet.

nepeta cataria

white or lavender blossoms

Catnip is also known as "Cat Mint," but they are NOT the same and don't let any one tell you that they are. It is about as easy to grow as mint. It does tend to become invasive so be careful when you plant it. It can be grown from seed but I wouldn't reccommend it. If you have a cat who is allowed outdoors, it's a good idea to protect the small plants with some 2X4 wire formed into a circle. Cut the bottom wire off so there are "teeth" you can poke into the ground to keep the catnip protected. Here are some suggestions on how to grow your own catnip:

SEEDS: Plant in prepared soil about 1/8 inch deep. Water lightly and wait.

And wait.

These babies could take up to a month to germinate.

When they do germinate they will be little gray green heart shaped leaves. Wait until they are about 4 inches tall and have small "jagged" leaves before transferring to a 4 inch pot that is filled with potting soil.

CUTTINGS: If you already have a catnip plant or have a friend with one - snip off a few tender branches. Strip off the lower leaves and place in a glass of water you have covered with aluminum foil. Poke a hole in the foil and stick the small branch in the hole making sure that the end of the branch sits well in the water.

Sit back and wait.

And wait.

Probably by the time the seeds start to poke little green heart shaped leaves out of the soil your sprig(s) of catnip will be well on the way to developing a good network of roots. When the roots seem fully developed plant in a 4 inch pot of 1/2 peat and 1/2 garden soil or a 4 inch pot of potting soil.

When you think the plant is capable of existing outside the pot - place directly into the ground or into a large container. Some people even grow catnip as a hanging planter to keep the kitties away from it.

STARTER PLANTS: I prefer this method. It is quicker and easier though slightly more costly. Buy plants at a local nursery. WARNING:There is an herb company that goes by the name of Herb Herbert. They apparently do not know the difference between Catnip and Catmint. Nor do they seem to care. I have repeatedly informed them the plants they are representing as Catnip are really Catmint but they refuse to change the tags. Herb Herbery has even written to me assuring me that their "herbalists" claim that this plant IS catnip-but my nose has had 20 years of experiance in growing Catnip and Catmint and it "nose" the difference. What they are selling does not smell the same as Catnip. If a human can tell so can a feline! If you want true Catnip smell I would not buy not buy this product!

Look for bushy well formed plants. Try not to get too many yellow leaves on them. Give a couple of days if you can on the back porch or deck to get them "climatized". Plant into prepared soil or into a container. These little plants will become BIG plants in a short space of time. Don't be too concerend if the plants wilt right after they are planted-Catnip is remarkably resiliant and after being watered and left alone overnight the plants should bounce back.

Below is a picture taken in February of a catnip plant that weathers over. This one hasn't been cleaned up yet.

ANOTHER WARNING!! If you catnip is turning purple!! Beware of purple catnip! I had this phenomenom hapen to me when I was planting at the Loganberry Farm here on Whidbey Island. We planted hundreds of catnip plants and after they grew for about a month the laves began to turn purple. We were very concerned and began to contact gardeners from all over with many suggestions received in retirned. Some said the soil (which had previously been used for growing Loganberries for wine) had penetrated the soil so much it had died the catnip purple! A Master Gardener at a local nursery claimed it was "Bronze Catnip" a new strain. (does not exist)

I decided it was turning purple because it was getting cold from the prarie breezes that blew across it. Consequently we installed long strips of 2 1/2 foot wind barriers between the rows. The plants could still get the hot sun but not the cold wind. Within a few days the Catnip began to recover and in a few weeks we had our Emerald Green Catnip back again.

So if your catnip turns purple it is telling you that it needs protection from the cold but do not discount the possibility of too much sun either.

This is a container plant of Catnip in February.

It still needs to be cleaned up.

Feb-Mar Now it's beginning to look like Catnup!

But there is still a lot more clean up to do.

Now it is April. I have heard about the problems some of you have had with "robber cats" marauding through your catnip,

Try this suggestion: A hanging planter that is filled with a couple of Catnip "starts". Hang in an area where the pussies can't get to it even by climbing and see what happens. Don't forget to water!!