How to Grow Catnip

Catnip belongs to the mint family. The leaves contain a lemon-mint scent. These perennial plants produce a cluster of small white to blue fragrant flowers that self-seed. The plant attracts butterflies and bees. Catnip requires hardly any gardening attention once planted.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Knife
• Pruning shears
• Paper bag

Grow the Plant

1. Buy only seed packets with the name Nepeta cataria (common Catnip) from your local home and garden center.

2. Choose an area with full or partial sun to grow your plants. Catnip plants grow 3 to 4 feet and self-seed after flowers bloom, allow for space.

3. Sow Catnip seeds in soil with good drainage. Work the soil with mulch from dried leaves or grass clippings if needed.

4. Space the seeds 18 to 20 inches apart, 1/8 inch deep then cover with dirt and lightly water until the Catnip sprouts. Check the seed packet for best time to plant in your planting zone, allow 10 to 20 days to sprout.

5. Water regularly without over watering.

Prune the Plant

6. Prune for bushier plants. The plant grows well without pruning but produces less leaves.

7. Snip the main stem above the first leaf pair for two new stems, repeat after the new leaves appear. Use a knife or pruning shears. Each time results in two new shoots.

8. Look for the first blooms and cut the stem back. The plant grows to bloom a second time during the season.

Harvest the Plant

9. Clip side leaves for the kitty after a foot tall. Cats like the fresh green leaves throughout the growing season.

10. Cut away the stem, top leaves and flower buds with a knife or pruning shear and dry. Harvest before the leaves turn yellow.

11. Spread the plant to dry in a cool ventilated area. Hang larger stems upside down.

12. Remove the dry leaves and flower buds, crumble in hand then store in a paper bag.

Tips & Warnings

• Place dry Catnip in a sock or spread a small amount on the floor for your kitty.