How To Buy Catnip Seeds

Buy catnip seeds for homemade cat toys.

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) seeds are the reddish-brown, oval-shaped germ of the catnip plant, a member of the mint family. Easy to sow and grow, just a pinch of catnip seeds will result in a summer's worth of fresh catnip. When dried, the crushed leaves make addictive filler for homemade cat toys as well as a relaxing tea for human consumption. To ensure a robust harvest, select your catnip seeds according to factors like garden space, value, and organic certification.

Instructions

1. Assess the amount of growing space you will commit to planting catnip seeds. Like most mints, catnip has the tendency to take over a garden if left alone. Plant catnip seeds in a container with drainage holes if you're concerned about the catnip overrunning your other plants.

2. Decide if you prefer conventional or organic seeds. Organic seeds tend to cost more, but they are free of traces of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Conventional seeds are cheaper and more widely available in garden stores.

3. Compare prices from seed suppliers online. Bulk seeds come in packages of thousands of seeds and offer the best value, - but most home growers won't have enough garden space to make bulk seeds cost effective. Small packets with less than a hundred seeds offer a more reasonable quantity. Remember to factor in the cost of shipping; often one seed packet will incur a shipping fee of several dollars.

4. Consider buying catnip seeds from a local garden supply center. You will have fewer options in terms of specific brands or quantities, but you may receive better value for your money.

5. Choose to buy a kit, including small planter, soil mix, and catnip seeds, if you wish to grow only a small amount of catnip. These kits are a convenient option for growing catnip indoors on a sunny windowsill.

6. Purchase the seeds or growing kit from the online or brick-and-mortar retailer offering the right quantity at the best price.

Tips & Warnings

• To dry catnip for stuffing cat toys, snip several branches from the plant and tie together with twine. Hang upside-down (away from your cats' reach) until the leaves crumble when touched.

• For an extra treat, grow catnip seeds and wheatgrass seeds in the same container. Cats will munch on both and gain essential nutrients.

References

• USDA Plants Database: Catnip
• Purple Sage Medicinal Herbs: Catnip

Resources

• Amazon: Catnip Plus Growing Kit with Planter, Soil, and Seeds
• Amazon: Botanical Interests 400 ct. Catnip Seeds
• Amazon: SmartCat Kitty's Garden Edible Grass and Planter