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Catnip

Catnip

It’s a member of the mint family, it’s easy to grow, is a herbaceous perennial and
thrives in a wide range of North America. The Nepeta cataria plant, more commonly known as
catnip, belongs to the Lamiaceae plant family. It’s famous for its euphoric effect on cats and medicinal uses for people. It is a bushy, branching herb that grows to 20 to 39 in. (50 to 100cm tall.
Like many mints, its stems are square in cross section, and its leaves have a soft texture, being
covered by minute hairs.
Introduction
Mr. John Doe

Head Director

Description

Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
Catnip seeds can be sown outdoors only during the spring. If you’re planting seeds directly into your outdoor garden, sow them as soon as any threat of frost has passed. Water them well during their germination period, which lasts up to ten days. You should begin to see sprouts after this period. Growing zones 3 to 9.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
Catnip prefers full sun in most locations. If you live in a hot, dry climate, consider an area where plants will have some shade from the afternoon sun. It will still need at least six hours of full sun, but in locations in the south, the sun at its highest and hottest could damage leaves. Catnip grows best outdoors, but can be grown indoors if you place it by a window that gets at least six hours of full sun per day. If growing a plant indoors, you should place it no more than three feet away from the sunlit window. Alternatively, you can grow it indoors away from a sunlit window if you have access to high output fluorescent plant grow lights. Once established, catnip can grow aggressively in a wide pH range between 6.1 (mildly acidic) and 7.8 (mildly alkaline). To keep it from invading your yard, grow it in a controlled garden, such as one with permanent stone dividers. If you don’t have a controlled space, using containers offers total control of where and how your catnip plants grow. Use standard potting soil if you’re container planting, or whatever soil you have in your garden. Soil should allow draining, so it shouldn’t be too rich or compacted.
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
Bury seeds 1/8 of an inch (3.2 mm) beneath the soil and space them at least 15 inches (38.1 cm) apart. Give seedlings or young plants ample room to grow, leaving about 18 to 20 inches (45.7 to 50.8 cm) between each plant to prevent crowding. They might look thin when you first plant them, but they will need the room to grow and will soon fill out the space. Catnip will grow in just about any soil, but sandier soil tends to yield more aromatic plants.
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
Catnip makes a great companion plant for roses, asparagus, some tomatoes, chives, onions, or carrots. (It is widely reported however that any mints, catnip included should never be grown near parsley.) Also grow with potatoes, pumpkins, or other squashes to keep squash beetles at bay. Plant with anise, yarrow, and hyssop and see how the pollinators rush to your garden.

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

After your plant’s first flower blooms finish, remove the spent flowers. Shear back the plants by one-third to promote new growth and a new bloom of flowers. Remove any dead or dried leaves regularly. Shearing and deadheading plants will result in bushier plants that flower more consistently.
Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
Water frequently after first planting. After a couple weeks, or after you see that the plants have adjusted to transplanting and are starting to grow, water only when the soil has dried out a few inches below the surface. Catnip plants like drier soil, and root rot can set in if the soil is too moist. When you water, thoroughly soak the soil to saturate the roots. Let the soil dry out completely, and test it out by touching a finger to it before watering. If the soil feels moist or wet, don’t water the plant and check it later that day or the next day. Catnip plants are fairly hardy and quite drought-resistant, so you should be more concerned about over-watering than not watering them enough.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
Hoe or pull weeds when they’re small; weeds are a host for many catnip plant pests. If allowed to grow unchecked, the bed becomes overcrowded and stagnant.
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
As a general rule, they benefit from a light feeding when the plants are small.
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
The plants are generally trouble-free, and when it comes to catnip, pest problems generally aren’t much of a problem. Spider mites are difficult to spot, but if you look closely, you may notice telltale webbing and tiny, black spots moving around the leaves. Leaves infested by spider mites are dry and take on a stippled, yellow appearance. Flea beetles are small beetles that jump when disturbed. The pests, which may be brown, black, or bronze, damage catnip by chewing holes in the leaves. Thrips, which may be black, brown, or gold, are tiny, narrow insects that suck the sweet juices from catnip plant leaves. As they feed, they leave silvery specks or streaks, and can significantly weaken a plant if left untreated. Whiteflies are tiny, sucking insects, generally found in huge numbers on the undersides of leaves. When disturbed, these catnip plant pests fly out in a cloud. (like aphids, whiteflies suck the juices from the plant and leave honeydew, a sticky substance that may attract black mold.) Soap sprays are effective against most catnip pest problems, and if used correctly, the spray poses a very low risk for bees, ladybugs, and other beneficial insects. Don’t spray if you notice friendly insects on the leaves. Don’t spray on hot days or when the sun is directly on the foliage.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
During summer and autumn cut just the joints where a leaf or leaves sprout from the stem. Cutting it just above a leaf joint will promote more rapid new growth.
How to Harvest:
For last harvesting of the year you can cut off the whole plant at the base since it dies down for winter only to return in spring.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
Let your leaves sit out on a paper towel beneath a sunlit windowsill for two or three days. For whole plants, hang them upside down in a cool location for a few weeks. Do your best to keep your cat away from your drying leaves. Consider a room with a closed door to keep the cat from jumping up and getting into the leaves. Once they’ve dried, place them in an airtight container for storage.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
You can propagate, or make new plants, by dividing one plant’s root system. Dig up a cluster of plants with at least two to three stalks, or remove them from their pot if you used a container. Soak the root ball to the point of complete saturation. Use a clean trowel or garden knife to divide the root cluster in half, then replant each new plant. Continue to water frequently after you’ve divided the plants. Don’t let the root system dry out as you would with a normal catnip plant. Dividing plants can help control overgrowth, renew fading plants, or simply allow you to share a plant with a friend.
Seed Saving:

Harvest and Storage

Notes

Once you’ve air dried your leaves, take one to two teaspoons of dried catnip and place it in cheese cloth or any tea dispenser you might have on hand. Steep it in one cup of boiling water for ten minutes, then enjoy your tea. Cats can eat it fresh. Breaking the leaves up will release the aroma. Consider using garden fencing, bracing, or bamboo sticks to support the plants and prevent your cat from laying on them. The cats it may attract would be a deterrent to rabbits and other animals that may otherwise eat your vegetables.

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