Up to 85 days. Foliage is greenish-gray with small blue flowers. Dried leaves can be used for tea and as a stimulant for cats. Small bilabiate blooms can be white, spotted with purple or pink. The dried herb has a mint-like fragrance.
Catnip Garden Planting Seeds
Nepeta cataria
This perennial has heart-shaped, toothed leafed, fuzzy flowers. Attracts not only cats but bees and butterflies! Used in European medicinal folk traditions as a sleep aid or calming agent.
Days to Maturity: Perennial
Hardiness Zone: 3-7
Planting Depth: 1/2"
Plant Spacing: 15”-36”
Growth Habit: Upright
Soil Preference: Well-drained
Temp Preference: Warm
Light Preference: Full sun to partial shade
Color: Green
Flavor: Pungent, mint-like taste and aroma
Sowing and Growing
Sow catnip seeds just after the last frost of spring outdoors or sow inside. Stratification prior to sowing can help germination. Catnip loves full sun, but in places of extreme heat, plant in an area that receives at least five to 6 hours of direct sunlight. Catnip needs space to branch out, so give plants plenty of room. Pinch off flower buds to encourage more leaf growth and prevent self-sowing.
Harvesting
To dry catnip, cut about 4 inches above the base of the plant. This can be done multiple times during the growing season ensuring a good supply. Hang upside down to air dry. If you have a cat, make sure you dry them in a place your cat doesn’t have access to. Cats also love the fresh growing herb. Place a small pot of catnip in the window sill and watch your cat visit it several times a day.
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Seeds Per Package:
- 2 g - Approximately 6,000 Seeds
- 1 oz - Approximately 48,000 Seeds
- 4 oz - Approximately 192,000 Seeds
- 1 lb - Approximately 768,000 Seeds
- 5 lb - Approximately 3,840,000 Seeds
Native to dry temporal climates, Catnip will thrive in mild conditions, producing fragrant flowers that can be used in several applications or as an ornamental plant for your flower garden.