Catnip is quite undemanding. There are differences in care depending on which variety you have in your garden.
Catnip (Nepeta) is a pretty and easy-care plant, which not only pleases the eye of the hobby gardener. As the name suggests, cats are also extremely fond of the mint family, which occurs in great variety and is robust and easy to care for, also suitable as a beginner's plant.
If you want to enrich your garden beds with the popular cat balm and want to make yourself or your four-legged friends happy, you will find below some care instructions that will allow the popular bed and cut plant to thrive.
Irresistible for Kitty
You just can't let it go. Why sexually mature cats find the plant so irresistible has not yet been sufficiently clarified. About half of all house cats will be delighted by planting catnip. While neutered cats also respond to it, the plant is rather uninteresting for young or old cats. The love of catnip is genetic, researchers have already discovered that much.
Did you know?: Not only cats but also cats are attracted to the plant.
Catnip as an ornamental plant
Catnip is an easy-going plant that will delight us with its blooms all summer long. The flower color can range from white to light blue to violet. The catnip loves dry and loose soil and is also satisfied with nutrient-poor environments.
Many rose growers swear by catnip. It not only looks extremely pretty when the blue-purple catnip flowers compete with the delicate rose petals. This arrangement in the bed also has a positive side effect. Due to the essential oils it contains, catnip can have a protective effect on the roses and protect them from pests and insects.
One plant - different requirements
The species richness of the plant brings with it some differences, which should be taken into account when caring for them. The general rules of thumb usually apply and the plants are planted in a sunny locationthrive well in loose soil. Catnip with gray leaves copes quite well with drought and poor soil. Species with green foliage like a rather moist environment and fresh and nutrient-rich soil.
➔ Tip: Green leafy catnip likes a cooler spot. Species with gray leaves love the sun.
Water the catnip correctly
Watering is not a big issue for most varieties. Catnip with gray leaves only needs to be watered in hot summers and prolonged drought, making it extremely easy to care for. Green-leaved species, on the other hand, need regular water. However, it should not be watered too intensively, as the plants do not tolerate waterlogging. If the water cannot drain, the roots will be attacked and the plant will begin to rot. This can already be counteracted during planting by ensuring the permeability of the soil. The substrate can be made more permeable by adding coarse sand or gravel.
How to water catnip correctly in keywords
- Water moderately
- Plants with gray leaves tolerate prolonged drought
- Plants with green leaves need water regularly
- Avoid waterlogging
Fertilize catnip - yes or no?
The catnip does not make too many demands on the hobby gardener. Catnip does not generally need fertilizer. The plant also grows in poor soil. Therefore, there is a risk of over-fertilization. So too much can be harmful. If you enrich the soil with compost when planting, you won't make a mistake. This natural fertilizer gives the plant the opportunity to provide itself with nutrients directly from the soil when needed.
➔ Tip: Gray-leaved species are particularly frugal and do not require fertilizer. Catnip with green leaves requires small amounts of nitrogen. Avoid over-fertilization in any case.
Fertilize catnip properly in keywords:
- no regular fertilizer application needed
- Compost can be added to the substrate
- Green-leaved catnip requires small amounts of nitrogen
Does catnip need to be cut?
If you want to enjoy the flowers for a long time, you should encourage your catnip to bloom several times in a row. The old inflorescences are shortened to the base of the leaves. The main bloom is usually over in July. This pruning measure allows you to have a splendor of flowers well into autumnreceived.
Since the catnip grows quite luxuriantly and likes to spread in all directions in the bed, a pruning will be necessary from time to time. In this way, no seeds are formed and the catnip does not sow itself again.
Care for catnip properly - all the facts at a glance
| Care Measure | Explanation |
| Casting | ▶ Grey-leaved species also tolerate longer periods of drought. ▶ Green-leaved varieties should be watered regularly but moderately. ▶ Waterlogging must be avoided. |
| Fertilize | ▶ Regular fertilizer is not necessary. ▶ Only compost can be incorporated into the soil. ▶ Green-leaved catnip requires small amounts of nitrogen. |
| Cut | ▶ Pruning can be recommended to prevent the plant from spreading uncontrollably in the bed. ▶ If pruned back after the main bloom in midsummer, the catnip will bloom again and continue into autumn. |
Harvest Catnip
At the height of summer, catnip harvest time has begun. Individual shoots or whole bunches (depending on the size of the plant) can be cut off. The catnip is then left to dry at room temperature. The herb will then keep for months.
It is not only worth filling the cat toy with it, we humans can also benefit from the plant.
Catnip essential oils help with:
- Colds
- Respiratory Diseases
- Indigestion
- Urinary Tract Infections
A tea can be brewed from the fresh or dried leaves for consumption. The brew should steep for ten minutes. However, the tea water must not be brought to the boil. This would negate the effectiveness of the essential oils.
Diseases and Pests of Catnip
Catnip is extremely robust and hardy and actually knows no bigger enemy than the cat itself. Once the four-legged friends have discovered the plants in the garden bed, they will come there regularly to sniff them and roll on the ground. It is not uncommon for whole plants to be uprooted. The hobby gardener should definitely count himself among the cat friends, otherwise he will probably grow gray hair due to the uninvited visit.
➔ Tip: Slugs infest every now and then. The snails should be collected. OfPesticides should not be used.
Wintering Catnip
Even in winter you don't have to worry. Catnip is reliably hardy and requires no additional protection. The stalks should not be completely cut back in autumn. This then offers the plant sufficient protection and it will reliably sprout again in spring.
➔ Tip: The withered stems should be cut back before the start of the growing season.