Introduction to growing Catnip in pots
The Catnip plant is grown for its leaves that are used for making medicinal preparations like herbal tea. The Catnip plant is also called the Nepeta plant. The Catnip plant is a hardy, low-maintenance plant. It grows up to 4-feet tall. Catnips are used for creating contrasting landscaping due to their compact, perennial green foliage. The seasonal bloom consists of bright and purple flowers. Growing Catnips indoors is very easy. It can be grown in containers and requires little maintenance. In this article we also discuss below topics;
- How long does Catnip plant take to grow
- Growing Catnip from cuttings
- Catnip plant propagation
- Growing Catnip in pots
- Catnip plant care
- Growing Catnip indoors from seed
- Catnip growing tips
A step by step guide to growing Catnip plants in pots/containers
Catnip is a mint family herb and it’s known for attracting cats like a magician. Catnip is used to flavor salads, teas, and meat dishes. Overall, it’s a useful herb, and you can grow it as a houseplant. Its fragrant flowers attract bees and other pollinators, which is great for the environment. It grows best in the full sun combined with average, well-drained soil and regular watering. Cutting the Catnip plants completely down after the first bloom set will allow enough time for it to completely regrow and bloom again.
Catnip plants grow best outside in the full sun. If you have to grow Catnip indoors, make sure it receives at least 6 hours of full sun every day. It can be grown in containers for inside or balconies but would require more watering. It is a hardy herbaceous perennial and comes back more robust every year. Catnip grows in part shade. In fact, in hotter climates, it is better to ensure that the Catnip plant gets some shade to protect from the harsh afternoon sun.
Light and soil requirement for growing Catnip in pots
Catnip plants do best in full sun to partial shade and drought-tolerant ground covers, making them a good choice for sunny, dry areas where many other plants would struggle.
Like so many herb plants, this perennial thrives in poor, well-drained soil. Catnip plants prefer slightly alkaline soil but are not fussy about the ground in which they grow, as long as their roots are not constantly sitting in water.
Select pots for growing Catnip
Select a container that is a minimum of about 8 inches deep and wide. This will give enough room for the plant to grow and thrive. Once the plant outgrows the current pot, repot it to one or two sizes bigger pot about 10 to 12 inches. During repotting, divide its root ball into 2 sections and plant them into separate pots to have more Catnip.
Catnip plant propagation for pot growing
Catnip plant propagates easily from both leaf-tip cuttings and seeds. To take a cutting, simply remove a small piece of new growth early in the growing season and then pot it up a new pot of sterile potting soil. Give it plenty of moisture and filtered light until new plant growth emerges. Catnip is a common herb sold in garden centers, so you can always buy new seedlings and put them in larger pots until it’s time to discard the plant.
Plant Catnip seeds in the spring and seeds germinate in 5 to 10 days. Then, you can collect seeds from flowers, but the plant will self-sow and grow in the same spot year after year. Also, you can propagate by taking cuttings or dividing the roots.
Growing steps of Catnip from seeds in pots
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Purchase Catnip seeds
Local home and garden stores carry both Catnip seeds and small plants ready for planting. Your local store might even carry seeds or plants. If you want to save money, or if you know of someone who already is growing Catnip, you can ask them for a plant or some seeds.
Plant seeds directly in the garden
Catnip seeds can be sown outdoors during the spring. If you’re planting seeds directly into an outdoor garden, sow them as soon as any threat of frost has passed. Bury seeds about 1/8 of an inch beneath the soil and space them at least 15 inches apart. Water them well during their germination period, which lasts up to 10 days. You must begin to see sprouts after this period.
Sow seeds indoors
If you’re sowing Catnip seeds indoors, you can plant seeds in either spring or fall. Plant them in small pots or a seed trough or bed. Make sure they get enough sunlight, and they will get leggy. If you can’t give enough sun, you can use a fluorescent lamp above them. Water them well as they germinate. If you’re sowing in the spring, grow the plants until they are 4 to 5 inches tall and transplant outdoors after any threat of frost has passed. If sowing seeds in the fall, grow them by a sunlit window, preferably one that will receive at least 6 hours of sun daily. Transplant outdoors in spring or when there is no danger of frost.
Planting process of Catnip seeds
Plant seeds about 1/8-inch deep in pots filled with a mixture of 1-gallon coarse river sand, moist sphagnum peat moss, and sterilized loam, along with 4 tablespoons of dolomitic lime to raise the pH level to between 6.1 and 7.8. Place the seeds in a 16 to 23°C room to germinate for 10 to 20 days. Water the growing medium after planting Catnip seeds until water drains from the pots. Spray the growing medium 3 or 4 times every day with water from a spray bottle to keep it moist at all times. After planting outside, water about 1 inch of water each week if you receive less than 1 inch of weekly rainfall.
Dig one hole for each plant, equal in width and depth to the 10-inch pots, outside in a sunny or partially shaded area, spacing each hole about 12 to 18 inches apart, after the threat of frost passes in spring. Then, use a spade or garden trowel to dig the holes. Put an empty, draining 10-inch pot in each hole you dug. Put the pots you planted the Catnip in inside the 10-inch pots you buried. Growing Catnip in a pot inside of another, buried pot makes removal easier when you take the Catnip plants inside.
Thin the Catnip seedlings so that the healthiest one remains in each pot after they reach 2 to 5 inches tall. Grasp the Catnip seedlings by their stems and pull them from the pots to remove them. Position a 3-foot-tall, 3-foot-wide tomato cage around the Catnip to prevent cats and other animals from disturbing it or trying to dig it out of the ground. Keep an eye out for fine webbing on the bottoms of plant leaves, a sign of spider mites. Spider mites are hard to see without a magnifying glass, and then they’ll look like slowly moving white dots if you find any. Then, spray the foliage with a water hose if you have spider mites.
Pinch back the shoot tips in spring to grow thick, well-formed Catnip plants. Cut the main stem to about 1 inch above ground level after each bloom, using pruning shears for the task. Pinch off the spent flower heads to inhibit the spread of Catnip seeds. Pull the leaves from the Catnip plants after you cut them back after blooming. Place the plant leaves in a paper bag for 1 or 2 weeks to dry before using. You can also pinch off leaves from the Catnip plants as you need them.
How often to water Catnip plant
Water young plants twice a week for the first 2 weeks; reduce watering to every other week after plants become well established. Water Catnip plants regularly, but be careful not to overwater the plants. Allow the soil to go almost dry between watering, and then soak thoroughly.
Growing Catnip from cuttings
Generally, growing Catnip from cuttings is a quick way to multiply it during the growing season. Cut about 4 to 6 inches long stems below the leaf node and plant them in rich and moist potting soil. If you like, dip cut ends in a rooting hormone to develop the success rate.
Plant the cutting in a pot of sterile soil and keep it moist and in filtered light until new plant growth appears. If you want to expedite growth, dip the cutting in growth hormone before planting it.
Gardening tips for growing potted Catnip plants
Catnip plant needs well-draining soil, full sun, and average water. Indoor plants seem to need more sunlight than outdoor plants, which are relatively unfussy. The herb can get tall and tends to be leggy in areas with low light. Then, provide plenty of light and pinch back young growth to prevent lanky stems that go every which way. Use a porous potting soil when planting Catnip plants in a pot. You can make your own with perlite, peat, and soil in equal amounts. Start Catnip in flats initially and transplant them when they have 2 sets of true leaves. Plant seeds just under moistened soil and cover flats with plastic lids until seed germination. Keep flats in a bright, warm location and mature plants will get a couple of feet tall without pinching and they have a wide root system. Then, use deep containers that allow for future growth once transplanting is necessary.
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Catnip seed germination procedure for growing in pots
- First, place the potting soil in a bucket or bowl. Water the soil thoroughly and then allow it to soak up the moisture for 20 to 30 minutes. Then, the soil is ready to use when it feels as damp as a wrung-out sponge.
- Fill 2-inch diameter seedling pots with the moistened potting soil to within about 1/2 inch of the rim.
- Sow the 2 to 3 Catnip seeds on the soil surface in each pot. Then, cover the seeds with a 1/8-inch layer of moist soil.
- Cover the pots with a clear plastic bag to retain moisture during seed germination. Set the pots in a warm area to germinate, between 21 and 23°C.
- Remove the bags and mist the soil surface lightly with water from a spray bottle if the soil surface begins to dry out before seed germination. The seeds usually take 2 weeks to germinate. Remove the bags and put the plants in full sunlight once they sprout.
Catnip container care
Container grown Catnip plants don’t have as many pest and disease issues as the herb outdoors. Though Catnip is very sensitive to waterlogging and should only be watered when the surface of the soil seems dry, and then water deeply. Then, pinch young growth back to encourage a more shrub-like appearance. If flowers appear, snip these off to push more leafy growth and feed once yearly in spring with diluted indoor plant food. In the summer season, move the plant outdoors so it can enjoy more light. However, this can invite common pests of Catnip plants such as whitefly, scale, aphids, and mealybugs so keep this in mind.
Catnip is not a particularly difficult plant to grow indoors. It thrives on sunny ledges, with ample and regular water, and also good drainage. If the plant goes into flower, snip off the flower buds to encourage stronger and better leaf growth. Indoor Catnip plant will not have the same potency as outdoor Catnip, but your cats will still like it plenty. Be careful not to mist plant too much to discourage mold growth. If possible, identify the infestation as early as possible and treat it with the least toxic option.
Catnip rarely suffers from insect pests, but cats can nibble its leaves and can crush young plants. A spray of Catnip and water will deter Colorado potato beetles. Catnip plants can be attacked by fungal diseases including anthracnose and rust. Avoid overhead watering; space Catnip plants so that there is plenty of air circulation. Catnip plant can suffer root rot in wet soil; let the soil dry out between watering.
Harvesting Catnip
Start harvesting Catnip anytime, once it’s established and above 6 inches tall. Earlier, when the plant is young, harvest the tips, picking only a couple of top sets of plant leaves above the leaf node to encourage bushier growth.
Snip off individual plant leaves as you need. As the top leaves are always young and tender, be careful while snipping them. Use a scissor for a clean cut. Harvest the entire Catnip plant when it’s fading, completely with its flower stalk. Leave 3 inches of growth, if you want it to grow back again.
Commonly asked questions about growing Catnip
Why is my Catnip plant dying?
Catnip plants dying because of too much shade, excess water, crowded plants, overhead watering, and clay soils are some of the main conditions that promote disease spread of any type.
Why is my Catnip turning red?
The Catnip plants could still get the hot sun but not the cold wind. Within a few days, the Catnip began to recover, and in a few weeks Catnip back again. So if Catnip turns purple it is telling you that it needs protection from the cold but does not discount the possibility of too much sun either.
How do you pinch back Catnip?
Cutting back Catnip will restore the plant and prune after the first round of blooming to encourage a second flowering before winter. Then, after the first frost, you can cut the plants down to 3 to 4 inches in height, which will encourage new growth in the spring.
Why is my Catnip turning brown?
Root rot causes plant roots to become brown and slimy, often with a rotten odor. The Catnip plant weakens and the stem softens. To prevent root rot, and be sure to plant Catnip in well-drained soil. Water properly and then avoid soggy conditions.
When should you cut Catnip?
Cutting back Catnip will restore the plant. Prune after the first round of blooming to encourage a second flowering before the winter season. Then, after the first frost, you can cut the plants down to 3 to 4 inches.
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