Growing Catnip Step by Step
Buy only seed packets with the name Nepeta (common Catnip)
Choose an area with full or partial sun to grow your plants. Typically the top of the fridge is best.
Plant Catnip seeds in soil with good drainage.
Space the seeds 18 to 20 inches apart. Ask the or read the back of the seed pack for the best time and season to grow catnip.
Water daily but do not flood plant.
Harvesting catnip
Clip side leaves for the kitty after a foot tall. Cats like the fresh green leaves throughout the growing season.
Cut away the stem, top leaves and flower buds. Harvest before the leaves turn yellow.
Spread the plant to dry in a cool ventilated area. Hang larger stems upside down.
Remove the dry leaves and flower buds, crumble in hand then store in a paper bag.
It is easy to find catnip in spring. The majority of garden-centers and large nursery centers sell it, with other grasses. You can also get the seeds via mail-order. However, be sure that you do not buy a decorative catnip by error. There are now at least four types of different catnip. Cats will not obtain the high from these strains. You want the common catnip, from the Nepenta.
If you decide to cultivate your catnip, start approximately eight weeks into spring to be safe. Plant seed in pots about two inches apart and 1 inch down. The top of the refrigerator is a good place so that the seeds germinate. Expose the young seedlings to the full sun as soon as they start to push through the soil. But be sure to gradually introduce to the growing catnip to the external weather and plant outside when the danger of frost or freezing has passed.
As with the majority of grasses, full sun, with proportioned moisture, and reasonable ground are all that is necessary. Catnip can virtually grown in any enviornment almost parasite-free, the worst damage usually comes from the external cats which discover the plants before they are ready. Catnip can survive long periods of time.
You can start to harvest the catnip as soon as the stems obtain a foot - or larger, and continue to cut all the summer. During the summer, you can cut some bits of fresh catnip for the cat all the times that you want to give him a feast.
When you cut the catnip hang upside-down in a quite ventilated and shaded place to treat. Once completely dry and crunchy, you grind up the plant and throw away the stems.
If you decide to cultivate your catnip, start approximately eight weeks into spring to be safe. Plant seed in pots about two inches apart and 1 inch down. The top of the refrigerator is a good place so that the seeds germinate. Expose the young seedlings to the full sun as soon as they start to push through the soil. But be sure to gradually introduce to the growing catnip to the external weather and plant outside when the danger of frost or freezing has passed.
As with the majority of grasses, full sun, with proportioned moisture, and reasonable ground are all that is necessary. Catnip can virtually grown in any enviornment almost parasite-free, the worst damage usually comes from the external cats which discover the plants before they are ready. Catnip can survive long periods of time.
You can start to harvest the catnip as soon as the stems obtain a foot - or larger, and continue to cut all the summer. During the summer, you can cut some bits of fresh catnip for the cat all the times that you want to give him a feast.
When you cut the catnip hang upside-down in a quite ventilated and shaded place to treat. Once completely dry and crunchy, you grind up the plant and throw away the stems.
