How to Grow Catmint Herb Plants

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About Growing Catmint in Your Herb Garden

If you are growing Catmint herbs, all of the cats in your neighborhood will love you. Cats simply love Catmint! They love to nip the leaves of this herb plant. They love to roll in it. And, sometimes will take a nap in a bed of Catmint plants, too!

A member of the Mint family, Catmint is a strong-smelling, aromatic herb. It has clusters of flowers. The leaves have a lemon-mint flavor and scent. It is fun to grow for your kitties and to make a pleasant tea for you.

Ther are perennial and biennial varieties of Catmint plants. It is native to China, Central Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Furthermore, bees are fond of Catmint. 

Flowers Bloom: Spring through Summer

Flower Colors: Blue, pink, and white.

Plant height: 10 to 24 inches tall.

Hardiness Zones: 3 – 9

Perennial, Biennial, Nepeta Musinii

Main Uses

The most popular use of Catmint is for cats. Rubbing oil on your cats’ toys will drive them wild.

Also, it makes a minty tea for you to savor.

Medicinally, Catmint is used in treating colds and cold symptoms.

Catmint Plant Propagation

Grow Catmint plants from seed. Sow seeds into your garden in the spring. Space seedlings or thin plants to 12 to 18 inches apart. They tolerate a little crowding.

Established plants can be propagated by the division of the rootball, too.

When growing Catmint, allow for plenty of space. They like to spread out. So, it can overcrowd nearby plants in your herb garden.

Final Plant Spacing:  Space seedlings, or thin plants 12 to 18 inches apart, in rows 12 inches apart.

Days to Germination: 7 – 14 days.

How to Grow Catmint Herb Plants

Catmint is easy to grow. They thrive in full sun or partial shade. They prefer average, well-drained soil. Plants are drought and heat tolerant. They grow well with little attention and withstand crowding. Fertilizer is not usually required, except in the poorest of soils.

After the plants have grown a few inches, pinch back the shoots to promote bushy growth. It will first bloom in mid-summer. After harvest, trim back the plants again. With luck, you will get three harvests in a season.

Catmint plants are aggressive growers, crowding out other plants if given the chance. Give them plenty of space away from other plants in your garden. Or, surround the plants with a border edging.

Harvest leaves as the flowers begin to bloom. Cut off the top leaves, stems, and flowers. They can be used fresh, dried, or frozen. Spread leaves out to dry in a cool and ventilated area.

Ideal Soil pH: 5. 0 – 8.0

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