Catnip Growing Guide

Plant catnip in the spring after the threat of frost has passed in your area. Start catnip seeds indoors around six weeks prior to your projected last frost date. The ideal garden location for catnip will get lots of sunlight and have well-drained soil. Make sure no taller plants nearby are creating too much shade for the catnip throughout the day. However, if you live in a hot climate, catnip will appreciate some afternoon shade. Catnip also grows well in containers. In fact, a planting site with some kind of boundary, such as a pot, raised garden bed, or stone wall will help to contain catnip’s spread. You can also grow an indoor catnip plant. All you need is a sunny sill with direct light. Lightly cover seeds with soil.

The chemical compound in catnip is called Nepetalactone which in the wild is for insect prevention, but also causes cats to get “high” for about 10-20 minutes when inhaled or ingested. The effects cannot be repeated until about 30 minutes to an hour after it has worn off.

Cut a series of stalks away from the base of your plant, or cut the entire plant above the base using a sharp tool. You can pluck individual catnip leaves and flowers but the stems will grow back more quickly. If you harvested a whole bouquet of catnip, you can tie the stems together and hang the plant upside down in a cool, dry location. If you only harvested a couple of stalks, pluck the leaves and flowers from each and let them air-dry on a tray by a sunny windowsill for two to three days. Make sure to keep the leaves away from any cats who will be attracted to the scent.

Store your dried leaves and flowers in a sealed glass container or burlap bag and keep them in a cool, dark place. You can also store the sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer, to extend shelf-life. Dried catnip will last for several months, at a minimum, before the smell in the oils begins to fade.