Growing Organic Catnip
If you want to make your cat happy, you are in the right place! What could be better than homegrown, natural catnip? Growing organic catnip is a wonderful gift you can give to your cat.
Although catnip is still widely associated with cats, it is also believed to have a calming affect among humans. Catnip tea is hugely popular. Whatever your reasons are for growing catnip, you will be happy to know that it is a fairly easy plant to grow.
You will need catnip seeds and a sunny spot to plant them. When choosing your location in the garden, keep in mind that your catnip plants will need 6-8 hours of sun every day. Not only will the sun help your plant to grow, but it will also allow the plant to release it’s scent.
Once you have your soil prepared, the hard part will be over. So, let’s get started! Here is what you need to do:
1. Mark off the area that you will be using for your catnip.
2. Turn over the soil.
3. Remove all of the weeds, rocks, and debris.
4. Mix in organic compost.
Catnip plants need a nice, rich soil and this should be perfect!
You can purchase your catnip seeds from your local nursery, a seed catalog or online. Do you have your seeds ready? Let’s start planting!
Your catnip seeds can be planted directly into the ground. There is no need to start them indoors if you have 6-8 hours of sun outdoors. But you can start your plants indoors if you would like to. Just be sure to keep them in a spot that receives plenty of sun. If you are planting your seeds directly into the garden, sow your seeds about 1/8″ deep.
Keep your soil moist. But do not over water your plants. Do not allow for standing water. When your catnip is 6″-8″ tall, you can harvest it. Be sure to cut a little lower on the stem than you think you will need. Catnip does tend to shrivel up a bit when drying.
If you encounter any type of garden pest during the growing process, be sure to use a natural or organic means of pest control. Stay away from pesticides or chemicals. This will ensure you are growing true organic catnip.