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Starting Catnip From Seed

3/25/2016

13 Comments

 
With plenty of sun & careful weeding, you can have your own robust catnip garden. Once established it will self sow year after year. Let my decades of organic growing experiance guide you along for the whole process, from seed to mouth.
Late Spring Catnip
I like to grow my catnip along my deer fence lines that protect my crops. When in bloom, catnip attracts many beneficial pollinators. I will often find myself buried in both catnip & bees while I trim away the leaves for my leaf only catnip (no stems). This takes a considerable amount of time to harvest & is a very peaceful process. I am never stung, the bees simply buzz around, gathering nectar while I harvest the leaves. My cats love to roll around & nap in the growing catnip. Thankfully, I grow a lot of catnip so I don't have to worry if they mangle & squash some of the plants. Unless uprooted, most plants will recover. Gold Finches love catnip seeds. If you don't want to harvest yours, you can leave it to feed the birds.

Catnip for humans: It is very calming for both the body & the mind. It is very useful for children with digestive &/or emotional disturbances. The essential oil can be used as a fragrance in perfumes, as a culinary flavoring, & as an insect repellent. Note: Pregnant women should avoid catnip, as it can induce uterine contractions.

Catnip for cats: It gets cats high, it makes them happy, spunky, & silly. They enjoy the plant live or dried. The buds are the most potent part of the plant. Put it into cat toys or give it to them as is. They will love you for it!  Note:  Kittens younger than eight weeks old aren't able to enjoy catnip, wait until they are older.

Catnip seeds need plenty of time to germinate. Plants in the Lamiaceae (aka Mint) family tend to be more difficult to germinate, many novice gardeners fail at growing catnip due to a lack of understanding how plants in the Lamianceae family work. This is why many folks buy started plants from the Mint family rather than try to grow from seed. Note: the seed I sell (like all of my seeds) are the very same seed I use here on my eco farm. I grow it every year, slowly expanding the size of my catnip border garden. I have found most folks don't give the seeds enough time to germinate & unfairly assume they are bad seeds. I can assure you this is not the case. Also, be sure to use sterile seed starting soil, full sun & warmth. Catnip is a summer herb. The cooler the weather, the longer you will have to wait for it to germinate. 

Catnip likes light sandy soils & grows best in full sun. You do not need to soak the seeds in water prior to planting. I like to water the seeds daily until they come up. This helps keep the soil moist & the damp soil deters the cats from using the catnip bed as a litter box or place to sleep. Have patience, & be sure to water well until the plants become established. Established plants do not need to be watered as often. Allow soil to go almost dry between watering, then soak thoroughly. During growth, pinch the tips to promote a bushier plant.  If you prefer a tall plant, leave the tips alone.

Light: Full sun
Days to emerge: 8 -16 (1+ week - 2 weeks)
Seed depth: 1/8 - 1/4"
Seed Spacing: 18" - 24"
Thinning: 12"
Botanical Name:  Nepeta cataria

Harvesting the seeds:
  • Air Dry: Clip off the seed heads or buds when dry or nearly dry. They will start to turn from green to brown. Put the seed heads in a paper bag. If needed, hang to finish drying in a well ventilated location that is not damp. Once the buds are fully dry, shake the bag to loosen the seeds from the buds. You can also open the bag, grab one bud stalk at a time & smack the heads against the inside of the paper bag. When you feel you have removed as many seeds as possible, you can either save the buds for further use (teas, cat treats, etc.) or compost them (you will likely get "free" catnip plants in your compost the following year). The seeds will now be loose inside the paper bag. Some will be 100% loose, while others may still be in the seed husk.
  • Dehydrator: Line your trays with parchment paper to catch the seeds that fall. You can also use the plastic sheets (no holes) that come with most dehydrators for making fruit leather. Use the lowest herb safe setting (I set mine at 95 degrees Fahrenheit). Allow to dry anywhere from one to three days. Carefully remove the catnip over a large bowl or paper bag. Shake &/or beat the buds over/against the bowl/bag to loosen more seeds.

You can plant the seeds immediately, or store them in a cool dry location in a sealed light proof container until ready to plant.

Drying the plants:
  • Air Dry: Use the same method as in harvesting the seeds except you will be tying a handful of the stalks together with some twine rather than cutting off the seed heads. Hang each tied handful in a well ventilated area out of the sun. The area must not be damp. If you want to save the seeds please read the above instructions on harvesting the seeds. Allow the plants to hang until they are fully dry. This can take several days.
  • Dehydrator: Use the same method as in harvesting the seeds. You do not need to put parchment on the sheets if you do not want to save the seeds. Do not over crowd the herbs, so that they can dry evenly.

Plants are dry when the stalks break, rather than bend & the leaves crumble.Store in an airtight container out of the light.

Picture of catnip that has gone to seed. The stalks are tall, with some green leaves remaining. The heads are brown. Gold finches love catnip seeds!
Catnip Gone To Seed

Garden Growing Guide Quick Links
Listed alphabetically

Arkansas Green Cotton
Arugula
Blue Podded Shelling Peas
Butterfly Weed
Catnip
Cilantro (Coriander)
Cocks Comb (Cleosia)
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Dill
Dyer's Woad
Erlene's Green Cotton
Hibiscus
Holy Basil (Tulsi)
 Inchillium Red Softneck Garlic
Kale
Karina Peas
Lemon Balm
Loblolly Pine Tree
Madder
Marigold
Mixed Cotton
Musquee de Provence
Nankeen Cotton
Purple Podded Pole Beans
Red Foliated White Cotton
Sea Island Brown Cotton
Spinach
Sunflowers
Tennessee Red Valencia Peanuts
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13 Comments
Codlock Holmes
8/19/2017 05:39:26 am

Hi, I successfully grow cat's nip from the seed, which I collected myself. I had to stratify the seeds, and everything went well. However, I have problem. When I water the small seedlings, I noticed that even when I'm very careful, I still manage to uproot the small seedlings or cover them with soil. Any advice?

Reply
Sam
10/1/2017 08:51:41 pm

Use a fine spray bottle to water new seedlings, will dampen the soil consistently and won't knock them over. Consistent moisture is crucial in starting most seeds.

Reply
Nobody
4/19/2018 12:55:07 pm

I've never grown catnip before and thought it would help keep the neighbors cats from digging up my beds but three months in and the seedlings are less than an inch tall and are the most delicate little things I have ever seen.
Is this normal?
I'm pretty experience but I've never run across anything like this.
They have grown their second set of leaves but still look like seedlings.

Reply
Natalie
7/21/2018 07:00:20 pm

Same exact thing is happening to me. The seedlings look healthy and each have 2 or 3 pairs of leaves, but they are growing slower than molasses. I’ve been trying to figure out if this is normal, or if I’m doing something wrong.

Reply
Running Bug Farm link
7/26/2018 04:23:36 pm

Hi Natalie,

Keep watering them & be sure to keep the weeds down. They will eventually take off, just give them time.

Renee Camacho
4/9/2019 05:26:07 pm

Do catnip seeds need to be soaked overnight before planting?

Reply
Jeremiah link
8/2/2019 10:29:13 pm

Nope. I've got them growing in sidewalk cracks. Just make sure the babes don't get choked out. One nice thing about catnip is that they germinate first thing in the spring before anything else. Well, except the Creeping Charlie and the wild strawberries.

Reply
Janessa
5/31/2019 02:43:57 am

Is it true that catnip seeds need to soak overnight before planting them?

Reply
Running Bug Farm link
9/14/2019 09:09:19 am

Hi Janessa,

They do not need to be soaked prior to planting. Just make sure to keep them well watered & weeded. Once established, if you let them go to seed, they will reseed on their own - just be sure you stay on top of the weeds.

Reply
Susanne Hendrickson
4/19/2020 08:59:43 pm

Hello! I recently ordered some feathers and Catnip stalks and am so happy I discovered your farm! I am now looking for catnip seed. Do you offer catnip seed for sale?

Reply
Running Bug Farm link
4/22/2020 07:55:22 am

Hi Susanne,
I'm thrilled to hear that you are happy with my farms goods! I did sell catnip seed, but stopped, only offering it by ordering my catnip buds which contain a good amount of seed. The buds are currently out of stock. I expect to have them back in stock around mid summer. With the current seed shortages, I am considering supplying a larger seed selection where possible. For now, I recommend getting the buds when they are available if you want your own seed.

Reply
Inhae
6/29/2020 12:16:37 pm

Hi! My seeds sprouted but they are very close to each other. Do I need to replant them individually or is it fine that they are all clumped together? Thank you.

Reply
Running Bug Farm link
7/2/2020 11:35:41 am

Hi Inhae,

You need to thin them to 12"
In other words, each seedling (a seedling should have at least two pairs of true leaves & be approx. 3" - 4" tall) should be spaced 12" apart.

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    Do you dream about living the simple life?  Your own idyllic farm where the cows moo and the veggies are the best you've ever eaten? I've got a surprise for you, homesteading isn't easy! Join me at my small eco family farm where we stumble often, and learn as we go. This is indeed the good life, but it is also a very hard life that only rewards for that hard work... or not!  Back to the land, it's tough and I love it.Hi there! My name is Jen. I'm a "tree hugging dirt worshiper" who has been organically farming for nearly two decades. It never ceases to amaze me at how much I've learned & how much I am still learning. I have studied natural health, nutrition, & herbs for nearly three decades. Our health & the natural world around us are connected in ways we don't often realize. How we treat the land & animals directly affects us in both body & mind. My goal is to provide others with truly natural humane goods from my own little piece of paradise, & to freely pass along whatever knowledge I pick up along the way. I am grateful every day to be able to have such a worthwhile & fulfilling job surrounded by the beauty & unpredictability of Mother Nature.

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