Catnip Seeds for Growing Your Own Catnip
Posted on July 22, 2010
Filed Under Cats | Leave a Comment
Catnip seeds can be used to plant fresh catnip, which is far superior to the dried variety found in stores. Homegrown catnip will always be fresher and more potent than dried catnip and cats prefer this stimulating variety much more.
You can buy catnip seeds and grow your own catnip either indoors or outdoors.
There are catnip seeds for sale at nurseries and places like Wal-Mart and Target. Growing catnip from seed requires no special soil as catnip seeds do well in a variety of soil types. The best type of soil is somewhat sandy and well drained. Catnip is a full sun herb and bright sunlight will produce plants with maximum aroma.
You can grow these seeds in partial shade but the plants grow much larger and have more flowers when subjected to full sun. You may start seedlings for outside plants indoors a few weeks before the last frost. If your plants will grow to maturity inside your home you can start them anytime just be sure to provide them with plenty of light. You can grow your catnip seeds in little pots or a tray filled with commercial potting soil. A neutral pH or somewhat acidic or alkali soil will do fine.
Now lets plant some seeds. Get the pots ready. Add potting soil to each pot and fill to about 1/4 ” below the top. Add a little water. Using the end of your finger make a small dent in the soil about 1/8″ deep. Put a few seeds in the hole that you have made. Then cover the seeds with soil. As an alternative you can plants your seeds in your garden after the last frost. However bear in mind that all the neighborhood cats that smell the catnip growing will immediately begin chewing the plants and generally tearing them down. They can potentially destroy the hard work you have done. Putting the plants in pots that can be kept out of reach of your kitty is the best way to go.
Catnip can go about two weeks with out water so if the weather is very dry you will need to water your plants.
Here are a few tips on caring for your plants. At the end of summer place a couple of inches of mulch such as peat moss around the base of your plants to keep the plants warmer and moister.
Use a water-soluble fertilizer according to package instructions every other week from spring till summer.
When flowers begin to bloom stop fertilizing.
In late summer you should cut the plants back to encourage new growth. Remove any faded blooms to improve the appearance of the plants. After the first freeze cut the plants back to ground level.
In early summer cut the stems and leaves before the flowers begin to bloom and dry the leaves in an area with good air circulation. It will take two or three weeks for the leaves to dry completely. Put them in a closed container in a cool place for use later.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Related posts:
- Rat Cages for Your New Pet Rat
- Catnip Effects Your Kitty in Interesting Ways
- 3 Catnip Toys Your Feline Will Love
- Catnip Toys You Can Make
- Cosmic Catnip
Comments
Leave a Reply
