How To Grow Catmint

Oct

All you need to know about growing catmint (Nepeta).

Catmint is attractive to many pollinators including bees. Ladybirds also like to hibernate in the old leaves during winter. Unfortunately, it can also attract cats into your garden who may like to play, eat or sleep on it.

Catmint (Nepeta) is an attractive, hardy and easy-to-grow flowering perennial. Its aromatic leaves are green or grey-green and its stems are clothed from summer to autumn in small two-lipped mauve or blue flowers.

The plant can attract cats, but they can safely eat the leaves, stems and flowers.

Catmint comes from countries in the Northern Hemisphere, there are many varieties of Nepeta but they are all referred to as catmint. Catnip refers to the Nepeta cataria species, which is the most attractive to cats and isn't as ornamental as other varieties. Catmint is very attractive to bees and other beneficial pollinating insects.

How to grow catmint

Catmint likes a sunny border in free-draining soil. Spring or autumn is the ideal time to plant them, but you can buy pot-grown plants at any time of the year. Trim back faded stems to encourage more blooms during summer and once growth dies back in autumn cut the stems back to the ground. However, ladybirds do like to hibernate in the old leaves, if you are encouraging wildlife into your garden, don't cut back until you spot new growth in the spring.

Where to grow catmint

Catmint needs a sunny position and must have freely draining soil. Most catmints are drought tolerant, particularly those with silvery-grey leaves. This is why I added it to my garden, I wanted to see what plants would work better in my dry hot garden in Suffolk, that was also attractive to wildlife.

Catmints are fairly low growing (60cm x 60cm) making them ideal for the front of a border. Placing them close to a path or in a raised bed, allows them to spill out and soften the edges. Catmint looks striking planted in groups or in a long drift.

How to plant catmint

The best times to plant catmint is in spring or autumn, although container grown plants can be planted during the summer as long as you keep them well watered during dry spells until they are established. Catmint should be planted at least 30cm to 60cm apart depending on the variety.

How to care for catmint

Once established, catmint is easy to grow and requires very little care. The flowers are produced over a long period, if you like the wild look leave them alone. If you want neat and to encourage a better form, give them a trim after blooming which will also help them to produce more flowers.

How to propagate catmint

Catmint can be divided at the roots once the plants are several years old. Dig up the entire plant in early spring or autumn, break the roots up into clumps with plenty of root and shoot buds for each new plant you create, replant into soil that has been refreshed with well-rotted compost. Water well to settle soil around the roots.

Catmint Problems

Catmint is generally trouble-free if in the right conditions. Catmint rarely thrive in heavy and poorly drained soil, or if in shade. In very dry summers they can get powdery mildew on the leaves and stems sometimes die back. Cut off unhealthy shoots and gather up and bin affected fallen leaves.