How to Grow Catnip Seeds

Here are some tips for planting catnip:

• When to plant

  Plant catnip in spring after the last frost, or in fall. If you're planting from seed, you can sow them indoors about six weeks before the last frost. To ensure germination, you can stratify the seeds by freezing them overnight and then soaking them in water for 24 hours.
• Where to plant

  Catnip prefers a sunny area with fertile, well-drained soil. You can improve native soil by mixing in compost or other organic matter. If your soil is heavy and doesn't drain well, you can add coarse grit or grow catnip in a raised bed. Catnip also doesn't do well in extreme heat, so if you live in a hot climate, you can provide some shade from the afternoon sun.
• How to plant

  Space catnip plants 18–24 inches apart. If you're planting nursery-grown plants, place them in the garden bed at the same depth they were in their container. Lightly cover seeds with soil, but make sure they have access to light so they can germinate. After catnip sprouts, thin them so there's one plant every 20 inches.
• Care

  Water catnip regularly until it's established, and then water when the top inch of soil is dry. You can also encourage leaf production by using a water-soluble plant food. 

Catnip can be used as a border to distract cats and other animals away from your garden. You can also harvest the leaves when the plant is 6–8 inches tall.

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