How to Grow Catnip
Catnip At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Herb
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -29°C
Plant Family
Lamiaceae
Growing Season
Cool & Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Catnip handles frost, so sow it in early spring, about 2 weeks before your last frost, while the nights are still cool. Scatter the tiny seeds on the soil and press them in, covering them with no more than 0.5 cm of soil. They sprout in 10 to 20 days: thin them (pull the extras so each has room) to 30 cm apart. Lay a piece of chicken wire over the row, because cats love to roll on young plants.
Catnip is a tough member of the mint family that comes back every year and handles cold winters. It flowers in its first summer, and bees love it as much as cats do. It drops lots of seed and pops up around the garden, so cut off the flowers before they turn brown if you want to keep it in one spot.
When To Start
First chance to plant
14 Days Before Last Frost
Last chance to plant
30 Days Before First Frost
When should you plant Catnip?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Catnip Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Catnip Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow catnip outdoors now, it handles light frost
2 weeks before your last frost
Plant out catnip seedlings or divisions, guard from cats
Around your last frost· every year· optional
Cut catnip back by half after flowering for fresh leaves
90 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Did you water your catnip seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Your catnip is growing well! Pinch the tips to make it bushier and more leafy.
About 45 days after you plant it
Your catnip is nearly ready to pick. Harvest the leaves before the flowers open for the strongest scent.
About 70 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your catnip.
About 75 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Catnip's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 10–20 days
Growing Tips
- 1Give catnip full sun, at least 6 hours a day, though it copes with a little afternoon shade.
- 2It likes loose, well-drained soil, so mix in a little compost but do not make it too rich, or the leaves lose their scent.
- 3Water young plants often, then only when the top few centimetres are dry, since grown plants handle dry spells well.
- 4A sprinkle of worm castings in spring is all the food it needs.
- 5Cut the plants back by about half when the first flowers fade, for a fresh flush of leaves.
- 6Cats may flatten young plants, so protect them with a small cage of chicken wire until they are bushy.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~75
Days to Maturity
60 cm
Mature Height
61 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
60 days
When to Pick
Harvest leaves before flowering
How to Harvest
- 1Pick leaves any time once the plant is about 15 cm tall, but the scent is strongest just as the flowers start to open.
- 2Cut whole stems with scissors, leaving at least a few pairs of leaves at the base so it grows back.
- 3Hang small bunches upside down in a dry, shady, airy spot for 1 to 2 weeks, until the leaves crumble.
- 4Store the dry leaves in a sealed jar to stuff cat toys.
- 5Fresh or dry leaves also make a mild, minty tea for people.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Catnip grows true from seed, and its seed is easy to save. Leave a few flower spikes on the plant until they turn brown and dry, then cut them into a paper bag. Shake and rub the bag to free the tiny dark seeds, and pick out the bits of dry flower. Let the seeds dry a few more days, then store them in a labelled envelope somewhere cool, dark and dry, where they keep for a few years.
Seed Production
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