Jon VanZile has spent nearly ten years as a writer specializing in houseplants and indoor gardening. As a seasoned professional, his work on plants and horticulture has been featured in various national and regional publications.
Catnip, a long-standing favorite among cats, belongs to the same family as mint and lemon balm, making it relatively easy to cultivate. If you’re growing it indoors, a sunny windowsill is ideal, as long as you ensure it receives adequate water and regularly trim the flowers to promote the growth of leaves.
Although catnip is generally safe for your cat, excessive amounts can lead to vomiting and diarrhea, and may overstimulate your cat’s central nervous system, potentially resulting in self-harm. Therefore, it’s important to cultivate it in a cat-safe environment.
Tips for Cultivating Catnip Indoors
Sunlight
Catnip doesn’t have strict requirements for outdoor sunlight, but when grown indoors, it thrives best with ample direct sunlight, ideally up to five hours daily on a sunny windowsill. Insufficient sunlight can lead to weak and elongated growth.
Heat and Moisture Levels
Catnip thrives in temperatures ranging from 55 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and generally struggles in hot and humid conditions. As a result, it can grow well indoors without requiring any special temperature or humidity management.
Watering
Catnip thrives in conditions with moderate moisture levels. It has a remarkable ability to bounce back from wilting, so it’s advisable to lean towards drier conditions instead of overly wet ones, as excess moisture can lead to root rot.
Fertilizer
During the entire growing season, provide nourishment using a diluted liquid fertilizer, ideally every two weeks. Opt for organic fertilizer, as it minimizes the risk of harmful chemicals that could affect your cat. Always read the instructions on the fertilizer label and apply it as recommended.
Trimming and Upkeep
To promote a bushier growth in your catnip plant, it’s advisable to prevent it from flowering. Make sure to snip off any stems that show signs of budding before they can blossom. This practice will help the plant become denser. Regularly harvesting the leaves not only supports the plant’s vitality but also provides your feline friends with fresh or dried leaves to enjoy. If the plant grows excessively tall, it’s recommended to trim it down to about 6 inches to stimulate the growth of more leaves.
Vessel and Dimensions
Choose a pot for your catnip that measures a minimum of 8 inches in both width and depth. To prevent any accidents, it’s advisable to steer clear of fragile materials such as clay, as your cat might accidentally topple the pot.
Soil for Potted Plants and Water Drainage
A high-quality, nutrient-rich potting mix will be adequate. It’s essential that the potting soil allows for proper drainage, and the container should feature sufficient drainage holes.
Transplanting and Replanting
Catnip is a hardy perennial that typically reaches a height of 2 to 3 feet when cultivated outside. When grown indoors, with adequate direct sunlight and proper watering, it can attain a height of up to 2 feet, although it usually doesn’t grow as tall as it does outside.
In truth, catnip cultivated indoors lacks the strength of that which is grown outside, making it more practical to cultivate these plants indoors for just one growing season.
To repot a small catnip plant, choose a pot that is one size bigger, utilize new potting soil, and take care to avoid harming the root system.
Relocating Catnip to the Outdoors for the Summer Season
Catnip is a robust plant, allowing you to relocate it outside once the risk of frost has passed, if you wish to do so.
Considerations
Catnip thrives in direct sunlight, but during particularly hot summer months, it’s advisable to provide some shade in the afternoon to protect it.
When to Reintroduce Catnip Indoors
Catnip is capable of surviving the winter outdoors, so you can leave it outside if you prefer. Just remember to trim any delicate new shoots to protect the plant. However, if you wish to enjoy fresh catnip throughout the year, it’s best to bring it inside before the initial frost and tend to it as previously mentioned.
Is it simple to grow catnip?
Catnip can be easily propagated through leaf-tip cuttings or seeds. To propagate using cuttings, snip a small section of new growth during the early part of the growing season. To enhance the likelihood of rooting, apply a rooting hormone, then place the cutting in a clean pot filled with sterile potting mix. Ensure the cutting remains moist and position it in a spot with filtered light until new growth appears. Additionally, catnip is widely available in garden centers, allowing you to purchase seedlings and transfer them to larger containers until you decide to remove the plant.
What are the typical pests that affect catnip plants?
Catnip is susceptible to various pests such as aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, and whiteflies. It’s important to detect and tackle any infestations promptly. Additionally, avoid excessive misting of your plants, as this may promote mold growth.
