If you take these protective steps and avoid a couple of easy mistakes, your catnip plant should come back in the spring big, healthy, and growing. Some mulch can help keep moisture and heat in the soil, but too much will prevent the sun from warming it. This will only encourage new growth that can get damaged by the colder weather in winter. Be sure to keep an eye on it though, and remove or shade it on sunny, warmer days so your catnip doesn’t get too hot.Īvoid fertilizing your catnip as winter sets in. Give the plant a last, long drink of water and then don’t water it over the winter.įor catnip frost protection in locations where you get some very cold weather, you can use a cloche to cover the plant. Cut the stems down to just a few inches (8 cm.), and especially trim back any new growth so it won’t get damaged in the cold. In late fall, prep your catnip for winter by trimming it back. If, however, your catnip is growing in beds outdoors, you should prepare it for the winter months. Give it a cooler spot without too much sun and water only occasionally. Doing so will reduce weeds and help preserve soil moisture. They grow dense foliage and will compete and also raise the humidity of the garden, which may lead to mildew or fungus. If you grow catnip in a container, you can simply bring it indoors for the winter. Gently water your catmint after planting it in its new home and mulch around your new plants. Space each catmint plant at least 12 apart, but 18 is preferred. This is especially important if you live in the northern, colder areas of its growing region. If you want it to come back healthy and productive each spring, it may be necessary to provide some protection and extra care for catnip plants in winter. However, an unusually cold winter or colder climates can present a problem for catnip grown outdoors. Is Catnip Winter Hardy?Ĭatnip cold tolerance is pretty high and it grows well in zones 3 to 9. Depending on where you live, winter can be a little harsh on your catnip, so know what to do to protect it during the colder months. You can even make a tasty and stomach-soothing tea from it. Even if you don’t, it is a perennial herb that is easy to grow and attracts bees and other pollinators. The flowers can be white, pink, or lavender-blue. But rest assured, its actually a very simple concept. Be sure to deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowering. Catmint will usually bloom all through summer and fall. ![]() Once they're a few inches tall, pinch them back to promote growth. Its billowing foliage is topped with spikes of flowers in early summer with repeat blooms throughout the season. By Sarah Giles last updated OctoIf you havent done it before, mulching might sound like a complicated garden procedure. Mulch around the plants to retain moisture. Catnip is a great herb to grow in the garden if you have cats. Nepeta has slightly aromatic gray-green foliage with a delicate, lacy appearance.
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