How to Grow Catnip

If you’ve spent time watching cute cat videos online, whether to procrastinate a project or just to revel in their cuteness, you’ve probably seen some kitties go cuckoo for catnip.

Catnip is a hardy herb in the mint family that many gardeners grow for its usefulness and its appeal to cats. If you are wondering how to grow catnip, the good news is this fast-growing perennial is easy to care for and thrives in a wide range of conditions. A healthy catnip plant for cats can provide enrichment, herbal uses and even help attract beneficial insects to the garden. Catnip spreads quickly, produces small flowers and often returns year after year with minimal maintenance.

Fun fact: Catnip often produces a harmless, euphoric sort of “high,” thanks to its chemical compound, nepectactone, which mimics feline pheromones. Not all cats respond though, so if yours doesn’t, there’s nothing wrong with your cat—or plant! If large amounts are ingested, catnip can cause gastrointestinal upset in cats, so make sure to monitor and limit use.

Catnip Characteristics

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a leafy herb that typically grows 2 to 3 feet tall with soft gray-green leaves and small white or pale lavender flowers. The leaves have a slightly fuzzy texture and release a strong aroma when crushed.

Both the leaves and flowers can be used in different ways:

• Dried leaves for cat toys or enrichment
• Fresh leaves for herbal teas
• Flowers to attract pollinators
• Garden planting to help repel certain insects

Many pet parents grow a catnip plant for cats so they can offer dried catnip in toys occasionally. Pet parents who prefer ready-to-use enrichment can also find catnip toys and dried catnip products at Petco, which can be helpful while homegrown plants are still maturing.

How to Plant Catnip

You don’t need a green thumb to start homegrown catnip. And, you have two options to get started.

Planting from Seed

Growing catnip from seed is simple, but preparation helps improve germination, which typically takes 7-14 days in warm conditions.

1. Place seeds in the refrigerator for about a week before planting. This cold period helps trigger sprouting.
2. Soak seeds in water for several hours before sowing.
3. Plant seeds about ¼ inch deep in loose soil.
4. Keep the soil lightly moist until seedlings appear.

Planting from Existing Plant

Catnip can also be grown from nursery plants or divisions. Transplanted catnip usually establishes quickly and may begin growing within a week.

• Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball
• Place the plant at the same depth it was growing before
• Gently firm the soil around the roots
• Water lightly after planting

Planting Conditions

Catnip grows best when planted:

• After the last frost in spring
• In early fall in mild climates
• In full sun or light shade
• In well-drained soil

Space plants about 18 to 24 inches apart to allow room for spreading. Catnip grows well in:

• Garden beds
• Herb borders
• Containers with drainage holes

However, that’s not to say you need a backyard with tons of space. Look for a container at least 8-10 inches, and you can start your little kitty snack garden indoors. Consider hanging pots or placing them out of your cat’s reach so they don’t start snacking before the catnip fully grows or eat too much of the plant.

How to Grow Catnip

Understanding how to grow catnip successfully means giving the plant space, sunlight and moderate care without over-fertilizing. Luckily, catnip is a fairly low-maintenance plant. These guidelines apply whether your plant is inside or outside.

Spacing and Sunlight

Catnip grows quickly and can become crowded if plants are too close together.

• Thin seedlings so mature plants have room to spread
• Allow at least 18 inches between plants
• Provide full sun for strongest growth
• Partial shade is acceptable in hot climates

Fun fact: Plants grown in good light usually produce a stronger aroma, which makes the catnip plant for cats more appealing.

Watering and Soil

Catnip prefers average soil and does not need rich fertilizer, another reason this is one of the easier plants to DIY. In fact, too much fertilizer may produce large leaves, which looks impressive, but the scent is weaker.

• Use well-drained soil
• Water regularly until plants establish
• Reduce watering once growth is strong

Managing Growth

Catnip spreads easily and may reseed if left alone. This can be both good and bad; to the point where if unmanaged, catnip can be so prolific as to be invasive to other plants nearby.

To control growth:

• Pinch tips to encourage bushy plants
• Remove old flowers to slow reseeding
• Trim plants mid-season to refresh growth
• Grow in containers if spreading is a concern

Fun fact: Pruning those old growth flowers is also known as “deadheading,” and helps the plant focus on new growth.

Pests and Plant Health

Catnip has few serious pest problems but may occasionally develop:

• Aphids
• Spider mites
• Powdery mildew

Good airflow, proper spacing and occasional pruning usually prevent issues.

Companion Planting

Catnip “plays well with others” and can help support a healthy garden by deterring some garden pests and attracting some helpful insects.

Benefits include:

• May encourage several pests to bug off, including mosquitoes, cockroaches, flies, ants and termites
• Attracts pollinators: bees, butterflies and hummingbirds
• Pairs well with vegetables and herbs

Common companion plants include:

• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Squash
• Rosemary
• Basil

Fun fact: Catnip’s natural pest repellent is from its compound nepetalactone, which has been lab-tested to be up to 10 times more effective than DEET in repelling certain mosquito species, according to the National Institutes of Health.

How to Harvest Catnip

So now we’re at the best part—getting the catnip leaves and flowers ready for your kitty!

Harvesting Leaves and Flowers

Catnip can be harvested once plants are well established. Fresh or dried leaves can be used in toys or sprinkled on scratching posts in small amounts. Pet parents who want additional enrichment options can also find refillable toys and dried catnip at Petco to combine with homegrown leaves.

• Harvest when plants begin to flower
• Leaves are strongest just before blooming
• Flowers can also be used for drying

Harvesting Methods

Cutting stems is the best way to collect catnip, and these plants often regrow quickly after trimming.

• Use clean scissors or pruning shears
• Cut stems a few inches above the soil
• Do not remove more than one third at once
• Cutting encourages new growth

Fun fact: Cutting the stems instead of just plucking the leaves helps stimulate growth better and more quickly.

Saving Seeds

Remember how we talked about one of the ways to grow the plant is from seeds? This is how that can happen for you to start a new plant, or share with fellow cat parents. It’s like the sourdough starter that was popular during the pandemic, but for cats!

To collect seeds:

1. Let flowers dry on the plant
2. Cut the dried flower heads
3. Shake seeds into a container
4. Store in a cool dry place

Catnip often self-seeds, so new plants may appear the following year.

Where to Buy Catnip Seeds

Catnip seeds are easy to find and inexpensive. You can typically find them at:

• Garden centers
• Online seed retailers
• Herb nurseries

Look for seeds labeled for:

• Culinary use
• Herbal use
• Pet enrichment

Pet parents who prefer not to grow their own can also find dried catnip, live plants and enrichment toys at Petco, which can be helpful for households that want a reliable supply year-round.