You ’ve planted your catmint ( Nepta spp.)in a cheery location with well - drained grease and you ’re hold off for it to prosper . You may have already plunk some for its pleasant aroma , or as a endowment for your feline friend . To keep your catmint looking its best , you need to give it on-going caution and attention .
Fertilizer Requirements
Hardy from U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 3 to 8,catmint does n’t wish soil that ’s too fertile * * , so unless you have exceptionally poor soil quality as determined through a stain sample test , there ’s no real need to pile on the fertilizer . TheNational Gardening Associationrecommends laying down around 1/4 in ofcompostonce a yearin either the spring or come down to keep your catnip well fed . A tenuous stratum of compost allows the organic textile to develop down into the grime quick .
Pruning Catmint
Catmint might practically thrive on neglect , but crop it keeps it looking its best . Prune it after the first flush of bloom — unremarkably in belated spring — to ensure asecond bloominglater in the summer , shear the entire catmint works back by about one third .
Dividing Catmint
Catmint is n’t as aggressive as its proportional , catnip(Nepeta cataria , hardy from USDA zones 3 to 7 ) , but it still can take over a garden if it is n’t in good order tended to . Choose a season when the catmint works is dormant , either early spring or former evenfall , and divide plants about once every three to four years . water system the fresh divided plant life regularly until they ’re well instal .
Watering Catmint
Catmint like well - enfeeble soil , and flourish in full sun — though some cultivars like a piffling afternoon specter . Water untested plants or late transplanted catmint with some frequency — about 1 column inch of urine each hebdomad is sufficient to ensure a goodly plant life . onetime catmint plants are drought tolerant and take the same amount every three to four weeks . To test if your catnip require water , tuck a finger into the soil approximately 1 column inch . If the soil feels dry , water the flora .
Pest Protection
Pests are n’t a huge problem with Nepeta cataria — most of the usual garden menace do n’t care the smell of catmint and avoid it . While this is good news when it come up to bugs and other creepy-crawly crawlies , you may still have problem with other critters — namely , hombre — although a hungry deer can also make quick work of your catmint . While catmint is n’t a huge feline favourite , some of the older cultivar can lure feline visitors to roll around , eat the plant or just generally destroy it through play . For example , Six Hills Giant ( Nepeta faassenii’Six Hills Giant ' ) is one of the most cat - attractive types ofNepeta , as well as one of the largest . annul scathe if you have cat in your G by erecting a dome of chicken wire to protect vernal or slight plant .
Catmint Vs. Lavender
Both catmint and lavender bear spikes of wan purple flowers , but each plant has kind with bloom colors ranging from whitened to dark purpleness . Although there are some differences among metal money , most mintage of lavender have narrow , dark green to grey - green leaves . Lavender bloom appear from early through midsummer . The plant grows to about 1 foot marvellous and pass around to approximately 2 foot all-encompassing . Catmint will need protection from African tea with chicken wire or by inserting thinly , 8- to 10 - inch sticks into the footing among the foliage . Being bear on to hatful , catmint can circulate easy to areas of the garden where you may not want it . Lavender is mostly bother - gratis as long as it has unspoiled air flow and soil drainage to prevent mildew .
Warning
Even though newly disunite plants need peck of water , make trusted your soil drains well . Catmint that stays continuously plastered kick the bucket well , no matter the season . First the leaves discolor , and then the plant is go . If you have heavy clay filth , amend it to include extra organic fabric to serve with the drainage .
Tip
Nepeta is aclumping recurrent . To successfully divide catmint , use a pointed shovel or spading crotch to dig around the total plant , approximately 4 to 6 inches from the plant itself . Pry the clump of catmint you wish to graft away from the primary plant using your tool and comb the stem system , being careful to leave as much of the root system in seat on both the parent industrial plant and the division as potential . embed the division immediately .
