Murdock in the Catnip – artwork (c)2008 Val Webb
You don’t have to be a cat owner to justify growing catnip in your garden. It’s a beautiful herb with downy, heart-shaped leaves and the square stem that signifies mint … and it’s very useful stuff. Years ago, when I lived in the mountains, I met older folks who insisted that planting catnip close to their cabins would repel termites — a bit of folk wisdom that would eventually be rediscovered by research scientists. After my youngest daughter was born, the midwife told me that warm catnip tea would relieve a colicky baby. An herbalist friend in Florida recommends catnip for menstrual cramps. Maud Grieve, author of A Modern Herbal, reports that the herb is helpful for headache and nervousness. The list goes on and on.
My catnip, like its tenacious mint cousins, seems determined to crowd its neighbors right out of the planting bed. What began nine months ago as a modest little sprout has rapidly grown to a large, sprawling bush with aspirations both tall and wide.
Catnip is easy to grow from seed, from dividing a larger plant at its base, or even from cuttings rooted in water. It has been my experience that big, robust catnip plants grow where there’s plenty of sunlight and not too much moisture. They like less water than the rest of the thirsty mint clan. My bed is on the sandy side, but is enriched with good compost — and these conditions result in a high concentration of volatile oils (capable of sending approximately 75% of the cat population into spasms of ecstasy with a single sniff). I’m starting seeds now for the young plants that will go off to our downtown growers’ market in late summer.
The leaves and stems, either fresh or dried, have a powerful effect on most kitties. If there are any four-legged catnip junkies in your household, you may want to protect your young plants with rabbit wire to prevent tender leaves from being rolled upon, or plant your catnip off by itself. I once had a cat who would use his paws to uproot entire catnip plants and devour roots, stems and all. His fondness for recreational catnip usage resulted in a lot of damage to neighboring herb plants.
The plant is at the height of its medicinal powers when the white-and-purple tops are in full flower, and herbalists recommend harvesting catnip by cutting the entire plant back to about six inches in height. Do your cutting at mid-morning, and then remove any dead or discolored leaves. Here in the land of 100% humidity, we dry herbs in a dehydrator or inside a closed-up vehicle on a hot day. When I lived in a slightly drier climate, I tied catnip in loose bundles and dried them inside brown paper bags. Either way, your catnip will retain more potency if the leaves are dried whole.
Mary said:
LOVE the look on that cat’s face! Also love the mint family. I haven’t planted catnip yet, but I have spearmint, peppermint, candy mint, chocolate mint, lime mint, red stem apple mint and wintergreen. It took a LOT of searching to find that wintergreen!
I had given up, because I had run across a completely different plant that has wintergreen berries – and then last fall I ran across a mint plant claiming to be a wintergreen. It is growing in the garden now, in its own little bed.
Kathleen said:
I LOVE this post!! The cat is priceless. I grow catnip indoors for my kitty and it does well that way too. My cat isn’t allowed outside so that’s the only way he gets to enjoy it. I never knew all the medicinal qualities it had, I think I’ll explore them a little further. Thanks for the wonderful post.
Amy said:
I just came across your blog for the first time and have been reading through your posts. Your illustrations are absolutely fantastic!
Lisa said:
Great illustration and advice! This is my first time to your site and I will certainly be back for more lovely illustrations and gardening advice.
Thanks for sharing,
Lisa
dianeschuller said:
Lovely post Val and great illustration, as usual. What a great idea to suggest planting it. I haven’t grown catnip in nearly a decade or more. We too used to dry it. Thanks for sparking some memories and for the inspiration.
Diane
kate said:
I loved growing catnip when my cat was alive … she rolled in the catnip and looked utterly blissful.
Your painting of Murdock in the catnip is adorable.
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carolyngail said:
Beautiful post, Val. I’m passing on the E for excellent blog award so come on over and collect it.
Jean Ann said:
As usual, I love the illustrations! The cat’s face says all kinds of things…so clever…
Shady Gardener said:
Instead of catnip, I grow catmint! It’s gorgeous (makes a huge clump), blooms constantly, and doesn’t spread! 😉 I love your blog! 🙂
trinabaker said:
Love your blog and illustrations. I have added you to my blog links so I can visit often 🙂
Terra said:
What a serious and mysterious expression that cat has, a look that my cats cast my way from time to time.
I grow scads of mints including orange mint, apple mint, chocolate mint and spearmint. The one time I dared to plant a catnip mint, it disappeared overnight!
You are inspiring me to try again. My cats would definitely appreciate it.
Their favorite source of catnip now is what my sister grows and sends them at Christmas, from Wisconsin.