Catnip
Plant Size Guide

Catnip
Nepeta cataria
days to maturity: 75 - 85 Days
plant spacing: 4 plant per square foot
sunlight requirement: 8 - 14 hours
look out for: cats!
harvest notes: harvest branches and leaves as needed
annual
Nepeta cataria, aka catnip is cultivated as an ornamental plant for use in gardens. It is also grown for its attractant qualities to house cats and butterflies.The plant is drought- tolerant and deer-resistant. It can be a repellent for certain insects, including aphids and squash bugs. Catnip is best grown in full sunlight and grows as a loosely branching, low perennial. Nepetalactone is a mosquito and fly repellent, and the compound iridodial, extracted from catnip oil, has been found to attract lacewings which eat aphids and mites. The use of catnip leaves and flowers in herbal teas was documented at least as early as 1735 in the General Irish Herbal. Medicinally, the plant has been used to treat intestinal cramps, for indigestion, to cause sweating, to induce menstruation, as a sedative, and to increase appetite. Additionally, the plant has been used to treat diarrhea, colic, the common cold, and cancer. In Appalachia, nervous conditions, stomach ailments, hives, and the common cold have been treated with catnip tea. The dried leaves have been smoked to relieve respiratory ailments, and a poultice has been used externally to reduce swelling.
While your catnip plant is young you may need to cage it to protect it from your cat, or strays. Its very common for us to come into work in the morning to find our potted plants completely destroyed by our two farm cats, Astro & Esmee.
Delivery Details
Delivery Details
When you place your order we head into our greenhouse to select the very best plants we have in stock for your garden. We label them with handwritten compostable wooden labels and pack them in recyclable boxes to keep them safe on their journey. Our delivery partners, Roadie, take it from there and head to the Redlands to pick up your order. Communication and tracking take place via Roadie and your driver will leave your plants in a safe and covered area.
Plant Care
Plant Care
When your plant delivery arrives, make sure you water your new plants thoroughly with a light spray of water (none of this thumb over the hose stuff). We recommend planting them within 10 days of receiving them. If you do intent to wait to plant them, we recommend placing them in a shallow reservoir (like a baking pan) and filling it with half an inch of water so they can drink the water from below while you are at work and place them in an area with plenty of sun. When planting in your garden always add a dash of Organic granular fertilizer, and give them extra water during their first week in their new home, while they adjust. We recommend disturbing the root ball as little as possible during planting.
About Our Plants
About Our Plants
All of our plants are grown in OMRI certified Organic materials (potting mix, fertilizer, seeds, etc.) and include Organic granular fertilizer, living locally-made compost, and have been cared for with healthy microorganisms from compost tea and microbial inoculants. We only use organic pesticides when needed. We only stock varieties that we have experience growing and that are season and climate appropriate for South Florida. Our curated inventory is simple enough for a beginner and interesting enough to keep an advanced gardeners attention, with new and rare varieties being added weekly.
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Now Little River Nursery & Little River Gardens
Two new names, one guiding vision; to empower people through food and ecology. For more information on our garden installation services visit the Little River Gardens website.

