Last fall I planted a single catnip (Nepeta cataria) in front of our deck. It completely died back during the winter and came back happy as can be this spring. A little too happy I might add. As you can see in the picture below it swallowed up a rosemary cutting that did not grow quite as fast as the eager catnip did.
I should add that I cut this particular catnip back in the early summer to harvest and dry the leaves. The above picture shows all the growth it put on after it received a haircut. Quite a productive little guy wouldn’t you say?
I shouldn’t be surprised by its behavior though when I consider how prolific a Six Hills Giant catmint (Nepeta x faassenii‘Six Hills Giant’) has done in this garden the last two years. They are, after all, both related to mint. (My husband does not exactly appreciate this poor catmint as he finds it to be overgrown looking and rather wild despite me continually pointing out how much the bees love its flowers.)
I do believe I will be kicking myself come spring time 2009 though. I very foolishly got lazy when it came time to keeping the flowering catnip deadheaded. I am afraid it has probably dropped a thousand and one seeds by now. I may end up with an entire garden full of nothing but catnip babies. And I do not even have a cat to share it with!
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Ha! Isn’t catnip fun? Ours went berzerk too and spread like crazy. Luckily we make cat toys and dry the ‘nip to use in them so it wasn’t TOO terrible.
Hi Rita,
What type of cat toys do you make? I have always thought of doing this for friends but never got around to doing so. -Cynthia
I wasn’t thinking when I plopped that catnip in the ground. I know they can spread and self sow but I do enjoy this herb for many reasons. Plus I can keep all of my cat loving friends supplied with catnip!
Great to see you back to blogging! Hope you are doing okay. My mom has catnip reseeding itself madly in her wooded garden. I think it might originally have been grown back when we had a cat (probably 20 or more years ago) but it just keeps going. The neigbors’ kitties enjoy it so I think that’s why she keeps it. That or it’s impossible to get rid of, maybe, as you fear… Maybe it won’t be so bad as all that, or it might even inspire you to get a cat, if nobody’s allergic.
Hi Karen
Things are still crazy for me but I am trying to keep this blog rolling.
I don’t like the sounds of “reseeding itself madly”! That is exactly what I am afraid of. I had very good intentions of going out and deadheading this catnip before it could get the chance to self-sow but then life got in the way. It always cracks me up to go out to the garden and see a neighborhood cat has been laying in it. They sure can find it can’t they! -Cynthia
Maybe you could invite over the neighbor’s cat for an afternoon the in teh Catnip bed?
Hi Fern, I’m afraid they invite themselves- a lot!
-Cynthia
I’ve always been afraid to plant catnip in the garden. I hear so many stories about cats leaving presents in the freshly dug up garden. I just don’t want to attract them. But maybe it would solve my chipmunk problem?
Hi Daphne,
(Knock on wood) I have not had a problem with the cats leaving little presents for me in the garden but they do love to lay in the catnip. I can always tell when one has been around because an area of the catnip will be flattened! -Cynthia
I’ve never done catnip but mint is sure hard to get rid of! Why don’t you come over and add this post to Bloomin’ Tuesday? We’d like to keep it going all winter so we need more warmer climate gardeners. Jean
Hi Jean, thanks for the invite to include this post on Bloomin’ Tuesday!
I also have a problem with the catmint popping up everywhere but at least the flowers are so pretty when it is in full bloom! -Cynthia
Hi Cynthia, good to see you posting again. I hope things have settled down a bit for you. How fun is that Catnip plant, hope you don’t end up with an invasion of babies next spring. I should plant some of this for my cat Mooch. We buy it prepackaged for him & he goes crazy over it.
Hi Racquel, maybe we could do a seed swap if you would like to grow some catnip from seed!
It is actually really easy to grow and start from seed if you do decide to grow some next year. I’m sure Mooch would very much appreciate it! 
-Cynthia
Cynthia, Thanks for joining Bloomin’ Tuesday! I hope to see you again and tell all your gardening friends! There are Buttons available if you’d like one. Click the one on my side bar and there a a couple to choose from. Jean
Thank you Jean for hosting Bloomin’ Tuesday every week! -Cynthia
I didn’t realize cat nip and cat mint were in the same family. But it makes since doesn’t it? CatMINT is on my plant list. I have a place where it can go wild, I love the blooms. Thank you for sharing today!
Hi Carla, thanks for visiting my blog today!
Catmint does have such pretty flowers if you have room for it to run wild. When mine is in full bloom it looks like a sea of blue waving in the breeze. -Cynthia
Never thought about planting catnip…I learned from chocolate mint to keep mints in containers. It’s very pretty.
Hi Darla,
The catnip can be pretty really but I think it has rather odd scent. Guess I don’t really agree with cats! 
-Cynthia
Thanks for visiting my blog.
We have some catnip growing wild. The cats just love it. However, yours looks a lot prettier.
Sweetie
Hi Sweetie,
-Cynthia
I think mine is going to be growing wild from now on judging by the way it is acting! Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment.
Happy bloomin Tuesday. I had both those plants at my old house. I so miss them The cat mint was up and happy every year. I love your pictures. Thanks for sharing them.
Grammy
Hi Grammy,
Thanks for the compliment- and for visiting my blog! I do love the catmint when it is in flower. It just glows as the sun starts to set. -Cynthia
What a neat plants.
I agree.
-Cynthia
Well, your’s is prolific and I haven’t had any luck growing mine! And I have two cats that would love it. I shall try it again.
Brenda
Hi Brenda,
You can have some of mine to try again with! I have more than enough to go around! -Cynthia