Basic catmint maintenance is simple. Catmint plants need constant watering until they get established. Mulch will aid in moisture retention and control weed growth. Pinch back plants after they reach a height of a few inches (8 cm) to encourage bushier growth.
Throughout the summer and fall, catmint blooms. Deadheading faded blossoms encourages new blossoming. It may also assist in avoiding reseeding. However, Nepeta x faassenii, often known as Faassen’s catmint, does not require deadheading because it is sterile. In the fall or after harvest, shear the plants back to half their original size.
When ought catmint to be trimmed back?
- ‘Walker’s Low’ plants are 30 inches tall and 36 inches wide, with lavender-blue flowers. As a side note, the name is not short because it derives from an Irish garden. It is actually almost as tall as the “Six Hills Giant.” Walker’s Low was chosen by the Perennial Plant Association as their Perennial of the Year for 2007.
Don’t restrict yourself to just these four options if you feel driven to hunt for catmint in your neighborhood garden centers. Numerous other top-notch cultivars are also readily available, including “Dropmore,” “Blue Wonder,” and “Junior Walker,” a scaled-down variety of “Walker’s Low” that stands 16 inches tall.
- Catmint tends to grow wider than tall, so give it lots of room.
- Even while catmint likes direct sunlight, it can also tolerate moderate afternoon shadow.
- Water new plants or transplants until they can survive on their own. Following that, established plants can withstand heat and drought.
- Never fertilize it again. Catmint prefers well-drained, somewhat fertile soil. In fact, a plant may flip over or split in half if the soil is excessively rich. In that case, trim the plant back to make it look neat. Compost added in the spring or fall will provide the plant the nutrients it needs to thrive.
- After the first blooming flush of the plants has finished, shear them back by a third or more. The plants will be more orderly, their size will be limited, and this will encourage a second rush of blossoms later in the summer. The plant will still bloom often and maintain its lovely appearance during the stifling summer months even without being sheared.
- Over the winter, keep any dead foliage in place to help protect the crown. Wait till the beginning of spring to trim it.
- Divide catmint every three to four years, preferably in the spring or early fall, to maintain it healthy. During the first growing season, until the plants take root, keep it well-watered.
- Catmint varieties can grow to be quite huge. Pinch the plant back in the spring after it has grown a few inches tall to encourage a bushier growth habit if you wish to limit the plant’s total size.
- Cut a vertical chunk off of an established clump of catmint in the spring to reproduce it. Make sure the division has a strong root system and a number of new shoots. Till the plant takes root, keep it well-watered.
- Cuttings can also be used to spread catmint. Before flower buds grow in the spring, clip healthy shoots at a length of three inches. The cuttings should be placed in a moist medium, such as sand or a peat-perlite mixture. Within two to three weeks, they should start to root.
- Catmint is typically unaffected by either pests or illnesses. The only issue that can occasionally arise is leaf spot. There is no consensus that the severity of this fungus illness justifies control measures.
- Experience has taught me that some cats are drawn to catmint. If you’re worried about this, cover newly planted or transplanted catmint with chicken wire to stop your cat from consuming it or rolling about in it.
- This plant attracts butterflies and bees like crazy. Additionally, hummingbirds adore it.
- You’ll adore this plant if your garden is plagued by four-legged animals other than cats. Deer, voles, and rabbits are deterred by the foliage’s minty aroma. THIS is a plant that pays for itself, at last!
Is catmint simple to care for?
The perennial herb genus Nepeta, which also includes catnip, is known as catmint (Nepeta cataria). They are very pest- and problem-free plants that are incredibly simple to grow. Nepeta has beautiful, lacy-looking gray-green leaves that is mildly fragrant. Early in the summer, its swaying leaves is crowned with spikes of flowers, which continue to bloom all season. White, pink, or lavender-blue flowers are all possible.
The majority of catmint species have a slightly expansive growth habit, which makes them great plants for running down paths and border planting spaces. There are a few tall-growing types with a more upright habit, including “Six Hills Giant,” though. Catmint is resistant to deer, like many other plants with fragrant gray foliage. It spreads swiftly and may be planted from spring to early fall in most regions.
Should I prune my catmint once it blooms?
I make an effort to visit the garden at least once per week to identify the upcoming task. I’m pruning, doing some light weeding, and keeping an eye out for new garden problems right now. On this day, February 8, 2020, I can see that the catmint needs a haircut. They’re wearing a grayish-brown coat from the autumn 2017 collection and they appear pretty winter-haggard.
One of my favorite groundcovers is Nepeta x faassenii, most commonly referred to as catmint. The list of stress-free and simple garden plants undoubtedly includes this sun-loving perennial, which blooms profusely in the summer, is an excellent pollinator plant, and is strong as nails. This cat can be cut back at any time of the year, as severely as you like, and as frequently as you choose.
If you’re preparing for the test, you should know that Nepeta x faassenii and its cultivars are sterile crossbreeds of Persian catmint, Nepeta racemosa, and lesser catmint, Nepeta nepetella. From mid-spring through the fall, masses of violet to dusky-sky blue flowers can be anticipated with very little irrigation. During the summer, if the plant begins to appear overly flowered or worn out, trim it to a height of 6 inches and wait a week.
The plant under consideration today is depicted above. Old, gray growth is visible and is pleading to be carried away and dumped on the enormous compost heap in the sky. A tiny bit of green may be seen peeking through, along with some much younger growth far below.
The plant would currently appear happier and there would be much less grey growth if I had clipped this back at least once throughout the summer.
The new growth is easily seen when you pull the plant to one side. I’ll go right to the good things by cutting everything else. Take note of how the green above and below the plant differs in hue. The yellow-green color (above) is peeling off, exposing the grey-green color (below).
It was far too simple. With my straight nose clippers, it required 12 cuts. With my felcos, I could have finished it in four. I cut the entire plant down to a height of about 2 inches.
I’m done now! Walk away if you feel comfortable with a few dead stalks sticking out. You’ve finished.
Let’s move a little closer if you’re still reading. If those stems are driving you crazy, either remove the entire stem or snip-prune each one back to just above something green.
Should I reduce catmint throughout the winter?
In many places, catmint dies back with the frost, and the dead growth needs to be removed in order to make room for the spring’s new, fresh foliage. Depending on the climate where you are, there are different times to do this. It is preferable to wait until the spring thaw to prune catmint in regions with long, hard winters since the dead growth can act as insulation from the cold.
When a plant has gone dormant or has died back due to the cold in a milder region, it is recommended to cut the entire plant back in the fall. Because division will occur with the winter pruning, keep an eye out during the growth season for indications that the plant needs to be divided, such as less blooming.
Use precise pruning shears to cut the entire plant back to the ground, then get rid of the stems. Using a sharp spade, divide the root ball into numerous pieces, each with an equal number of roots and stems, if the plant has to be divided. Place the divisions in a bed with wet, quick-draining soil that is sunny or lightly shaded. Larger catmint kinds, like Six Hills Giant (Nepeta x “Six Hills Giant”), should be planted 3 feet apart, while more common varieties should be planted 1 1/2 to 2 feet apart.
Catmint vs. Catnip
Which is better, catnip or catmint? Plant common names can be confusing, especially when they sound so similar. Nepeta cataria, a widespread member of the mint family with white flowers that can be found all over the United States, particularly in disturbed areas, is known as catnip. These low-growing plants are a favorite among cats, and dried leaf cat toys are known to drive cats crazy.
On the other hand, catmint, another member of the mint family, is a stunning decorative plant that is hardy and flexible but is not as well-liked by domestic cats.
Walker’s Low Catmint: Nearly Perfect
Nepeta faassenii, also known as Walker’s Low catmint, has long served as the benchmark catmint in western gardens. In May, mounds of glistening periwinkle blue flowers begin to open, continuing for one to two months.
The blooms are a haven for hummingbirds, moths, butterflies, and bees, but deer and rabbits appear to avoid them. Catmints are nearly ideal plants since they can withstand drought, bloom for a long time, and withstand our harsh weather.
That is, almost flawless, barring two aspects. The weight of the blooms eventually causes the stalks to drop, opening and flattening the plant’s core, which causes all catmints to flop out a little after blooming.
The majority of catmints found at garden centers are fertile, which means that after blooming and receiving pollinator fertilization, they set viable seeds that disperse throughout the garden and result in an abundance of seedlings growing. Free seedlings are occasionally appreciated (especially those of such a lovely plant), but they are frequently an annoyance.
One more warning: Walker’s Low isn’t actually that “low.” Walker’s Low has a height range of 24 to 30 inches, which is quite low compared to Six Hills Giant, the previous benchmark for garden catmints, which reaches a height of 3 feet. Walker’s Low is actually not as low as its name suggests considering how little it is!
Little Trudy: Compact and Not a Spreader
Try Little Trudy catmint if you want a catmint with a neater appearance, one that stays compact and is more suited for small gardens, or one that won’t seed itself.
Before being released by Plant Select in 2008, Little Trudy was found at Little Valley Wholesale Nursery in Brighton, Colorado, and tested at Colorado State University and the Denver Botanic Gardens. It begins to bloom in the late spring and will continue to softly blossom all summer long. When crushed, the tiny, grey-green leaves release a pleasant scent.
Wildlife benefits: Pollinators such as moths, bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are drawn to stalks of small, purple-blue blooms.
Growing advice: If desired, prune back the first heavy flush of blooms; a second full flush will occur later in the summer.
How does catmint survive the winter?
You can easily store catnip indoors for the winter if you grow it in a container. Give it a cooler location with moderate sunlight and sporadic contact with water. However, if your catnip is grown outdoors in beds, you need get it ready for the winter.
Trimming back your catnip in the late fall will prepare it for the winter. Just a few inches (8 cm) should be removed from the stems, and new growth should be specifically trimmed back to prevent harm from the cold. After giving the plant one last, thorough drink, don’t water it again until spring.
You can use a cloche to cover the plant to protect it from frost in areas where it gets really cold. To prevent your catnip from becoming too hot, keep an eye on it and remove or shade it on sunny, warm days.
As winter approaches, avoid fertilizing your catnip plants. This will just promote new growth that might be harmed by the winter’s colder temperatures. Aim to use no more mulch than necessary. A little mulch can keep the soil warm and wet, but too much can stop the sun from warming it.
Your catnip plant should return in the spring, huge, healthy, and thriving, if you follow some safety precautions and avoid a few simple mistakes.
Does catmint have a summer bloom?
This perennial flower that thrives in cool climates often features blue trumpet-shaped flower clusters and grey-green leaves with a distinctive mint scent. Even though it’s frequently called catnip, cats don’t find it to be as alluring as the real stuff. However, I’ve seen that if given the chance, our cat will indulge herself. Although the plant can reach a height of 3 feet, it frequently sprawls, creating a grey-green ground cover. In the late spring and early summer, it blooms profusely. In hot temperatures in the middle of the summer, it frequently temporarily stops flowering before starting up again in the early fall, especially if the plant is vigorously trimmed down. Catmint blooms are beloved by butterflies, hummingbirds, and other useful insects.
In our location, catmint is resilient, though certain types may require winter protection in colder climates. Despite the fact that it may be grown from seed, it is considerably simpler to buy plants from a nearby nursery or get divisions from a friend’s garden in the early spring when it first begins to grow. From early spring through early fall, sow. It is simple to divide catmint. Catmint should be planted in full or partial sun in humus-rich, compost-added soil that is well-drained. Plant where it will receive afternoon shade if you’re growing in one of our region’s warmer areas. In the garden, space plants 1 to 2 feet apart.
Water newly planted plants well. They may be resistant of drought once they have grown. To help keep weeds at bay and the soil continuously moist, mulch with bark and spread compost around the base of plants in the spring.
If you aggressively deadhead flowers and prune the plant back by two-thirds after each flush of blooms, you may keep catmint in practically constant bloom from late spring until fall. After a few years, springtime division of the plant will encourage renewed development and result in the production of more plants for friends and other plantings. Catmint doesn’t self-sow because it has few pests and sterile seeds.
The traditional cottage garden plant catmint frequently grows with peonies, roses, coreopsis, and delphiniums. It’s a fantastic filler plant to add color and green foliage between later blooming flowers because of its spreading tendency. It thrives when planted in rock gardens next to walls so that it can cascade over them. It can look a little rangy, so it’s not the best option for more formal settings.
With blue-violet flowers and a neater appearance than other types since it doesn’t spread as much, Walker’s Low is a more recent variation.
White Wonder and “Snowflake” are rare white blooming plants that only reach a height of one foot.
The enormous plant and bright blue flowers of Six Hills Giant are well recognized.
Dark blue flowers on 1 to 2 foot tall stems are produced by Blue Wonder.