The perennial “Nepeta Cataria” is one of the most beautiful fragrant plants in the home garden. The plant belongs to the genus Nepeta and is widespread in dry areas, especially in central and southern Europe. It is perfect as a slope plant and also feels at home in the rock garden. Their strong scent not only attracts pollinating insects to the garden. Cats are also magically attracted to the perennial. The house cats roll around in her, which of course causes damage. We explain how to plant, care for and cut catnip and which plants to combine it with.
When is the right time?
The right time to plant catnip is in spring, around the beginning of April and mid-May. If you miss the time, you can also plant the flowering perennial in the ground in autumn (around September - October). That's how it hasdeciduous perennialenough time to develop their roots before permanent frost sets in. Incidentally, garden centers not only sell seeds, but also pre-grown young plants. You can put these in the ground as early as mid-March.
Short instructions
The distance between the plants should be around 35 cm. Do not dig holes that are too deep - the roots should be just below the surface of the soil. Good drainage is an absolute must - catnip cannot tolerate waterlogging. You should therefore first loosen the soil and, if necessary, mix it with sand.
The right location is crucial
Catnip thrives best in full sun locations and prefers nutrient-rich soil with a high sand content. Depending on the nature of the soil, you can incorporate compost into the garden soil.
In the first few weeks the plant needs regular watering. Provide them with slow-release fertilizer in spring to speed up growth and extend flowering time.
Caring for the perennial: watering and fertilizing
You should check the soil regularly for the first month after sowing or planting. It should be moderately moist. During longer dry periods, water the plant thoroughly once a week.
Cut the perennial correctly: This is how you get it to bloom again
After the end of the flowering period, the catnip is cut back. Such pruning can encourage flower production and if the soil contains the important nutrients, the plant can bloom for a second time at the end of summer. To do this, simply tie all the shoots together and cut them close to the ground with sharp secateurs.
Care in a pot as a balcony plant
Catnip is a hardy plant that thrives in snow and frost in flower beds. However, in the pot it cannot cope with the sub-zero temperatures in winter without frost protection. Therefore, always pack the bucket with fleece and place it on a wooden plate. Otherwise the perennial is undemanding.
Plant catnip and use it against pests in the kitchen garden
The “Nepeta Cataria” can be combined with both ornamental and useful plants. In the vegetable garden, their strong aroma keeps pests such as ants, aphids and weevils at bay.Useful plants in the vegetable gardenThat you can combine them with include broccoli, pumpkin, potatoes, cucumbers, radishes, strawberries, tomatoes, zucchini and cauliflower.
Most bean varieties also benefit from group planting with catnip. It successfully drives away the Japanese beetle, which can cause considerable damage.
Planting catnip: which flowers to combine with?
The perennial can also be combined with certain ornamental plants. An important prerequisite for group planting is that the other plants have similar soil and location requirements.
As a rose companion
The combination of catnip and roses looks particularly beautiful. The following varieties are particularly suitable for this:
Parisian Blue –As underplanting
Grog –As a bed border
It also harmonizes perfectly with delphiniums, ornamental sage, floribunda roses and Indian nettle. Together with peonies, Turkish poppies and lavender it forms the perfect combination for spring. The perennial also gets along with the Frauenspiegel and the Alpine aster. The combination of “Nepeta Cataria” and Schafgabe also looks super attractive. The perennial also feels comfortable in pots with plants already mentioned, as long as it has enough space to develop its roots.
3 beautiful varieties
Which varieties are available for this?home gardenin question? “Superba” is ideal for flower bed borders. It is the perfect rose companion and attracts pollinating insects such as bees and bumblebees to the garden.
“Odeur Citron” scores with a long flowering period and a light lemon scent. The variety easily tolerates direct sun and longer dry periods and is therefore perfect for the rock garden.
“Snowflake” attracts attention with its interesting leaf structure. The variety has an upright, compact growth and is ideal for container planting.
Catnip is not just an eye-catcher in the garden. Their aroma keeps pests away and attracts bees and bumblebees.
