Catnip

Catnip is a completely hardy perennial and survives winters in the lowlands of Germany, Austria and Switzerland without protection. Leave the foliage standing in autumn and cut back only in late winter or early spring, when fresh shoots appear. Provide permeable soil, because wet bothers it more than frost.

Sowing (seeds): Sow catnip indoors in seed trays from March, or directly into the outdoor bed from mid-May. The seeds are light-germinating, so only press them down and cover them with a wafer-thin layer of soil or vermiculite. Keep the soil evenly moist and provide around 15 to 18 °C; the first seedlings then usually appear after one to two weeks. With a very late sowing in the warm early summer, it helps to put the seeds somewhere cool for about a week beforehand. Prick out into the bed at 40 to 50 cm spacing as soon as the young plants have two pairs of true leaves. Catnip also likes to self-seed.

Cuttings: In late spring to early summer, preferably before flowering, cut non-flowering, soft shoot tips 7 to 10 cm long just below a leaf node. Remove the lower leaves and insert the cuttings into damp sand or seed compost; alternatively they also root in a glass of water. Put them somewhere bright but out of direct midday sun. After two to three weeks roots have formed; you can then pot them in herb compost or plant them in the bed.

Division: Divide old, established clumps every three to four years in early spring (March) or in autumn. Lift the root ball, shake off loose soil and separate it with a sharp spade or knife into two to four pieces; each piece needs roots and shoot buds. Water the divisions well and replant them straight away. This rejuvenates the plant and gives you several strong young plants at once.