Catmint Blue features dense, aromatic gray-green foliage topped with spikes of vivid blue flowers that bloom over an extended season. Its nectar-rich blossoms are a favorite among butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, bringing lively pollinators to your garden. While appealing to cats, it is less enticing than traditional catnip. Thriving in full sun and well-drained soil, this hardy perennial offers lasting beauty and fragrance with minimal care

How to Sow and Plant: Sow seeds 1/8 inch deep. Seeds typically germinate in 10-14 days. Plants should be spaced 18-24 inches apart when they reach 4-5’ tall.

Add aged compost to the planting bed and turn it under. Make shallow furrows and cover seeds 1/8th of an inch with loose soil. Thin or transplant seedlings to 12 inches apart when they reach 2 inches tall. Keep plants full by pinching the growing stems and flower buds when they appear. Be very careful when transplanting outdoors, as bruising the leaves will release the oils that attract felines. Water your plants only when the soil dries out. Cut Catmint back to the ground in spring to improve growth and appearance.

How to Grow: Start seeds indoors near a sunny window 6 weeks before transplanting to the garden, after the danger of the last frost. Or sow directly into the garden if your area has a longer growing season, when the danger of frost has passed.

Where to Plant Catmint Seeds: Catnip performs best in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade. This plant is drought-tolerant and thrives in dry soil with a pH of about 6.6. 60-80 days to maturity.

How to Harvest: Harvest leaves by cutting the stems or shearing the flower spikes after the plant reaches 6 inches or taller. If harvesting for cats, wait until the plant blooms. The foliage will keep its scent best when air dried. You can easily propagate Catmint by dividing an established plant.