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Catmint

emmapynnemmapynn Posts: 65
in Plants

this might sound like silly questions...: I like the idea of having some catmint in my garden, 

question 1 : will it attract cats into the garden ?! Or is that a myth ! 

Question 2 : can I just throw some seed in the spring and hope for the best or will I need to grow from seed indoors ?! (iv not done this before!) 

Question 3 : once I have some in the border will it more or less take care of itself ?! I have a massive bare patch which currently have two buddleas  and I wanted to fill in some space with not too much effort as I'm about to have a baby ! 

Posts

  • pansyfacepansyface Posts: 21,561

    CATMINT BELONGS TO A GROUP OF PLANTS CALLED NEPETA. 

    WITHIN THAT GROUP THERE ARE MANY MANY TYPES OF NEPETA SOME OF WHICH ARE VERY PRETTY, SOME NOT SO PRETTY, SOME SMALL, SOME TALL, SOME ANNUAL AND SOME PERENNIAL.

    THE ONE YOU WANT IS CALLED NEPETA CATANIA. ALSO CALLED CATNIP. IT ISN'T VERY ATTRACTIVE, MAKING A RATHER WOODY, SPRAWLING SHORT-LIVED PERENNIAL WITH QUITE DULL FLOWERS. 

    BUT

    (A) IT IS MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE TO CATS THAN THE PRETTY CATMINTS BECAUSE IT HAS MORE OF THE CHEMICAL THAT THEY LIKE.

    (B)  IT IS ALSO VERY POPULAR WITH BEES AND BUTTERFLIES ETC.

    (C) WHEN IT GETS TOO BIG YOU CAN JUST CHOP IT DOWN AND IT WILL RACE OFF AGAIN WITHOUT ANY MOANING.

    (D) IT IS EASY TO GROW FROM SEED AND YOU WON'T NEED MORE THAN ONE OR TWO PLANTS ANYWAY SO YOU CAN GIVE THE REST AWAY TO OTHER CAT OWNERS.

    SUTTONS DO ONE.

    OTHER BRANDS ARE AVAILABLE.

    Last edited: 26 January 2017 16:36:50

    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
    If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
  • pansyfacepansyface Posts: 21,561

    image

    THIS IS THE LOOK YOU ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
    If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
  • PurpleBirdPurpleBird Posts: 22

    I have some catmint in my garden called Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant'. It is fast growing, but easy to control. It has pretty purple flowers and silvery green leaves, and it blooms all summer.

    My cat isn't interested, she'll give it a good sniff if I pick some for her, but thats about it. Not all cats react to catmint though. The bees love it!

  • jaffacakesjaffacakes Posts: 429

    My own cat goes crazy over the perennial catmint nepeta faassenii but no stray cats came into my garden. I don't think it will attract them from afar. I love it though and agree that bees love it too. It was covered in them.

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