| Common Name | Catmint |
| Genus | Nepeta |
| Species | N. yunnanensis (hybrid) amongst others |
| Family | Lamiaceae |
| Life Cycle | Herbaceous (Hardy) Perennial |
| Format | 36-cell half tray |
| Plug Care | Harden off and plant plugs promptly upon arrival. Keep the growing media evenly moist but not soggy until you can get the plugs in the ground. Plant at the same depth that the plants are growing in the plug trays - do not plant deeply. |
| Netting / Staking | Not typically required; the 'Blue Dragon' cultivar is more upright than many Nepetas, so lodging or flopping over is less of a problem. |
| Temperature Range | Hardy in USDA Zones 5 to 9 |
| Spacing | Space plants about 24-30 inches apart to allow room for clumping and good air circulation between plants. This will form a solid row after plants have a couple years to establish and mature. |
| Soil Preference | Well-drained soils with moderate fertility - most average soils will work just fine. Avoid heavy, wet soils. |
| Day Length | Long-day plants - these will flower from June through to September. Plant in full sun. |
| Pinching | Do not pinch. Keep plant deadheaded to promote continuous blooming. |
| When to Plant | Plant in the spring after the threat of frost has passed all the way through to mid summer. |
| Harvesting | Cut stems when about half the florets on a stem have opened and the rest of the buds are closed. One trick is to try the 'wiggle test' to see if the stem is mature enough before cutting. If it's very floppy, it likely won't have the best vase life and needs a little more time to mature. |
| Post Harvest Care | Cut stems should immediately go into a bucket of cool, clean water; the addition of a floral preservative will help maximize vase life. Any foliage that falls below the waterline should be removed. Hydrate in the cooler before use, and store in the cooler until needed - if hydration is proving difficult an application of Quick Dip could help. |
| Diseases / Insects | Nepeta are generally very hardy plants - watch for typical pests, but treatment for pest insects is usually not needed. Overly wet soil can cause root or crown diseases, so insure the planting area has well drained soil. |
| Bailey's Notes | Nepeta is more typically regarded as a garden plant, but embracing it as a cut flower is a way to grow something that isn't typically imported and to offer something different and unique for the local cut flower market. |
| Resources | Terra Nova Product Profile and Growing Recipe |