Catnip
I can tell you that the cats are super happy that spring has arrived. Every day they get a few sprigs of catnip to roll in and eat. They are LOVING it.
I grow it not only for them, but it makes a great insect repellant as well. While I’m working in the garden, I like to pick sprigs of it and rub in on my exposed skin to keep the bugs away. Perhaps that’s why cats love me so much.
Do you grow catnip for your cats or for it’s other properties?
Filed under Around the Garden | Comments (8)
I grow catnip for my trio – though other local cats like to partake as well — we had one little kitty stretched out on our patio for about an hour the other day, the stones wet from her happy drool :)
In their excitement, our cats have been known to damage the plant. I’ve now put a metal cage (actually an old freezer drawer) around it – they can still enjoy the scent and grab at the outer leaves but the plant itself is safe. Seems to be working well.
to Louisa's comment
My favorite use for catnip is tea to help me sleep. I am a chronic insomniac, which is only getting worse with age. Someone who does not sleep well, isn’t going to enjoy feeling every ache and pain that comes with being 60+ years old.
I pick my catnip leaves early in the day. I throw them in my blender jar with water and whiz it up enough to break the leaves up a bit. Not overly so but more than hand torn would give you. I let that sit until night and strain off the leaves and heat. It is not an overwhelming powerful sleep aid but it does help. There is a big difference in my ability to get to sleep when I take it versus when I don’t. I think letting the broken up leaves sit for several hours is important. Several times early on I did just tear up the leaves a little and poured hot water on, such as you would making tea with tea bags. The tea barely had any color and didn’t seem to help me sleep. Once I started blending the leaves, I got a much greener tea and I was sleeping.
I will start rubbing some of the leaves on my skin to test it’s ability to keep chiggers and ticks away. They are already hideous down here and I am a magnet. They took my “natural” bug repellent off the market that I loved so much and what I am using now is supposedly real eucalyptus oil but man it smells so bad and I am still getting bitten, just not as badly as if I was not using anything.
to ann roberts's comment
Oh–I forgot to mention. My cat’s don’t care for catnip whatsoever. I have rarely had a cat who did.
to ann roberts's comment
I don’t have my cat any more, but he did love catnip. My Mom has some that is always covered in fur from her cats rolling in it outside.
I grow and use Hops to sleep and get similar benefit. I dry them and crumble with hot water over to steep. I never knew about catnip! Now I will try that too- thanks!
to PennyAshevilleNC's comment
Susy, no cats here but I do have a couple feral cats that roam around Terra Nova Gardens. Maybe I should plant some catnip to encourage them to hang around more. I don’t really see any mice in garden area. Between the wild turkeys and the feral cats, the bugs and mice seem to be eliminated. It’s an ecosystem that works for me.
Have a great catnip day.
to Nebraska Dave's comment
I had some catnip but it seemed to be attracting a lot of strays to my yard to roll in it… so long catnip.
to sarah's comment
I’m pretty sure the ferals and other neighborhood cats would decimate any catnip I grew. We buy dried from the store and put it in toys for Leo.
to misti's comment
We’re growing it in our tea garden to make our own sleepy tea with chamomile and valerian. I’ve also used it to make liquid fertilizer with other herbs too.
to EmsyDoodle's comment