How does catnip ever survive?
 

I thought it would be fun to grow some catnip and watch the cats
play with it, so I planted a couple of small plants across from the
front door. I understand the stuff can grow to 3-4' tall.

The problem is that the cats won't let it. One of them was pounded
into the ground, it looked like some cat had been rolling around on
it. The other was messed up but not as badly. And we have cats
walking back and forth across the yard all day now, and we don't
even own one.

So I put a wire screen around the plants to see if they could grow
some. But it looks like one of them is still getting reached by the
cats, right through the wire. The wire has about 2x4" holes, but I
thought I circled it far enough from the plants so cats couldn't
reach them.

How do you grow catnip without the cats stopping it before it grows
to a decent size like that?

--
- Mama Bear

tomato cage or milk crate
Directly seeded works better than set as the leaves are not bruised.
Once established it will self sow all over the place.

On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 15:35:22 -0500, Mama Bear wrote:
How do you grow catnip without the cats stopping it before it grows
to a decent size like that?

Direct seeding.

In article ,
Mama Bear wrote:

I thought it would be fun to grow some catnip and watch the cats
play with it, so I planted a couple of small plants across from the
front door. I understand the stuff can grow to 3-4' tall.

The problem is that the cats won't let it. One of them was pounded
into the ground, it looked like some cat had been rolling around on
it. The other was messed up but not as badly. And we have cats
walking back and forth across the yard all day now, and we don't
even own one.

So I put a wire screen around the plants to see if they could grow
some. But it looks like one of them is still getting reached by the
cats, right through the wire. The wire has about 2x4" holes, but I
thought I circled it far enough from the plants so cats couldn't
reach them.

How do you grow catnip without the cats stopping it before it grows
to a decent size like that?

Find a neat looking bird cage at a garage sale or flea market,
throw away the bottom pan and put the cage over your catnip.

Jan

--
The way to a man's heart is between the fourth and the fifth rib.

We've had catnip for 30 years and it has endured our cats and
neighbors cats. Nothing kills it. We wack it back severely every
fall and it regenerates every Spring and endures another growing
season's worth of abuse from the many cats who visit our herb
garden. Ours has never grown very tall, but it appears that it
would spread out to horizontally to infinity if we allowed it.

I'd suggest one of two things:
1) Let the cats enjoy it and let the plant adapt.
2) Toss some moth balls on the ground around the catnip
if you are into catnip but not into cats.

In either case, you should be relatively pleased. Catnip is a
very hardy plant.

Good luck,
Gideon

"Gideon" wrote :

We've had catnip for 30 years and it has endured our cats and
neighbors cats. Nothing kills it. We wack it back severely
every fall and it regenerates every Spring and endures another
growing season's worth of abuse from the many cats who visit
our herb garden. Ours has never grown very tall, but it
appears that it would spread out to horizontally to infinity
if we allowed it.

I'd suggest one of two things:
1) Let the cats enjoy it and let the plant adapt.
2) Toss some moth balls on the ground around the catnip
if you are into catnip but not into cats.

In either case, you should be relatively pleased. Catnip is a
very hardy plant.


Ah, they don't like mothballs? I actually planted the catnip for
the fun of seeing them come and enjoy it, but not before it grows
well enough so they don't kill it.


--
- Popcorn Lover
If you love popcorn too, there are no popcorn groups on usenet
but
there IS one in Yahoo Groups:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Popcorn_Lovers
The internet's first-ever-in-the-world popcorn group!
Share the word on making great popcorn - come join us!

I think the short answer is plant a lot of it.

I put out a row about 10 feet long, and once Fluffy
found it, the poor little plants didn't stand a chance.
She determined that not only did the plants need to be
grazed flush with the ground, but it was also a great
place for rolling and naps.

I think once the plants establish a robust root system,
they can take a bit more abuse, but they first have to
survive long enough. Various screens or cages might help.

Mama Bear wrote in
:

I thought it would be fun to grow some catnip and watch the
cats play with it, so I planted a couple of small plants
across from the front door. I understand the stuff can grow
to 3-4' tall.

yup, it can.

The problem is that the cats won't let it. One of them was
pounded into the ground, it looked like some cat had been
rolling around on it. The other was messed up but not as
badly. And we have cats walking back and forth across the
yard all day now, and we don't even own one.

you don't have enough plants. i have 5 cats currently, 2 of
which are the barn cats & stay outside (let's not start that
outside cat thing again, ok? i have a farm & they're very good
mousers). all my cats are catnip addicts, although some prefer
dried to fresh. i have catnip all over the place. it reseeds
with abandon, plus it's perennial.

So I put a wire screen around the plants to see if they
could grow some. But it looks like one of them is still
getting reached by the cats, right through the wire. The
wire has about 2x4" holes, but I thought I circled it far
enough from the plants so cats couldn't reach them.

you'd be amazed what they'll do for thier catnip 'fix' :)
try chicken wire or hardware cloth & make a box to cover the
plant with about 2' around in all dimentions. a small cat like
my Fianna could squeeze through 2" x 4" wire (but Fianna
prefers her catnip dried. her brother, Rudh, is a fresh catnip
fan. best place to nap, you know)

How do you grow catnip without the cats stopping it before
it grows to a decent size like that?

seriously, there's a lot of truth to the old wive's tale
about sowing catnip seed if you want to actually grow it,
because the cats *do* tend to decimate transplants (unless
you're willing to put in quite a number of them). catnip from
seed just quietly grows. transplanting releases the oils in
the leaves & every cat for miles will know what you did.
lee Rudh loves when i mow over catnip
--
war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength
1984-George Orwell

enigma wrote :

Mama Bear wrote in
:

I thought it would be fun to grow some catnip and watch the
cats play with it, so I planted a couple of small plants
across from the front door. I understand the stuff can grow
to 3-4' tall.

yup, it can.

The problem is that the cats won't let it. One of them was
pounded into the ground, it looked like some cat had been
rolling around on it. The other was messed up but not as
badly. And we have cats walking back and forth across the
yard all day now, and we don't even own one.

you don't have enough plants. i have 5 cats currently, 2 of
which are the barn cats & stay outside (let's not start that
outside cat thing again, ok? i have a farm & they're very good
mousers). all my cats are catnip addicts, although some prefer
dried to fresh. i have catnip all over the place. it reseeds
with abandon, plus it's perennial.

So I put a wire screen around the plants to see if they
could grow some. But it looks like one of them is still
getting reached by the cats, right through the wire. The
wire has about 2x4" holes, but I thought I circled it far
enough from the plants so cats couldn't reach them.

you'd be amazed what they'll do for thier catnip 'fix' :)
try chicken wire or hardware cloth & make a box to cover the
plant with about 2' around in all dimentions. a small cat like
my Fianna could squeeze through 2" x 4" wire (but Fianna
prefers her catnip dried. her brother, Rudh, is a fresh catnip
fan. best place to nap, you know)

How do you grow catnip without the cats stopping it before
it grows to a decent size like that?

seriously, there's a lot of truth to the old wive's tale
about sowing catnip seed if you want to actually grow it,
because the cats *do* tend to decimate transplants (unless
you're willing to put in quite a number of them). catnip from
seed just quietly grows. transplanting releases the oils in
the leaves & every cat for miles will know what you did.
lee Rudh loves when i mow over catnip


Ok, next spring I'll sow a packet of it. :)


--
- Mama Bear

In article ,
says...
Ok, next spring I'll sow a packet of it. :)

Think larger. 3 packets failed to survive my 1 cat.

Ol' Duffer wrote :

In article ,
says...
Ok, next spring I'll sow a packet of it. :)

Think larger. 3 packets failed to survive my 1 cat.



Do they sell it by the pound? :)


--
- Mama Bear

Mama Bear wrote:

Do they sell it by the pound? :)


Sure! Those dogs are sneaky!

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Have an outdoor project? Get a Black & Decker power tool::
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/blackanddecker/

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 15:12:13 -0500, Mama Bear
wrote:

Ol' Duffer wrote :

In article ,
says...
Ok, next spring I'll sow a packet of it. :)

Think larger. 3 packets failed to survive my 1 cat.



Do they sell it by the pound? :)

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/

By the ounce, $6.30; by the pound, $49. Their site says there are
48,000 seeds per ounce.

Somehow, I think it might be easier to go with the birdcage
suggestion!

Mama Bear wrote in
:

Ol' Duffer wrote :

In article ,
says...
Ok, next spring I'll sow a packet of it. :)

Think larger. 3 packets failed to survive my 1 cat.

Do they sell it by the pound? :)

yup, Johnny's Selected seeds does. i suspect any herbal seed
company also will. it's a good relaxing tea for humans.
don't sow all the seeds in one place. plant them in different
spots around the garden/yard. catnip appreciates lots of sun,
but will grow in lightly shaded areas.
if all else fails, buy a pound of dry catnip & sprinkle that
around away from your seedlings.
lee

--
war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength
1984-George Orwell