catnip from seed
 

Want to start a pot of catnip, and having some trouble. (Other herbs
work for me.) Put seeds in good (and heat sterilized) pot and potting
soil. Seedlings come up like gangbusters within a couple of days to a
height of two inches or so. Thin them out a bit, and then watch them
just sit. And sit. And sit. For a week. No other leaves or growth. Soil
is moist underneath. No direct sun, but sitting in a window they get a
reasonable amount of light for a fully grown plant.

What's going on???? (Umm, maybe they're being intimidated by my cats,
though the cats haven't noticed them yet.)

"Doug Lassiter" wrote in message
oups.com...
Want to start a pot of catnip, and having some trouble. (Other herbs
work for me.) Put seeds in good (and heat sterilized) pot and potting
soil. Seedlings come up like gangbusters within a couple of days to a
height of two inches or so. Thin them out a bit, and then watch them
just sit. And sit. And sit. For a week. No other leaves or growth. Soil
is moist underneath. No direct sun, but sitting in a window they get a
reasonable amount of light for a fully grown plant.

What's going on???? (Umm, maybe they're being intimidated by my cats,
though the cats haven't noticed them yet.)


Dunno, but you can get relatively healthy plants at PetsMart.

Doug Lassiter wrote:
height of two inches or so. Thin them out a bit, and then watch them
just sit. And sit. And sit. For a week. No other leaves or growth. Soil

First problem. Catnip gets to be a good size. It's a small bush. No more
than 1 plant per pot. :)

is moist underneath. No direct sun, but sitting in a window they get a
reasonable amount of light for a fully grown plant.

Herbs need a lot of sun and relatively little water to be happy.

What's going on???? (Umm, maybe they're being intimidated by my cats,
though the cats haven't noticed them yet.)

I'd just go buy a $2 pot and go from there. :)

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"Doug Lassiter" wrote in message
oups.com...
Want to start a pot of catnip, and having some trouble. (Other herbs
work for me.) Put seeds in good (and heat sterilized) pot and potting
soil. Seedlings come up like gangbusters within a couple of days to a
height of two inches or so. Thin them out a bit, and then watch them
just sit. And sit. And sit. For a week. No other leaves or growth. Soil
is moist underneath. No direct sun, but sitting in a window they get a
reasonable amount of light for a fully grown plant.

What's going on???? (Umm, maybe they're being intimidated by my cats,
though the cats haven't noticed them yet.)

Moist soil and crowding may be the problem:

http://www.holoweb.com/cannon/catnip.htm
Cultivation and Propagation: It is easily cultivated in any garden soil,
with little care, as the plant does not require the moisture that most mint
plants need. Plants should be grown from seed sown where they are going to
stand. Bruised or recently transplanted plants are likely to be eaten by
cats unless protected. The seed should be sown very thinly in rows 20 inches
apart and the seedlings thinned out to 20 inches apart in the rows. It
requires almost no care except occasional weeding.

http://www.gardenguides.com/herbs/catnip.htm
Cultivation

Catnip is easily grown from seed in spring and summer. It prefers good,
fertile soil and partial shade. Soil should be well-drained and slightly
alkaline. Roots can be divided in spring and fall.

Thanks. I've grown catnip many times before, but never from seed. No
point in thinning 2" high seedlings to one per 8" pot. That's what I
call, er, overkill. Austin water takes care of alkaline soil. Might
just want a lot of sun, though, but I didn't have problems a few years
ago with Japanese Mint, which I thought was similar cultivation-wise,
on the same window sill. Off to PetsMart.