When to plant catmint
Plant catmint from the last spring frost to 3 weeks after it in spring, or 6–8 weeks before the first fall frost for a fall crop. That works out to zone 5b (early May to late May), zone 7a (mid April to early May) and zone 9a (early March to late March).
Catmint planting dates by zone
| Zone | Spring | Fall | catmint ready from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4a | May 15 – Jun 5 | Aug 1 – Aug 15 | Jul 25 |
| 4b | May 13 – Jun 3 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 | Jul 23 |
| 5a | May 11 – Jun 1 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 | Jul 21 |
| 5b | May 5 – May 26 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 | Jul 15 |
| 6a | Apr 30 – May 21 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 | Jul 9 |
| 6b | Apr 24 – May 15 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 | Jul 3 |
| 7a | Apr 15 – May 6 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 | Jun 25 |
| 7b | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 | Jun 15 |
| 8a | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Sep 12 – Sep 26 | Jun 5 |
| 8b | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 | May 26 |
| 9a | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 | May 12 |
| 9b | Feb 4 – Feb 25 | Oct 15 – Oct 29 | Apr 16 |
How to plant catmint
| Plant as | transplants |
|---|---|
| Depth | Same depth as the pot |
| Spacing | 18–24 in |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to harvest | 60–90 days |
| Hardiness | Perennial in zones 3–8 |
Catmint (Nepeta) is a drought-tolerant perennial for zones 3–8.
It is less attractive to cats than catnip.
Very low maintenance once established.
'Walker's Low' and 'Six Hills Giant' are popular long-blooming varieties; both are sterile hybrids that do not reseed.
Catmint makes a good substitute for lavender where soil is too heavy or wet for lavender.
Rabbits and deer usually leave it alone.
When to harvest catmint
Shear by half after the first flush of flowers for a second bloom.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.