When it arrives
Your plug tray
Plant 72-cell plugs directly after hardening off, or pot into 4-inch pots to grow on. They root quickly; pinch tips once to make bushier plants.
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Real dishes from our Field Notes recipes, shared by the people who made them.
Cat's Pajamas grown by our community
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- Mature height
- 14.0 in
- Mature spread
- 20.0 in
- Bloom
- Late-May – peak Mid-June
- Fragrance
- Strong
- Deer
- Resistant
Lavender companion · grow guide
How to grow Cat's Pajamas
Catmint · Nepeta
Catmint is a tough, long-blooming perennial for full sun and well-drained soil. It shrugs off drought, heat and poor soil, and a midsummer shearing brings a second wave of blue flowers.
Check my zone & planting dates
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Full sunLight
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Low waterFast drainage
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pH 6.0–8.0Soil
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Zones 3a–8bHardiness
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14″ tall20″ wide
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ResistantDeer · rabbits resistant
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Mildly toxicPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Cat's Pajamas will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 3a–8b
Spring or early fall.
Your year with Cat's Pajamas
JFMAMJJASOND
When to plant
Spring or early fall.
How deep
Set the crown at soil level, same depth as the plug or as the bare-root crown grew.
Spacing
18–36 inches depending on variety; large types spread 3 feet wide.
Soil
Average to lean, sandy or loamy · pH 6.0–8.0
Fix-it tip: Skip rich compost; lean soil keeps it compact. Loosen clay or plant on a slight rise so it doesn't sit wet.
Sun
Full sun (tolerates light part shade).
In shade it gets floppy and blooms less.
Don’t give up on it
Is it alive? What spring looks like
Small, gray-green leaves sprout from the crown in early to mid-spring. Old stems stay brown; look for new growth at the base.
Spring
Cut old stems; new growth appears early.
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Summer
Big bloom late spring to early summer; shear for rebloom.
Fall
Light second bloom; leave stems for winter.
Winter
Dormant; keep crown dry.
Watering
First season: Water weekly through the first summer.
After that: Drought tolerant; water only in long dry spells.
Feeding
None needed; fertile soil makes it sprawl.
Pruning & deadheading
After the first flush fades, shear plants back by one-third to one-half for tidy regrowth and repeat bloom. Cut back in late fall or early spring.
Dividing
Every 3–5 years in spring if the center dies out.
Winter
Hardy zones 3–8. Leave stems up to protect the crown; cut back in spring.
Summer heat
Handles heat well; may flop in hot, humid weather, which shearing fixes.
Plant flops open in midsummer
Likely cause: Normal after first bloom, or soil too rich
What to do: Shear by half; stop fertilizing
Cats flattening the plant
Likely cause: Cats are attracted to Nepeta
What to do: Protect young plants with a wire cage until established
Center dies out
Likely cause: Age or wet soil
What to do: Divide in spring; improve drainage
Too wet or too dry?
Yellowing and center rot mean too wet; floppy growth often means too much water or fertilizer.
Watch for
- Few serious problems
- Leaf spot or powdery mildew in humid weather
- Cats rolling in plants
Pets & wildlife
ASPCA lists catnip (Nepeta cataria) as toxic to cats: can cause vomiting and diarrhea and makes some cats sedated or stimulated. Ornamental catmints are close relatives.
Deer: resistant · Rabbits: resistant
Finnegan saysStill not sure what’s wrong? Ask Plant Health — describe it or add a photo.
In a container
Good in pots · 2 gallon+
Compact types do well in pots with a gritty mix.
Indoors
Outdoor plant
Needs full sun and winter dormancy outdoors.
Winter chill
No chill needed
Blooms the first summer from plugs and reblooms after shearing; no chill needed.
Growing it on
Plugs from the tray
3–4 inch pots for 3–5 weeks, until roots hold the soil
Garden bed or a 2 gallon pot
Time to move up? Slide the plant out: if white roots wrap the outside of the soil, it’s ready for the next size.
Planting with lavender
Plant it right alongside lavender
A top lavender companion: same sun, lean soil and drought tolerance. Catmint blooms earlier and again after shearing, so the bed stays blue-purple from late spring through summer.
Same bedNearbyIts own area
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