When to plant Catnip in Cool Australia
Cool zone — applies to Hobart, Canberra, Ballarat, Orange, Armidale and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.
Raise catnip seedlings from January to March or October to December, then transplant to a sunny, well-drained spot. Seed germinates in 7–21 days and only needs covering to about 5 mm. Space the plants generously at 60 cm apart each way, as this hardy perennial mint relative spreads into a sizeable clump and reaches usable size in 80–100 days. In cool districts like Ballarat, Orange and Hobart, catnip shrugs off winter frost and returns each spring, so one planting keeps giving for years. Choose its position with care, because established clumps are hard to move.
Sowing calendar — cool zone
Green months are your sowing window: October to March.
Growing notes
Catnip is hardy, tough and well suited to cool climates, dying back over the coldest weeks around Canberra or Armidale and shooting again in spring. Because it is a perennial, the two sowing windows are mostly about getting new plants started in mild conditions; once established, a clump needs little help.
The main problem in this zone is not the plant but its admirers. Cats roll on and flatten young seedlings, sometimes killing them before they establish. Protect new plants with a low wire cloche or a few twiggy sticks until they are large enough to survive the attention. Rabbits and the odd possum will also graze soft new growth.
Give it full sun and free-draining soil; catnip sulks and can rot in cold, heavy, wet ground over winter, so raise the bed if your soil holds water. It is drought tolerant once established and actually more aromatic when not over-watered or over-fed. Cut it back hard after flowering to keep it bushy and to prompt a fresh flush of leaves. The 60 cm spacing looks generous at planting but the clump fills it within a season, so resist crowding.
Catnip at a glance
| Sowing depth | 5 mm |
|---|---|
| Plant spacing | 60 cm |
| Row spacing | 60 cm |
| Germination | 7-21 days |
| Days to maturity | 80-100 days |
| Frost tolerance | Hardy |
| Method | Plant Seedlings |
Common questions
- Does catnip survive winter in cool climates?
- Yes, catnip is a hardy perennial that copes with the frosts of Ballarat, Orange and Hobart. It dies back in the coldest weeks and reshoots from the crown each spring. One planting can last for years.
- How do I stop cats destroying my catnip seedlings?
- Young seedlings are vulnerable because cats roll on and flatten them. Protect new plants with a low wire cloche or a ring of twiggy sticks until they are well established and large enough to take the attention.
- Why is my catnip rotting?
- Catnip dislikes cold, heavy, waterlogged soil, which causes crown and root rot over winter. Grow it in full sun with free-draining soil and raise the bed if your ground stays wet. It prefers being on the dry side once established.
- Should I cut catnip back?
- Yes, cut it back hard after it flowers. This keeps the plant bushy, encourages a fresh flush of aromatic leaves and stops it becoming leggy. It responds well to regular trimming through the growing season.
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