#8 – Marloe Scott Wilson, Keep it Green: Notes from Herb Heaven – Catnip
Also known as Catmint
Catnip and catmint are one and the same thing, although N. Mussinii is a smaller variety and not as doted on by cats as the N. Cataria, whose leaves they eat and in which they love to roll. They will also play with catnip-filled soft toys and delight you with their antics.
It is said not to grow well in lowland tropical regions, but catnip does well in most other climates and although it will grow in partial shade, its scent is stronger when grown in the sun. Catnip is a mint and loves water and although it does not like to be soggy, in dry weather it needs regular watering.
Put lots of organically rich compost in the soil and feed it with a nitrogen rich food in the spring. Try chicken manure or comfrey tea.
Catnip grows readily from seed and you can take cuttings as well, which will take 1 – 2 weeks to root.
It is a perennial and does well with a yearly pruning. (Pruning day in my garden is “haircut day” for the bushes!) Use the cuttings to make an excellent insect repellent spray. It helps against aphids and rats don’t like the smell of catnip either.
Catmint is a good companion in the vegetable garden, especially with eggplant/aubergine/brinjal as it repels flea beetle and ants.
It settles upset tums, is an anti-flatulent, great for indigestion and good for arthritis and
headaches. A sprig of both catnip and marjoram, steeped together in half a cup of boiling water, strained and sweetened with honey is used to treat bedwetting.
The herbal properties of catmint leaves are also said to stimulate hair growth and soothe scalp irritation. (And we thought it was great just for pussycats!)
To Preserve:
Pick leaves when the plant is in bloom; hang in a cool place to dry. Strip the leaves and store in an airtight jar. Wrap leaves in cling wrap and freeze for up to three months.
The mauve, blue and grey flowers of N. mussinii or the powder blue flowers of N. faassenii and the white flowers of the more medicinal N. cataria will attract bees and butterflies to your garden as well as providing you with a remedy for a host of ailments.
Use the vitamin C-rich leaves and flowering tops in a tea to combat a feverish cold and encourage perspiration, or to relieve the pain of indigestion, menstruation or colic. It is an anti-spasmodic and can soothe restless babies, encouraging sleep. Just add 5-10 drops of tincture to a bottle of water or dilute an infusion.
For more information on Marloe Scott Wilson and Keep it Green visit her website:
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