Sounds like you have more experience with it than me but I think it is a member of the mint family and they take well to shearing almost any time of the year and will kick out new growth. I just have always given it to the cats fresh and have never bothered to dry it- they have to wait for spring and it is usually one of the first plants to green up.

I agree with Nettie, you can harvest all season long. Lucky cats!

That's great to know...I will start cutting some off soon...it's good to know it will continue to shoot out new growth...and it must be a member of the mint family....because someplace sell it as Catmint...and or Catnip..Years ago I had a Siamese cat....he lived to be 19 years old....and when we first moved to this house 32 years ago it was out in the country and catnip grew everywhere wild....for years this cat would come home all glassy eyed and goofy..I didn't know what was up.....one day I followed him and sure enough...he headed strait for the what I soon learned was Catnip...and proceeded to eat it and roll in it ...he had a very nice long ...and healthy life.......>^,,^<...>

After allowing it to do as it will for a couple of few years- I must tell you- it will spread everywhere-
I now harvest as it flowers so no more seeds will spread. The seeds stay viable for at least a few years because it keeps coming up thicker and farther afield each year...
When I harvest- I pull roots and all up and hang upside down till dry and then run my fingers down the stalk over a grocerie bag to strip the leaves. I will then store in smaller airtight containers.
I hope you enjoy your harvest!
Julie

I have a cat who, sadly, is immune to the powers of cat nip, as were my last two cats before her. I miss the insane behavior, the crazy galloping from room to room, the "if I had opposible thumbs, I'd take over the world" look in my kitty's eyes...

Does anyone know why some cats love catnip and others don't?

Kate

Well, Kate, its a result of genetic loss as the cats family ages. As in, the cats DNA gets damaged over time, as do humans, and the progeny have less medicine to embrace. It sounds odd but its true, and scientific. Do some research and you will learn more. Each generation has more damaged DNA to work with in this world. However, even though the cat may not respond to the catnip like the more susceptible ones do, added to its food in moderation should apply the same benefits! God bless

My cats were all from different families, all adopted (neutered/spayed) through the local Humane Society, not multigenerational, so I don't know that aging of the family line would necessarily account for their lack of interest in cat nip.

Kate

I do exactly as Julie does....harvest it ...dry it....then put it in containers....and yes....she is right about it spreading everywhere....it now takes up about 1/3 of one of my perennial gardens.....I am going to pull alot of them up by the roots this year too....it has spread everywhere else in the yard too....but it does grow wild out here....I have never known a cat to be immune to catnip.....but my dad was immune to the Novacain they give you at the dentist.....didn't work at all for him....lucky he had only one cavity in his whole life.....anyway I guess there is someone somewhere who is immune to just about anything....>^,,^<...michele>

Another explanation of the immunity to the effects.

Here is a link that might be useful: More info

I have 2 cats and both of them are affected by catnip but in different ways. My 20 year old siamese get's all wasted and goes to take a nap. My 6 year old orange tabby (who also has a total of 27 toes) turns into a mean drunk. I asked the vet about this and she said it's the same as people and alcohol some people are happy drunks and some are mean drunks. But I have never known a cat that wasn't affected. Poor kitty!!

I have also noticed every cat takes to catnip different....my now deceased 19 year old Siamese would get all glassy eyed and you'd swear he had been out on the town all night...he would stagger in and go sleep it off....I've had other cats that had various stages of...let's fight..drool alittle....now I'm tired.... I also had a big Marmelade orange tabby...he was the sweetest cat in the world and let our little black cat about 1/2 his size push him around...but when he got into the catnip he became King Kong and wouldn't take anymore of the little pipsqueeks lip...>^,,^<..i love cats....i was just outside alittle while ago and gave my neighbor some fresh catnip for her little darling...and then told to watch out....i also had a sheltie dog that use eat the catnip....go figure...>

I have a nice container garden of catnip. How far back can I cut the plants? Will it keep reproducing after trimming? How do I dry it? Thanks.

when do i cut cat nip and put it to dry do i wait for
the flowers to dry up before cutting in the fall