The Do's and Dont's to Harvest Catnip!

I was pretty excited this weekend, cause it was the weekend to put in the new drip system, pics to come soon!  My weekend consisted of corn, poop, drip system and catnip for two straight days.  Im exhausted to say the least.  Ron was pretty excited though, he knew it was catnip time!  He spent all day Saturday outside with me enjoying the heat and installing the new drip system.  Despite strictly being an indoor cat, he was pretty well behaved outdoors and pretty much just laid around all day.

I know its a little late to plant corn, but I thought I would try considering our summer has been the summer from hell.  Really?  Two solid weeks over more or less 100 degrees, Im starting to go crazy (so is the Air Conditioning).  I needed to get rid of the green onions, and frankly they had grown to almost regular onions, so I pulled whatever I have left.  Im sure my co-workers, and family and friends are sick of green onions by  now.  The corn that I planted in the spring just stopped growing, I still havent figured out what happened, so I planted the kernels from the old plants before I threw them in the composter.  I know its a little late, but I thought I would try.

Manure was on sale and Home Depot so grabbed 5 bags, and to tell you the truth I should have grabbed more, but didnt want to touch more!  Im hoping with the addition of the fertilizer it will help the corn grow better then in the spring.

I picked a ton of banana peppers (of course), green onions, and a few cherry tomatoes this weekend.  Its almost time to pick some more tomatoes.  Now, its funny Im not really a fan of tomatoes, I mean I like them, but Im not gonna bust out a tomato and eat it like an apple any time soon.  The banana peppers needed a hair cut so I trimmed some of the leaves and transplanted the strawberry plants into a different planter.  Im pretty excited for next year, considering I transplanted about 10 runners a couple weeks ago.  Homemade strawberry jam here I come!  

Do's with the catnip:                                                 Dont's with the catnip:

Trim often:                                                                   Let your cat help!!!!!

Lock up excited mustache kitty:

Don't plant too many plants:

The one thing I noticed is that catnip grows very fast, and LOVES water.  I planted a couple plants back in April(ish) and quickly realized how much it was going to take over.  Catnip is considered a part of the mint family, and anyone that has ever grown mint (on purpose or not) knows it can take over if not properly cared for.  I have gotten about three trims just like this one, since about June, and I am quickly realizing Ron is enjoying me being is drug dealer a little too much.

Before

See how much it has taken over.  I trimmed it back about four weeks ago and it has already come back with a vengeance!

Step 1:

Trim Trim Trim!  Dont be afraid to give it a close shave.  I think your technically supposed to only cut back a couple inches at a time to not shock the plant and kill it,  Trust me, you wont kill it!  

After

I dont know about the right side, that might have been a little close, but I think we'll be okay.  You can also just cut the stems with flowers, but Ron Burgundy does not discriminate!  He loves the whole plant.

The white flowers are the best part!

It is also a good idea at the beginning to top of your plant too.  It makes the plant focus more on growing leaves and hence grows more like a bush.  If you dont you will just have a bunch of really long stems with little leaves.  This time around I just let it grow!

Step 2: 

I feel like a drug dealer!

Let stems dry for a couple days or until really brittle.  Ideally put it away from curious kitties, and in a dark dry place.  I chose to put it in the greenhouse for a day or two, and that seems to work just fine.  The last batch I hung upside down in a closet for a couple days and that didnt blow over to well when Ron found out where the secret stash was!   

Step 3:

I can usually can tell when the catnip is ready when its breaks up easily in my hand.  I put a couple stems upside down in a paper bag and run my fingers down the main stem and it comes right off.  

Step 4:

Store in a kitty proof container, I found that old peanut butter cans work the best.  Dont store it in a big freezer bag because when friends come over they might look at you weird, kind of like you really are a drug dealer!

This is what your kitty looks like on drugs.  Do you know where your cats are?