Catmint 'Blue Carpet' Nepeta nervosa 'Blue Carpet'

Water

Catmint 'Blue Carpet' requires watering that maintains consistent moisture, especially during its active growing season in spring and summer. It should be watered deeply once or twice a week, depending on weather conditions. Ensure the plant gets about one to two inches of water each week. In hotter, drier periods, you may need to increase watering frequency, while in cooler, wetter weather, you can reduce it. Over-watering or allowing the plant to sit in water can lead to root rot, so ensure good drainage.

Light

Catmint 'Blue Carpet' thrives best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers a spot where it can receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily, while tolerating some afternoon shade in particularly hot climates. Avoid deep shade as it can lead to leggy growth and reduced flowering.

Temperature

Catmint 'Blue Carpet' is hardy and can withstand a range of temperatures, performing well in typical garden environments where temperatures stay between 50°F and 90°F. It can survive minimum temperatures down to about -20°F, making it suitable for many temperate regions. However, the ideal growing conditions are where the temperature does not consistently exceed 90°F during the hottest part of the summer.

Pruning

Pruning Catmint 'Blue Carpet' helps to maintain its shape, encourage bushier growth, and promote more blooms. Prune it lightly in early spring to remove any dead or damaged growth and again after the first flush of flowers start to fade, usually in late spring or early summer, to encourage a second blooming. The best time for major pruning is after the growing season in fall or before new growth begins in spring.

Cleaning

As needed

Soil

'Blue Carpet' catmint thrives best in well-draining soil with a pH range of 6.0 to 7.5. A good soil mix can be made with equal parts garden soil, compost, perlite, or sand to ensure proper drainage.

Repotting

'Blue Carpet' catmint typically does not require frequent repotting and can be done every 2-3 years, or as necessary when it outgrows its current container.

Humidity & Misting

'Blue Carpet' catmint is tolerant of a wide range of humidity levels and does not require any special humidity conditions; average ambient humidity is generally sufficient.

Suitable locations

• Indoor

  Ensure full sun exposure and well-draining soil mix.

• Outdoor

  Plant in full sun, in well-draining soil, and space 12 inches apart.

• Hardiness zone

  3-8 USDA

Life cycle

Nepeta nervosa 'Blue Carpet,' commonly known as Catmint, begins its lifecycle as a seed, which under suitable conditions of warmth and moisture, will germinate and produce small seedlings. These seedlings grow into vegetative plants, developing a rosette of leaves at the soil surface and establishing a root system. As the plant matures, it enters the flowering stage, producing spiky inflorescences of blue to violet flowers that are highly attractive to bees and other pollinators. After pollination, flowers develop into seed capsules containing seeds for the next generation. In perennial habitats, Catmint will enter a dormant phase during the colder months, with the above-ground foliage dying back, while the root system remains alive underground. With the return of warmer weather in spring, the plant will regrow from its roots, repeating its lifecycle.

Propogation

• Propogation time

  Spring to Summer

• Propogation: The most popular method of propagating Nepeta nervosa 'Blue Carpet', commonly known as Catmint, is through stem cuttings. This is typically carried out in early to mid-spring to allow the cuttings to establish roots before the onset of the colder weather. To propagate Catmint by stem cuttings, a gardener would first need to select healthy, non-flowering shoots. A 4 to 6 inch (10 to 15 cm) cutting is taken just below a node, the point on the stem where leaves are attached, ensuring there are at least two sets of leaves. The lower leaves are removed, and the cut end of the stem may be dipped in rooting hormone to encourage root development, although it's not strictly necessary as Catmint roots readily. The cutting is then planted in a well-draining soil mix, ensuring at least one node is buried where roots can develop. The environment should be kept humid and the soil consistently moist to encourage rooting, which generally takes a few weeks. Once roots have established, the young plant can be transplanted to a permanent location in the garden.