How to Grow and Dry Your Own Catnip

Those glazed eyes. That feisty demeanor. And oh, the twitchy bliss. Clearly, someones been dipping into the herb again. Not that herb, but the kitty herb of choice: Catnip!

Growing your own kitty psychedelic is not only less expensive then the pre-packaged variety; it's a connoisseurs delight (at least as far as kitty is concerned). Many local pet stores now stock the live plants for your growing convenience. Harvesting and drying catnip is something any pet owner can easily do.

Harvesting Catnip
Nepeta Cataria, or Catnip, is a herbaceous, perennial herb that can be found growing in the wilds of North America. This hearty relative of the mint family is incredibly easy to grow. About the only problem you'll have is finding a place to plant it that is inaccessible to your cats! The chemical nepetalactone is what triggers the familiar and predictable response in our four-footed friends, but lesser known is the calming effect that some believe it has on humans as well. For this reason, many alternative practitioners regularly recommend catnip as a beneficial tea to soothe the nerves. Though, according to the website Drug.com, there hasn't been scientific research to support this claim.

Catnip typically grows to a height of about three feet and is ready to harvest when it's reached about a foot tall. Don't feel you must wait until any official harvest, however; pinching small quantities from it throughout the growing season will not only help the plant fill out, but is a great way to give kitty a sample of what's to come. Extra pinches can be thrown into a wide-mouthed jar and left to dry on their own.

Air Drying
When the catnip is fully flowered and ready to harvest, gather a good sized bunch of around 10–12 stems and bind it with twine, wire or thread at the base. Drying catnip upside down will allow the essential oils to settle into the plants vegetation as well as help the herb to dry evenly. Wrap it fairly tightly, and check it after a week or so as the wire tends to loosen as the stems dry.

If hanging the catnip is somewhat impractical, it can be placed loosely in a perforated paper bag, and stored in a dark cabinet, preferably one kitty cannot get to, as the delectable aroma of drying catnip may prove to be irresistible.

Using either process, the catnip should take between seven to 10 days to dry fully.

Storing Catnip
As with any quality herb, keep your dried catnip buds in a sealed and airtight container, such as a widemouthed jar or a Ziploc baggie. Catnip can be kept for up to two years using this method. Be sure to store it out of reach from desirous kitty paws!

Additional Points to "Pawnder"
- Never microwave catnip to dry it. Not only will doing so smell up the kitchen, it will rob the plant of its volatile oils and render it ineffective.

- When you've decided to treat your cat to a little herb, remember to keep the video camera handy!

Tags: cat, catnip, Cats, dryingcatnip, harvestingcatnip