Cat Nip Seeds

Posts Tagged ‘cat owners’

• Catnip Seeds Not Sprouting?

  Date: 2010.03.02 | Category: how to grow cat nip seeds | Response: 0

  
  

  Many cat owners enjoy giving their pets toys filled with catnip, a type of mint that is delightful to the feline population. Sometimes owners will buy dried catnip, too, to “recharge” the toy or to sprinkle on a play area, only to notice that their cat doesn’t seem interested in the catnip. The reason is that the dried catnip was likely stored too long and has lost too much of its potency.

  Cat owners often will then decide to purchase growing catnip plants from a specialty store, only to find the price prohibitive. They then turn to the idea of growing their own catnip plants, from seed. The leaves and most especially the blossoms of fresh catnip truly bring out the playful kitten in most cats, and are easy to grow and maintain. They can even be grown in pots on patios or porches, as long as they receive some direct sun each day.

  However, sometimes pet owners will be disappointed to discover that their catnip seeds are not sprouting, or quickly die without even unfurling their first two leaves.

  Catnip seeds are small, round black seeds that are easy to handle and to grow. The catnip plant, Nepeta cataria, is a vigorous perennial that can flourish in both poor soil and harsh sun. With its excellent germination rate and its non-picky growing habits, most people can very successfully grow this plant from seed. So what could be the causes of catnip seeds not sprouting?

  Happily, the reasons people experience problems with growing the seeds are easily corrected and don’t require any expensive equipment or materials to be bought. Look through the list of reasons for seed-sprouting difficulties, then correct any you think may be occurring and sow a batch of seeds again. Soon your cat will be enjoying fresh catnip and you will have a pretty flowering plant that you grew yourself from seed.

  Seed-Sprouting and The Three Little Bears

  Seeds can bring to mind the story of Goldilocks, because like that famously picky porridge-eater, seeds are just as picky about their surroundings. Don’t be fooled by how catnip seeds can sprout in the wild, seemingly without care. Sometimes hundreds of thousands of seeds don’t make it in an outdoor catnip patch while just one or two do. Those are poor odds, and when planting just a dozen or so seeds, those odds are against having any viable seedlings unless care is taken.

  Fertile Ground Needed

  Sure, seeds can grow in regular dirt, but soil that is “too hard” – that is, too heavily packed, too “soft” or loose, carrying fungal spores, or lacking in nutrients is a primary cause of catnip seeds not sprouting. Use commercially prepared potting soil for best results. It is free of weed seeds and plant diseases, and it is designed to be the right density for seedling rootlet growth. Place the potting soil in small containers, such as those designed just for seed-starting purposes. It’s easier to control the seed-sprouting process when the size of each seed-pot is neither too large nor small for the correct conditions to be easily maintained.

  Tuck Seeds in, But Don’t Bury Them

  Some plant seeds are so tiny that they are merely placed atop the potting soil. But catnip seeds need a light covering of soil over them – about 1/8 inch deep. Deeper than that, and you will never see the tiny seedling, as it uses up all its energy before it can emerge from the soil. If you use too little soil to cover the seed, it will tend to be too dry right where the seed rests and it won’t be able to access the moisture it needs to sprout.

  Soil Moisture

  Soil that is “too wet” will inhibit seed germination, and tends to cause fungal death to the few seedlings that do sprout. Soil that is “too dry” doesn’t allow the seeds to form the microscopic rootlets that enable seedling growth and emergence. Try to use soil that is “just right,” in that it is damp without being soaking wet and without tending towards having dry spots right where seedling roots need to go.

  If you accidentally over-water your potting soil, simply let it dry out a bit before planting any catnip seeds. And if adding water to the already-seeded soil, be careful not to “wash” the seeds into the corners of the container, where the walls inhibit rootlet growth and keep seeds from sprouting.

  Water Basics

  Don’t wet your potting soil or water the seeds with distilled water. Seeds need the tiny bits of minerals contained in regular water. Consider using tepid spring water to wet the potting soil and to water the emerging seedlings.

  Tempering Temperature

  Temperature extremes – too hot or too cold – are a primary cause of seeds not germinating and of failing to grow even if they do manage to emerge. For catnip seeds, try to keep the temperature between 61 and 74 degrees F. That mimics spring temperatures and gives seeds their best chance to sprout.

  Shed Some Light on Seed Sprouting

  Don’t place your seed-pots in a sunny window, even though mature catnip enjoys full sun. Seeds need to be in a bright spot, but never in direct sun, which tends to dry out the soil too quickly and overheat the soil around the seeds.

  Fresher Is Better

  Old seeds don’t have a good germination rate, so be sure the seeds you are planting are from last year’s crop. Commercially packaged seeds will always say “Packed for Such-and-Such Year” on them. Look for that date and use them before the year is over.

  Seed-Sprouting Secrets

  If you do everything recommended, and your seeds still don’t sprout, try this trick experienced growers use: Take a very fine emery board and lightly press the seeds onto it, rubbing them slightly – sanding off a bit of the protective seedcoat, actually, to allow the embryonic plant inside to emerge with less energy use. Then plant as usual. Or, soak the seeds in warm spring water overnight before planting, which helps give the seed a micro-boost of moisture in order to sprout.