How to Grow Catnip for Homemade Catnip Toys

It's not a myth--cats go wild for catnip! You can grow your own catnip to make homemade catnip cat toys, and your furry felines will beg for more. Catnip (Nepeta cataria), sometimes called catmint, is an aromatic member of the mint family that contains nepetalactone, an organic compound that cats sniff for its semi-narcotic effect. (Humans can also enjoy catnip's soothing quality by drinking tea made from fresh catnip.) With a few basic gardening supplies, anyone can grow catnip throughout the spring, summer and fall to fill easily assembled homemade catnip cat toys.

Things You'll Need

  • Flower pots or containers with drainage holes
  • Sterile potting soil
  • Compost or other organic fertilizer
  • Catnip seeds
  • Watering can with spray head
  • Scissors
  • Small piece of twine
  • 3-foot piece of twine or ribbon
  • Fabric scraps
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose the location for your containers. Catnip, like most mints, appreciates full sun but tolerates partial shade. A sunny patio, apartment balcony or windowsill is ideal.

    • 2

      Fill the containers almost to the top with sterile potting soil (available at hardware stores, garden centers and discount retailers). Add in a few handfuls of compost or other organic fertilizer and mix with the soil.

    • 3

      Sprinkle catnip seeds onto the soil, spacing them according to the seed packet instructions. Cover lightly with a quarter-inch layer of soil.

    • 4

      Water the pot very gently using a watering can with a spray head to avoid dislodging the planted catnip seeds. Thoroughly moisten the soil, but don't saturate it.

    • 5

      Set the pot in the predetermined patio or windowsill where it can receive at least 8 hours of sun per day. Monitor the soil's moisture and water the soil whenever it feels dry to the touch.

    • 6

      Thin the seedlings when they reach two inches in height. Catnip grows rapidly once it sprouts; when you thin the seedlings you'll see the remaining plants respond with vigorous growth.

    • 7

      Harvest several stems of catnip just after its light purple flowers bloom. (Harvest regularly for continual growth throughout the season.) Snip off the stems near the roots, then tie the snipped ends with a piece of twine.

    • 8

      Hang the catnip bunch upside down until you can crumble the leaves with your fingers. When dried, crumble all the leaves into a saucer. Discard the woody stems.

    • 9

      Make simple catnip cat toys by cutting a circle of fabric about 5 inches in diameter. Pile the crumbled catnip in the center, then bring up the side to form a pouch. Tie the pouch closed with one end of the 3-foot cord or ribbon. Dangle your catnip cat toys off a doorknob or chair back and watch your kitties go crazy.