The many reasons to grow the herb that is well-known for driving felines crazy. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Catnip is known to drive cats crazy, but it’s also helpful for a variety of human ailments such as anxiety and migraines. The plant belongs to the mint family and contains nepetalactone, which is chemically similar to cat pheromones. Cats love the scent of this plant, so dried catnip is often used in cat toys to entice pets to play.
Some great reasons for growing this herb at home:
- cats love it;
- it will redirect animals;
- has medicinal properties;
- attracts pollinators and beneficial garden predators.
It’s also a tasty ingredient. You can use catnip anywhere you’d use mint: as a tea, chopped into soups and salads, or as a topping for desserts.
Growing catnip is incredibly easy. The low-maintenance plant tolerates a variety of conditions and soil types. The mint-family plant is likely to spread aggressively like its mint cousin. Keep it in a container, if possible.
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