Catnip is grown for one audience — cats — and the harvest is timed to give them the strongest effect. The leaves and flowers contain the compound that delights cats, and it is most concentrated just before and during flowering, in midsummer. Cut the sprigs then, dry them, and you will have a year's supply of cat toys, treats and garden entertainment. The main challenge is not the harvest itself, but keeping the neighbourhood cats from rolling on the plant before you get to it.
Catnip takes 70–90 days to mature, according to the Garden Grove crop data. It is a hardy herb in the Lamiaceae family with low water needs. For the full growing picture, see our growing guide for catnip, and use the Harvest Date Calculator to work out your picking window from your sowing date. Browse the full guides hub and the tools hub for more harvest timing advice, and check your local extension service for dates suited to your climate.
Catnip at a glance
| Growing factor | What catnip needs |
|---|---|
| Days to maturity | 70–90 |
| Category | herb |
| Family | Lamiaceae |
| Cold tolerance | hardy |
| Water needs | low |
Signs catnip is ready to pick
Catnip is ready for its main harvest when the plant is about twelve to eighteen inches tall and bushy, with soft, grey-green leaves and flower buds forming at the tips. The leaves should be aromatic — rub one between your fingers and it should smell minty and slightly skunky. The best time to cut is when the flower buds are opening, because that is when the active compounds are at their peak.
If the plant is already in full flower, harvest it right away — the effect is still strong, but the leaves will start to decline soon after flowering finishes. Watch for cats: if the plant is flattened, rolled on and chewed, the cats have found it before you did, and the remaining leaves will be bruised and less useful for drying. A plant protected by a wire cloche or a basket will give you a far better harvest.
How to pick catnip
Cut catnip stems with clean scissors or secateurs, snipping each stem about two inches above the ground or just above a leaf node. Take the whole stem — leaves, buds and flowers together — because the flowers are the most potent part. Work across the whole plant, taking up to two-thirds of the stems at the main harvest, and leave the rest to regrow.
Harvest in the morning after the dew has dried, when the leaves are dry and the oils are concentrated. Do not wash the stems before drying — brush off any soil instead. If cats are a problem, harvest a little earlier than ideal and dry the cuttings out of reach, because a cat-rolled plant gives a poor harvest. For the full growing picture, see our growing guide for catnip.
The best time of day to harvest
Harvest catnip in the morning, after the dew has dried but before the sun gets hot. That is when the leaves are dry, crisp and most aromatic, because the essential oils are at their most concentrated after a cool night. Leaves picked in the afternoon heat are often limp and less flavourful, and wet leaves picked while the dew is still on them dry slowly and can go mouldy in storage.
Choose a dry day for harvesting if you can, and avoid picking after rain, when the foliage is wet and heavy. If you must pick on a damp day, spread the cuttings out in a single layer in a ventilated spot for an hour before you bundle or bag them. And get the harvest out of the sun straight away — a basket of cut herbs left in the sun for an hour will wilt and lose much of its aroma. Morning picking is a small habit that makes a real difference to flavour and keeping quality.
How often to pick
Catnip is a pick-little-and-often crop, and regular picking is part of good plant care, not just a way to get a harvest. Once the plant is established, you can take a small picking every week or two through the growing season, always leaving enough growth for the plant to recover. Each cut encourages the plant to branch and push out fresh, tender growth, so a plant that is picked regularly stays bushy and productive far longer than one that is left alone.
Do not wait for a single big harvest unless the plant is one you cut whole for drying — for most herbs, steady, small pickings give you better flavour and a healthier plant. Take a few sprigs from several plants rather than a large handful from one, and always leave at least two-thirds of the plant intact. If you go away for a few weeks, ask someone to pick the herbs, or cut the plant back before you leave so it regrows while you are gone.
What happens if catnip is left too long
Catnip left unpicked flowers, sets seed and becomes woody and sparse. The leaves grow smaller and less potent, the stems turn brown and tough at the base, and the plant's growth slows. An uncut plant also self-seeds vigorously, and you may find catnip seedlings popping up all over the garden — which the cats will not mind at all.
If your catnip has flowered and gone woody, cut the whole plant back to a few inches above the ground — it will regrow with fresh, leafy stems within a few weeks, giving you a second harvest. Dry the cut stems even if they have flowered, because the leaves and buds are still potent. The best prevention is the main harvest itself: cut the stems just as flowering starts each summer.
How to store catnip
Drying is the point of the catnip harvest. Tie the cut stems into small bunches and hang them upside down in a warm, dark, well-ventilated spot — somewhere cats cannot reach — for one to two weeks, until the leaves are crisp. Use the Herb Drying Calculator for timing. When fully dry, strip the leaves and flower buds into a jar and store it sealed in a dark cupboard.
Dried catnip keeps its potency for six to twelve months, though it is at its strongest in the first few months. To refresh an old batch, crush the leaves lightly to release the scent. Fresh catnip also delights cats — offer a fresh sprig and most cats will rub, roll and chew it happily — but dried catnip is easier to store and to stuff into toys. Keep the jar sealed, or the cats will find it.
Succession and continuous harvest tips
Catnip is a hardy perennial with low water needs, so there is no annual sowing — a single plant can live for years and will self-sow freely if you let it. The plant dies back in winter and regrows from its roots in spring. Every few years, divide the clump in spring to keep it vigorous, and replant the divisions in fresh soil.
The harvest rhythm is a main cutting in midsummer just as flowering starts, then a second cutting in late summer if the plant regrows well. After the second cutting, leave the plant alone so it can harden off before winter. Protect young plants from cats with a wire cloche until they are established — a small plant rolled flat by an enthusiastic cat may not recover. Once the plant is big and bushy, it can take a certain amount of feline attention.
If you are also growing other herbs and vegetables, our guides to harvesting strawberries and harvesting cilantro follow the same picking principles, and check your local extension service for advice suited to your area.
Frequently asked questions
When is catnip ready to harvest?
When the plant is twelve to eighteen inches tall and flower buds are opening, typically 70–90 days from spring growth. That is when the active compounds peak.
How do I keep cats from flattening my catnip?
Protect young plants with a wire cloche or an upturned basket until they are established. Harvest a little early if cats are persistent.
Should I dry catnip or use it fresh?
Both delight cats, but drying is best for storage. Hang small bunches upside down out of cats' reach until crisp, then strip into a jar.
Will catnip come back next year?
Yes, it is a hardy perennial that dies back in winter and regrows in spring. It also self-sows freely.
Which part of the plant do cats like most?
The leaves and flower buds, which contain the most nepetalactone. The flowers are the most potent part, so include them in the harvest.