Every cat pet owner must have Catmints as a garden plant. The name catmint gained popularity from the attractive aromatic smells pleasing to the cats, hence the name Catmint. They are native to Eurasia, Macaronesia, and Eastern Tropical Africa.
These are herbaceous plants that belong to the mint family. They are easy-to-grow plants that flowers in beautiful shades of purple, blue, yellow, pink, and white. Having them in your backyard can benefit from repelling pests such as mosquitoes, aphids, squash bugs, cabbage loopers, flea beetles, etc.
If you are looking to place Catmints in your garden, then this article is a must-read. Here you will find the best companion plants for Catmint. In addition, we will also discuss the growth requirements of Catmint, followed by pests and diseases that need to be avoided under certain conditions to help increase their longevity.
We’ll also share the two worst companion plants to avoid when planting with catmint plants.
Why Does Catmint Need Companion Plants?
The need for the right partner will encourage each other’s growth. To understand why Catmint needs companion planting, let’s first understand what companion plants are.
Companion plants are those that work well together. Planting companion plants is an ancient practice for growing various plants together. The method increases the productivity of garden plants. Companion planting boosts soil nutrients, repels pests and insects, and aids in many ways. There are other factors like weather, soil condition, watering, fertilizing, etc., are essential for the healthy survival of plants.
Similarly, catmints also need companion plants to promote healthy growth. Planting Catmint with their companions will make the soil rich, attract beneficial pollinators and insects, repel pests and insects, keep weeds out, and provide a majestic look to your garden.
7 Best Catmint Companion Plants
When considering companion planting, Catmint can thrive well with plants that share similar growing conditions. In this section of the article, we will share the seven best companion plants that work well together with Catmint.
Read on to know more.
1. Iris
Iris is an eye-captivating flower; placing them next to Catmint can enhance the color and texture of the garden space.
Irises are pest repellent to protect the Catmint from unwanted pest attacks. Plant them together as they support each other.
Catmint and Iris require excellent drainage, full sunlight, and similar water needs making them good companion plants.
2. Coneflower
Coneflowers and Catmints share cross-pollination that attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies that collect nectar and pollen from flowers, increasing fertilization and better plant growth.
Catmint and Coneflower share equal sun exposure with water as they can tolerate full sunlight with less water requirement or water during dry spells.
Visually they add beauty to your backyard, so pairing them together can be a good choice for your garden.
3. Phlox
Phlox and Catmint are good companions since phlox reduces the spread of powdery mildew. This fungal disease may affect Catmint.
Phlox can be a friendly companion for Catmint because both plants can cross-pollinate to attract beneficial insects that keep both plants healthy.
Both have low maintenance with equal sunlight and water needs. Planting colorful flowering plants together can improve the visual appeal of the garden.
4. Dahlias
Both dahlias and catmints are disease-resistant plants. Plant them together as friendly companion plants.
Dahlias and Catmints are easy-to-grow plants with full sunlight, soil, and water requirements.
Planting dahlias alongside Catmint can increase the visual look of the garden.
5. Roses
Catmint creates great vision when placed with Roses as a bordering plant.
Roses and Catmint have similar growing demands, such as sunlight, and soil type, with good drainage.
The strong fragrance of roses keeps pests away from catmints. Planting them together makes them great companion plants.
6. Russian Sage
Catmint and Russian Sage both belong to the same herbaceous perennial category. They are great serving plants when placed together.
Russian Sage and Catmint have similar growing demands, such as sunlight, water, and well-drainage soil. Both are drought-tolerant plants.
Planting both plants in the garden is beneficial as they are easy to care for with less demand.
7. Foxtail Lilies
Both Foxtail Lilies and Catmint are known for ornamental purposes. So planting them together creates a better look for the garden.
When placed with the different color shades of Catmint, the vibrant yellow color gives a lucrative look to the place.
Catmint and Foxtail Lilies together are drought-tolerant plants. Placing both plants next to each other can be the best choice as their water demands are low.
2 Worst Companion Plants For Catmint
Catmint can thrive with many plants. However, there are some plants that when grown with Catmint, may grow less or compete with its roots. This would result in decreasing the spread and growth of Catmint.
Here are 2 worst companion plants that don’t work well alongside Catmint.
1. Parsley
Planting parsley with Catmint is not a good companion plant because Catmint spreads its roots aggressively, making parsley compete for soil nutrients.
Water requirements for both are different, as parsley needs regular watering, but catmint only requires water when the soil dries off.
Catmint should be grown away from parsley because aromatic herbs attract beneficial and harmful insects, which may damage Catmint and other garden plants.
2. Juniper
Junipers are toxic to cats, whereas cats are attracted to catmints, and planting them together can harm cats.
Juniper releases a chemical named allelopathy. The chemical release is toxic, stopping other neighboring plants’ growth. Avoid growing juniper as it litters out mulch, which limits the growth of catmint.
What Are Catmint’s Growing Requirements?
Every gardener needs to understand the growing requirements when planting certain plants in the garden; let’s look at the catmint plant’s growing conditions:
1. Sun
The first growing requirement for catmint is the sun. Catmint needs to thrive best in full sunlight. They need six to seven continuous hours of daylight for the overall growth of the plant.
2. Soil
The second growing requirement for catmint is soil. Catmint plant is primarily adaptive to dry, clay, sandy, or rocky soils. One of the most important lookouts for catmint is that the soil should be well-draining for potential growth.
3. Water
The third growing requirement for catmint is water. Catmints require very little watering. They are adaptive to drought-tolerant conditions and only need extra watering when the soil is completely dry.
4. Fertilizer
The fourth requirement for catmint to grow well is fertilizer. The fertilizer demand is low for Catmint. But if the soil is very poor, you can apply a thin layer of liquid fertilizer, NPK, in the ratio of 10:10:10.
5. Bloom
The fifth growing requirement for catmint is blooming. Catmint’s blooming time is in the late spring to early summer. The bushy plant flocks its flowers by spreading the aromatic smell in your garden space.
6. Pruning
The sixth horticultural requirement for catmints’ survival is its pruning which involves removing the damaged parts of plants. The trimming or pruning of the branches promotes new growth. Pruning enhances your garden look by giving proper shapes.
7. Color
The seventh statement for catmints’ growth is that it adds beautiful shades of colors to your garden. Catmint plant grows in blue-purple, white, yellow, and pink colors. It gives a pleasant feature to your garden.
8. Height
Height is the eighth growth requirement for Catmint. Full-grown catmint plants need two to three years to reach 6 to 12 inches tall and 25 to 35 inches wide.
9. Life Span
The plant catmint lives for a shorter life span. They are short-lived perennials with a three to five years lifespan, depending on various factors and conditions, such as planted in a pot or in the ground.
Importance of Plant Catmint
Catmint flowers, leaves, and stems are herbal treatments for nausea, fever, cold, insomnia, migraines, arthritis, toothache, and constipation.
Tea made from catmint leaves has stress-relieving properties. Apart from medicinal purposes, they are also used in manufacturing air fresheners, decorations, perfumes, shampoos, aromatic oils, and therapeutic oils.
Grass Diseases And Pests
Catmint can get affected by pests and diseases if not adequately cared for. Poor growing conditions, lack of care, weather conditions, and root rot are the causes of plant decline.
Understanding the basic requirements to deal with these pests and diseases and preventing them is essential to keep this perennial plant healthy.
Here are some of the pests and diseases that can occur with Catmint:
Pests
- Thrips
- Slugs
- Whiteflies
- Spotted spider mites
Diseases
- Blight
- Cercospora
- Septoria leaf spot
- Bacterial leaf spot
Remedies to Protect Catmint From Diseases And Pests
The Catmint plant is susceptible to certain pests and diseases. Here are a few approaches that are needed to protect Catmint.
- Treating the plant with neem oil is an ancient homemade remedy for treating any pests and diseases that may occur in plants.
- Copper fungicide is an organic way of minimizing these problems.
- Practice good sanitation by keeping tools clean before using them in the garden. This can help limit the trouble.
- Keep the ground clean by removing all the weeds for better plant growth.
Conclusion
In the above article, we have discussed the best companion plants for Catmint and their growing requirements. These companion plants will help in healthy growth and result in beautiful landscaping of your garden.
But, to truly enjoy a healthy garden, you must know which plants to avoid pairing with these beautiful bushy flowering plants.
Enjoy planting!