health
It's prettier than lavender, and mosquitoes and ticks HATE it: This plant is salvation for every garden, and it's planted right now
Are you looking for an alternative to lavender? Or maybe you want to find an aromatic and colorful plant? Choose an equally striking plant that repels mosquitoes and ticks.
TL;DR
- Catnip is an alternative to lavender, offering aromatic and colorful blooms while repelling mosquitoes and ticks.
- It forms dense clumps with lavender-like flowers in shades of blue, purple, or pink, and some varieties reach up to 120 cm in height.
- Different varieties have specific soil and light preferences: light green leaves prefer moist soil and partial shade, while gray leaves prefer full sun and well-drained soil.
- Planting seedlings is recommended between June and September, with a spacing of about 40 cm, and seeds should be sown from May to June in a nursery.
- Regular pruning is necessary to manage its growth, ideally in early spring after leaving it intact over winter for root protection.
- Catnip's intense fragrance, particularly in Faasen's variety, deters pests but attracts beneficial insects like bees, bumblebees, and butterflies.