When to Plant Catnip in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
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This Catnip guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Apr to Oct
- Days to harvest
- about 11 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Low
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.5
Catnip is a hardy, frost tolerant perennial herb with grey-green, soft, toothed leaves and white to pale lilac flower spikes.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr S/D
- May S/T/D
- Jun S/T/D
- Jul S/T/D
- Aug S/T/D
- Sep S/T/D
- Oct T
- Nov -
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Tropical zone right now, Catnip included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Catnip in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Well-draining sandy loam or moderately fertile soil
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun to partial shade, at least 4 to 6 hours of direct sun a day
- Spacing
- 35-60cm apart, 45cm between rows
- Watering
- deep but infrequent watering, with mulch
- Good companions
- Dwarf Beans, Tomato, Capsicum, Rosemary, Summer squash
Tropical Growing Tips for Catnip
Key Challenges
- Aphids: Sap-sucking, virus transmission
- Two-spotted spider mite: Bronzed, dry leaves and weak growth
- Whitefly: Sap-sucking
- Crown and root rot: Plants collapse, usually in wet soil
Pro Tips
- Light feeder; apply organic liquid fertiliser or top-dress with compost in early spring
- Apply a light straw mulch layer to conserve moisture and suppress weed growth around young plants
- Cut back by one third after initial summer bloom to encourage a second flush of fresh leafy foliage
Pests and problems for Catnip in Tropical
- Two-spotted spider mite Two-spotted spider mite: Bronzed, dry leaves and weak growth Watch
- Whitefly Watch
- Powdery Mildew Space plants well, water at the base and avoid wetting leaves late in the day. Watch
- Aphids Aphids: Sap-sucking, virus transmission Watch
- Crown and root rot Plant in well-drained soil or raised beds and avoid overwatering. Watch
Harvesting Catnip
When ready: Harvest leaves and stems once plants reach 20 to 30 cm tall, ideally as flower buds first form for highest essential oil concentration
How to harvest: Snip stems 5 to 10 cm above ground level using sharp shears or scissors
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Catnip
When do you plant catnip in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Oct
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Apr to Oct
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to May, Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Apr, Oct to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to Feb, Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Apr to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to May, Sep to Dec
Can you grow catnip all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Apr to Oct. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Catnip in Cairns?
Catnip sulks in the wet season, so grow it in a pot or raised bed with sharp drainage and cut it back hard when the rains come.
What soil temperature do Catnip need?
Catnip germinate best when soil temperature is between 15°C and 22°C.
How do I know when Catnip are ready to harvest?
Harvest leaves and stems once plants reach 20 to 30 cm tall, ideally as flower buds first form for highest essential oil concentration
What grows well with Catnip?
Good companion plants for Catnip include: Dwarf Beans, Tomato, Capsicum, Rosemary, Summer squash.
Are catnip salt tolerant?
Only a little. Catnip are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.