i wouldnt fertilize a mint if my life depended on it ...

that said.. a little of this or that.. never hurt anything ... especially compost

ken

I don't think catmint is really a mint is it? I don't fertilize mine in any way and they are fine. I'd save the compost for needier plants.

i dont either.. lol ... but as you note.. you treat it the same ...

i also thought later that evening.. that if i had limited compost.. i sure wouldnt waste it on .. anything CALLED a mint.. lol ...

one might suppose.. that it is called a mint.. because it has the attributes of a mint ... dont you think ... and in my world.. that is NOT good ...

all i am doing.. is giving a memory trick.. nothing with the word MINT in it.. ever needs anything.. IMHO ....

anyone want to disagree with that.. [besides the gal!] .. lol

ken

ps: and that would include.. the peppermint tree ...

Catmint, while technically a "mint", is nothing like other mints.

It's not exactly aggressive. Frankly, I wish mine was more aggressive, as it hasn't spread or reseeded.

As long as you have at least relatively decent soil, no fertilizing or compost necessary with catmint. You could if you wanted, but not necessary.

Catmint does not behave like other mints for me. I love it in my garden and it took a couple of years to really grow and its one of my favorites! I have it growing the front of the bed where it cascades onto the walkway. I put coffee grinds etc around it but it does well without.

Obviously Ken has never even grown a Nepeta. That's like saying "Devil's Apple" has the word apple in in, so it must be the same as your grocery store apple.

As other's have said, composting is not really needed. The more x-erscape type catmints are good to go, but I do tend to give my Nepeta subsessilis some compost once in a blue moon. Unlike the other types it tends to look more robust with the occasional feeding and not overly dry conditions....

Guessing you have one of the others though, like 'Walker's Low' ;-)
CMK

This post was edited by christinmk on Mon, Apr 22, 13 at 12:50