Catmint Herb

Catmint herb is a nice addition to your herb garden.  Not only can it be enjoyed as a tea, but it's also an excellent remedy for stress and cold symptoms. 

But don't confuse the herb catmint with catnip. Cats will eat Catnip down to the stem, but they just like to smell Catmint.

Still, this handy herb is a useful part of self sufficient homesteading. Here are six reasons you should be growing catmint.

6 Reasons You Should Grow Catmint Herb.

1.  Catmint Herb is Effective for Discouraging Pests

Catmint herb

Find catmint seeds here.

Rats and mice are said to dislike Catmint, so grow some in front of your storage sheds and your house to keep rodents away.  

The EPA recently banned mouse and rat poisons in pellet form and with good reason. These repellents contain toxic ingredients that can be harmful to your health.

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2.  Catmint Can Also Be Used as a Natural Insect Repellent for Your Garden

Catmint can also be used in the garden to repel unwanted garden pests such as aphids, potato bugs and squash bugs. Commercial insect repellents kill living organisms as well as the pests they’re intended to kill. Those same harmful elements are let loose into the environment where they kill beneficial insects as well.

They also pose a threat to the health and well-being of children and pets who spend time in your garden. Some of the ingredients found in many commercial insect repellents last for years. The residue from these insect sprays can cause cancer and other health problems. You can avoid such risks by using catmint instead.

Make an infusion of Catmint and garlic and spray it on the plants in your garden to get rid of rust, mealie bugs and aphids. It will also get rid of ants.

3.  Catmint Tea for Relaxation

Make a tea out of catmint to ease restlessness and help you unwind.  It's also safe enough for children to ease, helping them sleep and even helping with bedwetting.

Catmint tea helps you relax and enables you to sleep better. The nepetalactone found in the herb catmint helps you relax. It’s great for relieving stress. If you’re looking for a way to calm anxious nerves, drink catmint tea. If you suffer from insomnia, drink a cup of catmint tea to help you fall asleep naturally.

4.  Good for Tummy Troubles

The same way the nepetalactone in catmint soothes your nerves, it can also soothe your stomach. It can help ease problems such as diarrhea, gas pains and an upset stomach. 

Are you suffering from cramping and diarrhea?  An infusion of catmint will help ease the discomfort and will help children suffering from colic. It also helps with delayed menstruation. 

To make a tea from catmint, steep the flowering tops in hot water. Don’t put the leaves in boiling water. Instead, bring the water to a boil and then remove it from the heat for one minute. Then pour the water over the flowers.

5.  Eases the Symptoms of Colds, the Flu

Catmint is loaded with vitamin C.  Make an infusion and allow it to steep for ten minutes. Then sweeten it with a teaspoon of raw honey.  It will help ease the discomfort of a fever.

A catmint infusion will also help increase perspiration, ridding your body of toxins and driving out the infection. It can also work as a diuretic to flush the toxins out of your body.

6.  Adds Flavorings to Meat

Not only is it a good tea, but it was also once used to provide a good favoring for meats.  In olden days, fresh Catmint leaves were wrapped around meat to help flavor and preserve it. Add it to your marinade along with basil for a Mediterranean flavor.

Catmint has a mild mint flavor and is slightly sweet. Add it to your salads for a tangy flavor.

Growing Tips

The catmint herb needs full sun and a rich soil, so add lots of compost to your bed before sowing Catmint and then compost it annually. Also, Catmint likes a moist soil, so water it regularly.

Catmint is a perennial, so once you get it going, it will spread on its own and overcrowd other parts of your garden. Be sure to give it plenty of room.  Harvest this herb by snipping off small sprigs and flowers. This herb is best used fresh.

Grow a Medicinal Herb Garden

Catmint herb is just one of many medicinal herbs you should have growing in your garden. Consider growing balm and enjoying it as a tea as well to reduce stress. The herb bergamot can be used as an antiseptic. Chickweed strengthens your immune system and fights inflammation. Hyssop can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Feverfew can ease the pain of a headache.

Learn About Other Medicinal Herbs

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