Catmint is a versatile perennial known for its long blooming period and ability to thrive in various conditions, adding soft color and texture to gardens. Companion planting, the practice of growing different plants together for mutual benefit, enhances a garden’s health and visual appeal. This article explores ideal plant partners for catmint, fostering a more harmonious garden ecosystem.
Benefits of Companion Planting with Catmint
Catmint is an excellent choice for companion planting due to its beneficial characteristics. It contains natural compounds, like nepetalactone, that deter common garden pests such as aphids, flea beetles, squash bugs, and Japanese beetles. Catmint also attracts beneficial insects, including bees, butterflies, and hoverflies, which aid in garden-wide pollination. Additionally, it draws predatory insects like parasitic wasps and lacewings that help manage pest populations. Once established, catmint is drought-tolerant and requires minimal care, making it a reliable partner in low-maintenance landscapes.
Ideal Companion Plants for Catmint
Plants with Similar Growing Needs
Choosing companion plants that share catmint’s environmental preferences creates a cohesive and easy-to-manage garden. Catmint thrives in full sun and well-draining soil, tolerating heat and drought once established. Lavender pairs well due to its similar requirements, offering a harmonious look and shared care. Other excellent choices include Coneflowers (Echinacea), Sedum, Russian Sage (Perovskia), and Yarrow (Achillea), all flourishing in sunny, low-water conditions. Speedwell and various Salvia varieties also align with catmint’s needs, providing complementary forms and colors while simplifying maintenance.
Plants for Pest Control and Pollinator Attraction
Certain companions can amplify pest deterrence or broaden pollinator appeal.
- Marigolds deter nematodes and other pests, complementing catmint’s pest-repelling qualities.
- Nasturtiums serve as trap crops, drawing aphids away from desirable plants.
- Borage attracts beneficial insects and deters tomato hornworms.
- Herbs like Chives, Rosemary, and Thyme deter pests such as aphids and mites while attracting pollinators.
- To attract a wider array of pollinators, consider planting Cosmos, Zinnias, and Sunflowers, which provide varied bloom shapes and nectar sources.
- Dill and Fennel also draw beneficial insects, enhancing the garden’s ecological balance.
Plants for Aesthetic Appeal and Groundcover
Companion plants can be chosen for visual harmony. Roses are a classic pairing with catmint; its soft lavender-blue blooms contrast rose colors and camouflage bare lower stems. Ornamental grasses, such as Little Bluestem or Karl Foerster, introduce textural contrast and height variation, creating a dynamic backdrop for catmint’s mounding habit. Daylilies offer vibrant, warm-toned blooms that contrast beautifully with catmint’s cooler hues.
Groundcover Plants
Low-growing plants can fill garden spaces. Creeping Thyme and Sedum groundcovers fill gaps around catmint, suppressing weeds and conserving soil moisture. Petunias and Sweet Potato Vine also function as effective groundcovers or spillers, adding a tiered look and continuous color.
Designing Your Catmint Companion Garden
Thoughtful design maximizes the impact of catmint and its companions. Proper spacing is important, allowing 1 to 3 feet between catmint plants, depending on the variety, to ensure adequate air circulation and growth. Creating visual interest involves layering plants by height: place taller specimens like Russian Sage or Elderberry towards the back, mid-height catmint in the middle, and lower-growing plants such as Hardy Geraniums or Petunias in the foreground. Combining different colors and textures, like catmint’s silvery foliage with deep green plants or bold coneflower forms, enhances the garden’s appeal. A successful design requires a site with full sun exposure and excellent drainage for all components.
Caring for Your Catmint Companion Garden
Maintaining a garden with catmint and its companions is straightforward due to their shared low-maintenance preferences. Newly planted catmint and its companions require regular watering to establish strong root systems. Once established, most varieties become drought-tolerant, needing only occasional deep watering during extended dry periods. Deadheading spent catmint blooms encourages continuous flowering throughout the season. Applying a layer of mulch benefits the entire planting by suppressing weeds and retaining soil moisture. An annual application of compost is sufficient to provide necessary nutrients, as catmint and many companions are not heavy feeders.