Fertilising guide

How to fertilise Catmint 'Walker's Low' (Nepeta x faassenii)— schedule & NPK

Also called Catmint, Garden Catmint, Faassen's Catmint.

More about catmint 'walker's low'

About Catmint 'Walker's Low'

Nepeta x faassenii · also called Catmint, Garden Catmint · flowering

A vigorous, drought-tolerant herbaceous perennial prized for its aromatic grey-green foliage and abundant lavender-blue flower spikes from late spring through summer. 'Walker's Low' is a compact, mounding cultivar that attracts pollinators and cats alike. Deadheading encourages a second flush of bloom. Not listed as toxic to pets by ASPCA.

Growth habit: Mounding herbaceous perennial

What fertiliser catmint 'walker's low' actually wants — and why

Catmint 'Walker's Low' flowers best on poor soil — feed it and you get a lush leafy plant with very few blooms, the exact opposite of what you want.

Little or nothing. Rich, especially nitrogen-rich, soil pushes foliage at the expense of flowers in this plant — lean ground is the technique, not a deficiency.

For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for catmint 'walker's low': match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.

How often to feed catmint 'walker's low', and which months

Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For catmint 'walker's low':

Apply a balanced granular fertiliser lightly in early spring as new growth emerges. Overly rich feeding produces excessive leafy growth at the expense of flowers; one light application per year is sufficient. In practice: no routine feeding at all for catmint 'walker's low' — at most a thin compost mulch for soil structure, never a flowering or nitrogen feed.

The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when catmint 'walker's low' is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.

What strength to mix for catmint 'walker's low'

None is the correct answer for catmint 'walker's low'. The flower-versus-foliage trade-off is the whole point: hold back and you get the display.

Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water catmint 'walker's low' first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the catmint 'walker's low' watering schedule.

Signs you are over-feeding catmint 'walker's low'

Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for catmint 'walker's low':

Abundant leafy growth and very few flowers (the classic over-rich symptom).
Soft, floppy stems and a sprawling, leafy habit.
Scorched edges and salt crust if it has been fed in a container.

Signs you are under-feeding catmint 'walker's low'

Effectively never an issue — these plants flower on poverty.
Only on genuinely dead soil: weak, thin growth and few blooms.
A short-lived plant in completely spent container compost.

If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full catmint 'walker's low' care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.

Flushing and leaching the salts

If catmint 'walker's low' has accidentally been fed and is all leaf, a plain-water flush plus a move to leaner soil resets it; otherwise no flushing is needed because you are not feeding it.

Organic vs synthetic feeds for catmint 'walker's low'

Organic options

A thin compost mulch for soil structure is the absolute most; mostly, give it nothing. UK/US: leave it lean — no manure, no liquid feed. Poor soil is the active ingredient here.

Synthetic / liquid feeds

None. Synthetic feeds, particularly anything with appreciable nitrogen, directly suppress flowering in catmint 'walker's low'.

Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.

Fertilising catmint 'walker's low' — frequently asked questions

What fertiliser does catmint 'walker's low' need?

Little or nothing. Rich, especially nitrogen-rich, soil pushes foliage at the expense of flowers in this plant — lean ground is the technique, not a deficiency. Catmint 'Walker's Low' flowers best on poor soil — feed it and you get a lush leafy plant with very few blooms, the exact opposite of what you want.

How often should I feed catmint 'walker's low'?

Apply a balanced granular fertiliser lightly in early spring as new growth emerges. Overly rich feeding produces excessive leafy growth at the expense of flowers; one light application per year is sufficient. Apply a balanced granular fertiliser lightly in early spring as new growth emerges. Overly rich feeding produces excessive leafy growth at the expense of flowers; one light application per year is sufficient. In practice: no routine feeding at all for catmint 'walker's low' — at most a thin compost mulch for soil structure, never a flowering or nitrogen feed.

What strength of feed for catmint 'walker's low'?