Watering schedule
How often to water Six Hills Giant Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii 'Six Hills Giant') — the schedule
Also called Six Hills Giant catmint, tall catmint.
More about six hills giant catmint
About Six Hills Giant Catmint
Nepeta x faassenii 'Six Hills Giant' · also called Six Hills Giant catmint, tall catmint · flowering
Six Hills Giant is the tallest, most vigorous garden catmint, sending up arching stems of grey-green foliage smothered in violet-blue flowers from early summer to autumn. Tougher and bigger than common catmint, it makes a billowing front-of-border drift, edges paths and underplants roses. Bees adore it, and shearing after the first flush guarantees a strong rebloom.
Ideal humidity: 30-50%
Watch for — Powdery mildew: White coating in humid, crowded plantings. Space generously, cut out affected stems, and water at the base rather than overhead.
The watering schedule, season by season
Six Hills Giant Catmint flowers best on steady, even moisture — let it dry out hard and it drops buds; keep it soggy and the roots rot before it can bloom. The base rhythm for six hills giant catmint is when the top 3-4 cm of soil is dry; about every 7-10 days while establishing, then seldom, but the real interval moves with the season, the light and the pot — so treat the figures below as a starting point and always confirm with the plant itself.
- Spring & summer (active growth): Spring and summer (active growth and bloom): keep evenly moist, watering when the top 2-3 cm is dry — typically every 7-10 days.
- Autumn (slowing down): Autumn: ease back as flowering finishes and growth slows; let it dry a little more between waterings.
- Winter (rest / dormancy): Winter / rest: water sparingly while it rests, then resume as new growth and buds appear.
Highly drought-tolerant once rooted in. Water deeply but infrequently and let the soil dry out between waterings; constant moisture rots the crown.
Want this turned into a live reminder that adjusts to your home and the weather? The Growli watering calculator takes your pot size, light and season and returns a starting interval for six hills giant catmint in seconds.
How to tell six hills giant catmint needs water
A calendar is the worst way to water six hills giant catmint. Check the plant and the soil instead — for this species, look for these signals in order:
- The top 2-3 cm of soil is dry to the touch.
- Leaves or flower stems lose turgor and start to droop.
- Buds stall or the pot feels light.
The most reliable single check is the first one on that list. When two signals agree, water; when they disagree, wait a day and look again — under-watering six hills giant catmint for a day is almost always safer than over-watering it.
Overwatering vs underwatering six hills giant catmint
The two failure modes can look alike at a glance, so check the soil weight and wetness before you decide. For six hills giant catmint specifically:
Signs you are overwatering
- Yellowing leaves, bud drop, and a heavy, constantly wet pot.
- Mushy stems or crown rot at soil level.
- Fungus gnats and a sour soil smell.
Signs you are underwatering
- Wilting, bud and flower drop, and crispy leaf edges.
- A faded, stressed look and a rootball that has pulled from the pot sides.
Erratic watering — bone dry then flooded — makes six hills giant catmint drop its buds and flowers. Consistency through the budding period is what protects the display.
Water quality notes
Tap water is generally fine for six hills giant catmint unless your water is very hard; rainwater is a safe default if leaf tips brown.
Seasonal and environmental adjusters
Every figure above shifts with the conditions in your home. For six hills giant catmint, the levers that matter most are:
- A blooming plant in good light drinks faster than a resting one — shorten the interval during flowering.
- Brighter, warmer spots dry the pot faster; check before watering rather than fixing a date.
- Empty the saucer after every water so the roots are never sitting in run-off.
Pot choice is part of this too — work out the right size with the pot size calculator, since a pot that is too big stays wet long enough to rot the roots of six hills giant catmint.
Six Hills Giant Catmint watering — frequently asked questions
How often should I water six hills giant catmint?
Water six hills giant catmint when the top 3-4 cm of soil is dry; about every 7-10 days while establishing, then seldom. Spring and summer (active growth and bloom): keep evenly moist, watering when the top 2-3 cm is dry — typically every 7-10 days. Winter / rest: water sparingly while it rests, then resume as new growth and buds appear.
How do I know when six hills giant catmint needs water?
The top 2-3 cm of soil is dry to the touch. Leaves or flower stems lose turgor and start to droop. Buds stall or the pot feels light. The single most reliable test for six hills giant catmint is the first signal on that list — checking the soil or the plant directly always beats watering by the calendar.
What does an overwatered six hills giant catmint look like?
Yellowing leaves, bud drop, and a heavy, constantly wet pot. Mushy stems or crown rot at soil level. Fungus gnats and a sour soil smell. Erratic watering — bone dry then flooded — makes six hills giant catmint drop its buds and flowers. Consistency through the budding period is what protects the display.
What are the signs of an underwatered six hills giant catmint?
Wilting, bud and flower drop, and crispy leaf edges. A faded, stressed look and a rootball that has pulled from the pot sides.
Can I use tap water on six hills giant catmint?
Tap water is generally fine for six hills giant catmint unless your water is very hard; rainwater is a safe default if leaf tips brown.
Keep reading
- Watering six hills giant catmint in the UK — hard vs soft tap water
- Six Hills Giant Catmint care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Watering calculator — get a starting interval for your exact pot and light
- Pot size calculator — the right pot keeps watering forgiving
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry diagnosis
- Overwatered plant — signs and how to recover it
- Underwatered plant — signs and how to rehydrate it
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- All 5561 watering schedules in the Growli library