How many days does it take for Nepeta to germinate?

Nepeta, also known as catnip and camphor grass, is a perennial herb of the genus Nepeta in the family Lamiaceae. The whole plant can be used as medicine and has multiple medicinal effects. It is also a common ingredient on the summer table and has broad prospects for planting. So how many days does it take for Schizonepeta to germinate? Let’s learn more about it below.

How many days does it take for Nepeta to germinate?

The germination and emergence time of Nepeta is affected by many factors, including temperature, humidity, soil texture and seed quality. But under normal circumstances, it takes about 10-15 days for Nepeta to germinate.

How to plant Nepeta so that it germinates quickly?

1. Site selection and land preparation

Schizonepeta is not very demanding on soil, is tolerant to barrenness, and grows better in loose, fertile, alkaline sandy loam with convenient irrigation and drainage. One month before sowing, plow the land to a depth of 34-50 cm, make ridges 135-170 cm wide and 10-13 cm high, and finely level the soil to facilitate the growth of seedlings.

2. Apply enough basal fertilizer

Land preparation must be meticulous, and sufficient base fertilizer must be applied, such as 3,000 kg of soil and miscellaneous fertilizer, 20 kg of urea, and 50 kg of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer per mu. In addition, during the subsequent growth period, appropriate amounts of topdressing should be applied according to soil fertility.

3. Seed treatment

Choose mature and full seeds as seeds. Before sowing, mix the seeds with 0.2% of 40% double wettable powder or 50% Fuduo suspension at a concentration of 0.2%, or soak them in 500 times liquid for 5 minutes, then coat them with SA water-retaining agent before sowing. Fluid seeding technology can also be promoted to accelerate emergence and reduce the chance of infection.

4. Key points for sowing

Nepeta can be broadcasted or sown in rows, with row sowing being the main method. It can be sown in spring or summer. The row spacing for spring sowing is 30-35 cm, and for summer sowing is 20-25 cm. Dig shallow furrows 0.5 cm deep and spread the seeds evenly into the furrows or on the ridge surface. After sowing, cover with 300-350 kg of scorched mud, tamp it down with your feet, and then cover the surface of the soil with straw, but it should not be too thick.

5. Post-sowing management

After sowing, keep the soil moisture at around 65% to help the seedlings grow full and strong. Thinning can begin when the Nepeta seedlings are 6-7 cm tall. Thinning should be done several times, and finally the seedlings should be left and planted at a spacing of 10-16 cm. After the plants are planted, harvesting begins when they are 20 cm tall. Depending on the growth of the schizonepeta, harvesting can be done from bottom to top every 7-10 days for several times.

In general, the germination and emergence time of Nepeta tenuifolia is not fixed, and there are many factors that affect it. However, in order to make it germinate and emerge quickly, the key is to provide it with a suitable growth environment and do a good job of management before and after sowing, which can effectively improve the yield and quality of Nepeta.