Catnip from seed?

I have a packet of catnip seed which I'd love to plant out, but I have discovered that it's better to start it off indoors.

How can I get it to germinate, and will I have to keep it indoors over the winter? I imagine the answers to these questions are blindingly obvious, but I've still got my green-fingered L-plates on :confused:

 

Me I'd wait til early spring, and sow it in a covered seed tray then - rather than trying to germinate it now. But nothing ventured nothing gained, so try and germinate some in seed trays outside now. They are hardy so if you get some seedlings, pot them up - and overwinter them close to the house for planting in early spring

 

I guess I can do some now and save some in case it fails. Would it be realistic to grow some on indoors, and then plant out next summer? I should perhaps add that I have two 12 month old overgrown kittens ... :eek:

 

Only if you keep them out of reach of the babies!

I have grown catnip in a pot indoors. I got a packet in a 'gift' shop which was some disks of compressed compost impregnated with catnip seed. Both grew spendidly indoors - until I let the cats get at them of course!

I always call catnip 'pussy pot' as they get really spaced out on it! Call in the drug squad!

 

Excellent, thanks for your help folks. This site has been brilliant, I now have a couple of lovely big pots of heather growing on my front step and am about to become the proud mother of a proper baby herb! Yay!