Catnip planted close to each other?

[endorush85]

I've got a some catnip growing in pots, and 2 of the 1 gallon pots have 2 seedlings in each, practically right next to each other. Basically 2 seeds sprouted in the same spot, so it looks like 1 plant, but it's really 2.

Will this cause problems later on? Will they fight each other? It's too late to separate them I think, the roots are pretty established. Should I kill one?

I've read its not good to have them too close together, but I figure in the wild, they drop hundreds of seeds in the same spot and must grow on top of each other.

Any advice?

 

[oneeye]

That is a good question. Your container can only give you what the plants will take in growth from it. So if you have one plant in one pot you will get more off that one plant and it will be bigger individually. However, If you have two plants in one pot they will be smaller than just one in a pot but you will have two plants instead of one. So it's just your preference if you like having two or one in a pot, either it's okay.

When seed sprouts are tiny I snip the smaller one with the scissors and leave the stronger one. I myself like to grow only single plant pots because that way I get fewer stems and more leaves and flowers. Thanks for question

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I've read its not good to have them too close together, but I figure in the wild, they drop hundreds of seeds in the same spot and must grow on top of each other.

Many plants produce thousands of seeds, but they only need one to relace themselves if self pollinating, most of those little seedlings die off. I think of this this time of year when the oak tree is showering down acorns, an oak tree can do that every year for 400 years, that must be millions of acorns, but only the odd one or two are going to make it to trees.

 

[endorush85]

thanks,

I just separated them int 4 different pots. I had to rip some of the roots apart. The taproots and the roots close to that are still in pretty good shape, hopefully they survive. I'll update in a couple weeks.

 

[endorush85]

its been 2 weeks, all 4 plants have nearly doubled in size, it looks like they'll survive. the bigger plant there is about 1 year old, it has been turning yellow and seems like its getting ready for the winter. that tiny one in the red cup barely had any roots on it, so I'm not sure if it will make it, it's more like a clone than a transplant.

what usually happens in the winter? is it just the roots and stems that survive, and it regrows in the spring? I'm in New England, so we get real winter with snow. you think the 4 younger ones will mature enough to survive the winter?

also, for anyone familiar with catnip, whens the best time to harvest seeds? I cut off a couple flowers a few weeks ago that were still pretty greenish, and the seeds didn't germinate. I've got some more seeds I just pulled off a brown flower that I'm trying now.

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https://imgur.com/N6E1Vng

https://imgur.com/uvKc3r9

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