How to Grow a Catmint 'Walker's Low'
Plant Catmint 'Walker's Low' in full sun, in average well-drained soil, in USDA zones 4 to 8. Shear the whole plant back by half once the first bloom fades to trigger a second full flush. Divide every 3 to 4 years to keep the clump vigorous, and expect blooms from late spring through fall.
Where to plant
Catmint 'Walker's Low' is a clumping herbaceous perennial for USDA zones 4 to 8. The plant dies back to the ground each winter and resprouts from the crown in spring. It tolerates a wide range of soils as long as drainage is good, and it shrugs off heat, drought, and deer pressure better than most flowering perennials.
Sun
Full sun produces the densest mound and the heaviest bloom. Six or more hours of direct sun is the target. Less than four hours produces a floppy plant with sparse flowers.
In zones 7 and warmer, light afternoon shade through the hottest part of summer prevents fading of the lavender-blue flower color and keeps the foliage looking fresh.
Drainage
Well-drained soil is essential. Catmint hates wet feet, especially in winter. Dig a one-foot test hole and fill it with water. If water sits overnight, build a raised mound 6 to 12 inches above grade and plant on top of it.
Soil
Average garden soil is fine. Lean soils actually produce sturdier upright plants than rich ones, where heavy growth can cause floppy stems that splay open at the center. Avoid heavy clay unless it is amended with grit and built up into a raised mound.
Space
Catmint 'Walker's Low' matures into a clump 24 to 30 inches tall and 30 to 36 inches wide. Give each plant about 30 inches of clear space. Despite the cultivar name, the plant is not particularly low. It works well along path edges, at the front of borders, and as a softening foreground to roses or other taller plants.
How to plant
Plant in spring after the last frost or in early fall at least six weeks before the first hard frost. Container-grown plants can go in any time during the growing season, but cool-weather planting establishes fastest.
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1Dig a hole the same depth as the pot Twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Catmint dislikes being planted too deeply, where the crown sits below the surface and rots.
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2Loosen the root ball If the roots are densely matted, tease them apart by hand or score the sides with a knife. Roots that go in tightly bound never break out into the surrounding soil.
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3Set the plant at soil level The top of the root ball should sit level with the surrounding soil, no deeper. The crown is the most rot-prone part of the plant and should never be buried.
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4Backfill with native soil Use the soil you dug out, with maybe a handful of compost mixed in if the soil is poor. Heavy amendments are not needed. Catmint thrives in lean soils.
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5Water deeply Soak the entire root zone until the top six inches feel uniformly damp. This first watering settles the soil around the roots.
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6Mulch one to two inches deep Use shredded bark or gravel, kept well clear of the crown. A thin gravel mulch around the crown helps keep the base dry and reduces winter rot in wet climates.
Watering and feeding
Watering
Water deeply once a week through the first growing season to help the plant establish, soaking the root zone rather than splashing the leaves. Drip irrigation or a soaker hose at the base works best.
After the first year, Catmint 'Walker's Low' is drought-tolerant and gets by on rainfall in most years. A deep watering during extended summer dry spells keeps the foliage from going prematurely brown. Overwatering causes more problems than underwatering with this plant.
Feeding
A single light feeding in early spring is plenty. Use a balanced slow-release fertilizer at half the labeled rate, or work a thin layer of compost around the base of the plant.
Heavy feeding produces floppy growth that splays open at the center after bloom. If the plant looks healthy and is blooming well, skip fertilizer entirely from the second year on.
Pruning
Catmint 'Walker's Low' benefits from one major mid-season cut and a clean fall or spring cutback to the ground. The mid-season shear is the single most important pruning task and the reason this plant blooms for so long.
Mid-season shearing
When the first heavy flush of bloom starts to fade and the plant begins to look tired (usually mid summer), shear the entire plant back by about half with hedge shears or a sharp pair of pruners. The plant looks rough for a week, then pushes a wave of fresh foliage and a second full bloom that carries through to fall.
If the plant has flopped open at the center, the shearing also resets the shape. The new growth comes in upright and tidy.
End-of-season cutback
After a hard frost in fall, the foliage browns and dies back to the ground. Cut the dead growth to about 2 inches above the crown any time from late fall through early spring. Some gardeners leave the dead stems standing through winter to mark the plant's location and provide a little crown protection.
Dividing crowded clumps
After 3 to 4 years, the clump can get crowded and the center may die out. Divide in early spring just as new growth pushes. Lift the whole clump with a fork, split it into 2 or 3 pieces with a sharp spade, and replant the outer healthy sections. Discard the dead center.
Blooming and color
Catmint 'Walker's Low' is grown for the long flush of lavender-blue flower spikes that cover the mound from late spring through fall, especially with mid-season shearing. The flowers are mildly fragrant when crushed, and the plant hums with bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds through the bloom.
Bloom timing
First bloom starts in late spring (May or June depending on the zone) and runs heavily for four to six weeks. After mid-season shearing, a second flush comes on in late summer and carries through to the first frost.
Without shearing, the first bloom slowly fades and the plant looks tired through mid summer with light scattered re-bloom. The shearing is what unlocks the long color season.
Pollinator value
Bees of all kinds, butterflies, and hummingbirds visit the flower spikes constantly through the bloom. A planting of three or more plants creates a strong pollinator stop that you can sit next to and watch.
Cutting for arrangements
Cut individual flower spikes at full color for indoor arrangements. Each stem holds 4 to 6 days in a vase. The aromatic foliage works well alongside roses and peonies in late spring and early summer bouquets.
Foliage and crushed scent
The gray-green foliage holds its color through the season and crushes with a sharp herbal scent that some cats find irresistible. The scent is more subtle than the cat-attracting herb, but Catmint 'Walker's Low' can still attract neighborhood cats to roll in it.
Common problems and pests
Catmint 'Walker's Low' is one of the toughest perennials in cultivation. The few common problems are easy to spot and easy to fix.
Plant flops open at the center after bloom
Caused by rich soil, overwatering, or too little sun, all of which produce overly lush growth that cannot support its own weight. Lean back on fertilizer and water from the second year on. Shear the plant by half right after the first bloom fades to reset the shape, and the fresh growth comes in upright.
Cats rolling on or chewing the plant
Catmint is mildly attractive to some cats. Damage is usually mild and the plant recovers easily. If a particular cat shreds the plant repeatedly, a low temporary fence of stakes and twine around the plant deters cats while the new growth establishes.
Yellow leaves and rotting crown
Almost always from poor drainage or planting too deep. Lift the plant if possible and replant on a raised mound with the crown right at soil level. Reduce watering. A thin gravel mulch around the base reduces ongoing crown rot risk in wet climates.
Sparse bloom and weak growth in year three or four
The clump has outgrown its space and the center has died out. Divide in early spring by lifting the clump with a fork, splitting it into 2 or 3 pieces, and replanting the healthy outer sections.
Powdery white film on leaves
Powdery mildew, occasional in humid weather with crowded planting. Thin neighboring plants to improve airflow. Avoid overhead watering. Mild outbreaks clear on their own once weather changes, while persistent outbreaks respond to a horticultural oil or potassium bicarbonate spray.
Slugs chewing new spring growth
Slugs occasionally graze on tender new shoots in cool damp spring weather. Hand-pick at dusk, set out beer traps near the plant, or scatter iron phosphate slug bait around the crown. Damage is mostly cosmetic and the plant grows past it quickly.
No re-bloom after the first flush
The plant was not sheared back. Catmint 'Walker's Low' needs a hard shearing to half its height once the first bloom fades. Without that cut, the plant sets seed and slowly stops flowering.
Plant disappears entirely in winter
Normal. Catmint dies back to the ground each winter and resprouts from the crown in spring. Mark the spot so you do not dig into it. Resprouting can be slow in the coldest zones, so wait until late spring before assuming the plant is dead.
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