Cat Grass
Seed # 175
Basic Information
- Seed Number
- 175
- Seed Name
- Cat Grass
- Variety
- Oat Grass
- Category
- Herb
- Plant Family
- Poaceae
- Plant Type
- Oat cat grass (Avena sativa)
- Planting Method
- Start Indoors
- Seed Status
- In Seed Bank
- Created
- 2026-08-14 00:50:34
- Updated
- 2026-08-19 15:35:29
Planting Information
- Start Planting Date
- Jan 1
- Last Recommended Planting Date
- Dec 31
- Plantable Months
- January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
- Indoor Start
- Jan 1 – Dec 31
- Direct Sow
- May 6 – Sep 15
- Transplant
- Not Recommended
- Indoor Start Weeks Before Frost
- Not recorded
- Transplant Weeks After Frost
- Not Recommended
- Germination Days
- 3–7 days
- Harvest/Maturity
- 10–15 days to pet-grazing height
- Succession Planting
- 14 days
Growing Conditions
- Ideal Soil Temperature
- Not recorded
- Planting Depth
- 1/4-1/2 in
- Plant Spacing
- Dense sowing in containers
- Row Spacing
- Not recorded
- Thin-To Spacing
- Not recorded
- Sun Requirements
- Full sun to partial shade; bright light indoors
- Water Needs
- Keep evenly moist during germination and active growth but avoid waterlogged soil
- Soil Preference
- Well-drained potting mix or fertile garden soil
- Minimum Container Size
- 4-6 in deep
- Plant Height
- 2-4 in at pet-grazing stage
- Perennial/Biennial Status
- Annual
- Container Friendly
- Yes
- Trellis/Support Needed
- No
- Frost Tolerant
- Yes
- Heat Tolerant
- No
- Drought Tolerant
- No
- Pollinator Friendly
- No
- Medicinal
- No
Garden Uses
ContainerCompanion Planting
No companion relationships recorded.
Storage
- Seed Source/Brand
- Burpee
- Packet Year
- Not recorded
- Quantity Notes
- Not recorded
- Purchase Date
- Not recorded
- Expiration Year
- Not recorded
- Storage Box
- Not recorded
- Container
- Not recorded
- Envelope
- Not recorded
- Row
- Not recorded
- Slot
- Not recorded
- Storage Notes
- Not recorded
Notes
Original Planting Method: Direct sow densely in a tray or container
Original Start Planting Date: Any time indoors
Original Last Suggested Planting Date: No last date indoors
Outdoor / Direct Sow / Transplant Window: Year-round indoors; spring through early fall outdoors
Germination Time: About 4–10 days
Days to Harvest / Bloom: Usually ready as young cat grass about 7–14 days after sprouting
Container Friendly: Yes; ideal use
Pollinator Friendly: No meaningful benefit as young grass; mature oats are wind-pollinated
Medicinal / Herbal Use: Pet forage; not a medical treatment
Perennial?: No; annual grass
Succession / Reusable Notes: Start a fresh tray every 1–2 weeks for continuous tender grass.
Zone 6B Notes: Indoor growing makes Zone 6B timing mostly irrelevant.
Companion Plants: Best grown alone in its own tray/container
Avoid Planting Near / Watch Outs: Overwatering and poor airflow can cause mold. Use untreated seed intended for growing; replace old trays rather than keeping indefinitely.
Sources: Burpee: https://www.burpee.com/blog/encyclopedia__catgrass-article.html
[[RESEARCH ENRICHMENT START]]
Zone 6B: Cat grass is most conveniently grown indoors year-round. Outdoor sowing is also possible during the growing season, but young tender grass is usually harvested long before oats reach maturity.
Germination: Sow seed densely in a shallow container, cover lightly and keep evenly moist. Germination is rapid under normal indoor conditions.
Harvest: Oat grass is ready for cats to nibble when shoots are approximately 2-4 inches tall, commonly around 10-15 days after sowing.
Seed Saving: Cat grass is normally harvested far before seed maturity. To save oat seed, plants would need to be grown to full cereal maturity rather than maintained as young cat grass.
Special Care: Oat grass is one of several cereal grasses commonly sold as cat grass. Replace or resow containers as growth becomes coarse or damaged.
Research Source: Epic Gardening — https://shop.epicgardening.com/products/cat-grass-seeds — Poaceae cat grass, 10-15 day maturity to 2-4 inch pet-grazing height, annual habit, full sun to partial shade and container suitability
Research Source: Outsidepride — https://www.outsidepride.com/resources/planting/cat-grass-planting/ — year-round indoor growing, bright-light requirement and outdoor sowing after frost
[[RESEARCH ENRICHMENT END]]