Planting Valerian
Valerian is a cool season herb in the Caprifoliaceae family. Getting the timing right is the difference between a strong stand and a disappointing one, so the windows below are given relative to your own last spring frost and first fall frost rather than a generic calendar date. Look up your local frost dates and count back or forward from there.
Valerian is started indoors 8–10 weeks before your last spring frost date, giving seedlings a head start before they move outside.
You can sow Valerian directly into the garden 0–2 weeks before your last frost.
Valerian can be grown by starting indoors and direct sowing. Starting indoors gives the longest, most controlled season, while direct sowing is simplest where the season is long enough.
Spacing and Planting Depth
Give Valerian room to mature. The figures below come from verified extension and seed-supplier data for typical varieties.
| Spacing in row | 18 inches |
|---|---|
| Row spacing | 24 inches |
| Plants per sq ft | 0.33 |
| Planting depth | 0 inches |
| Sun requirement | Partial sun |
Days to Maturity
Valerian reaches maturity in 120–150 days from transplant.
Valerian is ready to harvest after about 135 days. Harvest before summer heat or, for fall crops, before a hard freeze, to keep quality high.
Conditions and Care
As a cool-season herb, Valerian does its best growing in the cooler weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. It is frost hardy and can shrug off light freezes, so it can stay in the ground later into the season than tender crops.
Valerian grows well in partial sun and tolerates some afternoon shade, which can help slow bolting in warm weather. Sow seed about 0 inches deep — small seed is sown shallow and barely covered, then keep the soil evenly moist until seedlings establish.
Valerian belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family; rotating where you grow members of this family each year helps limit the build-up of soil-borne pests and disease. Valerian is generally grown as a single planting each season rather than succession sown.
Growing Notes
Perennial; surface-sow. Roots harvested year 2.