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Lemongrass is a fragrant grass-like herb that is most commonly used in cooking, and it can be easily cultivated at home.
With the proper attention and care, lemongrass can thrive in almost any garden setting – or even in a pot indoors.
Read on below, explore the basics of planting, caring for, and harvesting your own lemongrass!
Planting Lemongrass
Start by finding a suitable location for your lemongrass to grow. Lemongrass prefers full sun and well-drained soil.
If you live in an area with clay soil, you may need to amend the soil with compost or peat moss to improve drainage.
When planting lemongrass from seedlings, be sure to space them at least 12 inches apart to ensure they have plenty of room to grow.
Growing and Caring for Lemongrass
Once planted, be sure to keep your lemongrass evenly watered to avoid stress on the plants. Avoid over-watering as this can lead to root rot and other diseases.
Once established, fertilize about 2 to 3 times per year with a well-balanced fertilizer or one that is rich in nitrogen. In other words, a 10-10-10 or 6-5-0 is ideal for fertilizing lemongrass – depending on your garden’s soil health.
Additionally, pay attention to weeds that may invade your plant’s space as they can compete for resources and cause harm to the plant’s health.
The best way to deal with weeds is by manually removing them and then mulching around the base of each lemongrass bush.
Harvesting Lemongrass
When harvesting from mature plants (about 1-year-old) it is best practice to cut only half of the stalk that is above ground level so that new growth will occur each season for future harvests.
The leaves are ready for harvest when they are dark green and fragrant; typically around 4 months after planting. Be sure not to take too much of the stalk as it may damage or kill the plant.
When harvesting leaves from stalks, use sharp scissors or snippers and cut close enough so there is no stem left behind on the leaf blade itself; otherwise, the stems may become woody making them less desirable later on when being cooked with or used in teas and other herbal mixes.
A Final Word About Cultivating Lemongrass
Growing lemongrass can be a rewarding experience; whether you decide to cultivate indoors or outdoors!
To get started all you need is some knowledge of planting, growing & harvesting, and some basic gardening supplies like seeds (or starter plants) and fertilizer – which we’ve provided here for you!
Now go ahead and start growing your own delicious supply of lemongrass! Share your comments below after trying out this guide – we would love to hear how it went!
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