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Lemongrass light requirements


Lemon Grass Growing Guide - Daylily Nursery

Author: jlbdev,

Published On: November 20, 2018

Lemongrass is a lovely fragrant plant, that is easy to take care of. Lemongrass has a lemon-citrus cent and can be used as a delicious herb. It’s most common use is as a seasoning in Asian cuisine, and it also works very well as a tea. Lemongrass tea is said to be a home remedy for certain conditions, because of its aromatic qualities, and its high concentration of antioxidants. Lemongrass essential oil is also used for its many homeopathic benefits as well.

Varieties

Lemongrass comes in two main varieties, which are East Indian and West Indian. East Indian is known for having deeper red stems, and thinner stocks. While West Indian have thicker greener stocks, and is more commonly used for culinary purposes. They have few subtle differences and are grown under the same conditions.

When to Grow

Lemongrass loves hot and humid climates. Lemongrass is a perennial in growing zones 10 and warmer but can be grown as an annual in cooler climates, though it may be difficult to grow outside in the cooler zones. If planting outside, plant lemongrass after the danger of frost has passed. Lemongrass takes about 100 days and sometimes 4-8 months to be ready for harvest. Lemongrass also can be grown indoors at any time, and is beautiful in a pot.

Where to Grow

Lemongrass thrives in swampy conditions it prefers warm, moist and humid conditions. Grow lemongrass outdoors only in hardiness zones 9 and warmer. Grow lemongrass indoors year round in a very sunny window. If growing in containers, you’ll likely want at least 5 gallons of space for the plant to get to the size you want it to be. Lemongrass should be grown in full sun and should receive a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight per day although it will still grow a little slower in 3-5 hours as well.

Soil

Lemongrass should be planted in wet, fertile soil. Try to avoid soil with heavy clay. Fast drainage is key. Add lots of mature compost before planting. It will do fine in a range of soil pH, 5.0-8.0.

Planting and Dividing

The best way to start a lemongrass plant is from root cuttings from well established stalks. The stalks should be strong, firm and green. Put the bottom inch in a glass of water and set them in a sunny window. Roots should begin to sprout within two weeks. Plant in soil once the roots are 1 – 2 inches long, usually after about 4 weeks.

Transplants should be spaced 3 feet apart and while planting remember they can grow 6 feet tall, though you can always trim them shorter if need. The soil you plant it in should be compost enriched. Wait until after the last frost before transplanting.

If you have a plant that is already started its pretty simple just dig a hole in appropriate soil roughly the same size as the container the plant is currently planted. Remove plant from soil trying to keep as much of the original as you can and place it in the hole. Water well so it settles snug into its new home.

Watering

Water lemongrass frequently. It’s hard to over water a lemongrass plant, it is used to constant moisture, but it will not tolerate dried out roots, that is the fastest way to kill your plant. No need to keep the soil muddy, but definitely keep it moist. In very dry areas, you should mist the leaves with a spray bottle consistently.

Fertilizing

Lemongrass needs a lot of nitrogen in order to thrive. For best growth use a nitrogen-rich fertilizer on it every few weeks. Be careful if you are planting lemongrass with other plants, because a lot of plants don’t do well with that much nitrogen.

Harvesting

You can begin harvesting lemongrass once it has grown to 1 foot tall. Harvest entire stalks by slicing them off at soil level, below the swollen ends. The stalks you harvest should be from the outside of the plant and make sure the stalks are at least ½ inch thick. You should not break them off by hand, it is better to cut them off, You might need to peel off the outer layer of the stalks before you use them if they are too firm or dry.

Tips & Advice

Lemongrass is a fragrant plant. I recommend planting lemongrass in places that you will smell them. The pleasing smell of lemongrass works well in back yards, along walkways or driveways, or even in your home.

Growing & Planting Lemongrass | General Planting & Growing Tips – Bonnie Plants

Discover how to grow lemongrass. Growing lemongrass in your own garden means having a fresh, delicious ingredient for a variety of Asian dishes.

Lemongrass is a tropical herb packed with strong citrus flavor. The lemon taste is prized in Asian cooking, as well as in teas, sauces, and soups. In the garden, lemongrass forms a tall, grassy clump 3 to 5 feet tall. Its appearance rivals that of many ornamental grasses and can easily fulfill a similar role in the landscape. For an easy path to successful growing, look for vigorous young lemongrass plants from Bonnie Plants®, the company that has been helping home gardeners succeed for over a century.

Quick Guide to Growing Lemongrass

Lemongrass grown in the vegetable garden, herbs have medicinal properties.

Soil, Planting, and Care

Lemongrass thrives in full sun, even in hot Southern locations. Give this herb rich, well-drained soil. To improve fertility and enhance the soil's ability to hold water, improve the soil by mixing in composted manure or aged compost-enriched Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics™ All Purpose In-Ground Soil. If you're adding several lemongrass plants to planting beds, space plants 24 inches apart.

Plant lemongrass in a large pot that is at least 12 inches across, or use a 5-gallon bucket. Be sure to use a premium quality potting soil, such as Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics™ All Purpose Container Mix, which contains aged compost and provides just the right organic nutrition to give lemongrass plants a strong start. Lemongrass grows tall, and pots can easily tip in windy weather, so place containers in a slightly protected location.

Provide a steady supply of moisture for best growth—don't let lemongrass roots dry out. In addition to starting with great soil, fertilize plants every couple of weeks during the growing season with a water-soluble plant food like Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Edibles Plant Nutrition. It improves the nutritional environment for your lemongrass plants by feeding the beneficial microbes in the soil as well as your plants, leading to strong, impressive growth.

In cold regions, overwinter lemongrass indoors by digging up a few stalks, trimming them down to just a few inches tall, and planting them in smaller pots. Place them in a bright, south-facing window. Keep soil barely moist, as plants grow very slowly over winter. Another option is to store a pot of lemongrass, cut down, in a cool, dark place like a basement. Water just a few times over winter to keep roots alive. In spring, bring the pot into a bright spot, and resume normal watering. Shift outdoors when temperatures are above 40°F.

Due to its tropical nature, lemongrass usually only survives winters in zones 8 and warmer. In other areas, try growing lemongrass as an annual in planting beds or tucked into pots. This citrus-flavored grass overwinters well in a dormant state in a cool, dark spot indoors, or you can grow it as an indoor herb through winter in colder zones.

Troubleshooting

Few pests bother lemongrass. This herb is actually sometimes used in concoctions to repel insects. Occasionally, though, spider mites will attack plants overwintering indoors.

As lemongrass grows, it forms a tight clump that's difficult to dig into. Use a sharp spade or hatchet to remove roots in early spring. Slice it like a pie, then pry slices of roots free. Keep an eye on plants in pots. With sufficient water, roots can quickly fill a too-small pot and burst it.

Harvest and Storage

Harvest lemongrass for its bulbous stem bases, rich with lemony flavor, or clip leaves for infusing tea and soup stock.

Start harvesting as soon as plants are 12 inches tall and stem bases are at least ½-inch thick. Cut stalks at ground level, or hand-pull entire stalks. You want to get the entire swollen base, which resembles a scallion or green onion. If a few roots come up with the stalk, don't worry: It won't harm the plant.

The edible portion of lemongrass is near the bottom of the stalk. Carefully cut off the grassy top part of the plant; use caution, as this can be razor-sharp at times. Leaves can be bundled and added to the liquid in a teapot or stock pot, then simmered to infuse lemon flavor into the brew.

Take the lemongrass base and peel the outer fibrous layer to expose the inner white, reedy part. To store, freeze this part either whole or chopped. To make slicing easier, first crush the stem base with the flat blade of a knife. The heart of the stalk (the part you want) has the consistency of soft butter and will then slice easily.

Uses

Lemongrass is best known for its use in Asian cuisine, especially Thai and Vietnamese. In the kitchen, use tender inner stalk bases in stir fries, salads, and sauces. To freeze lemongrass, store thinly sliced pieces in single layers in zipper-seal bags. To use, break off as much as you need for individual dishes. Or, freeze lemongrass minced or as a purée.

Leaves make a great addition to marinades and can be steeped in hot water for tea. After use, add leaves to your compost pile or puree them and scatter them in the grass along the edges of a patio or deck to help deter insects. To dry leaves, bundle them and hang them upside down in a dark place until dry. Store in tightly sealed jars. Dried lemongrass retains its flavor up to one year.

Avoid planting lemongrass in clay soil. This tropical plant craves moisture, but is quickly killed by heavy soil that makes water puddle.Before cooking with lemongrass, be sure to remove the tough outer layers to reach the tender layers inside.

Herbs LemonGrass

useful properties of tea, herbs, use of cymbopogon, harm, contraindications . This genus includes just over fifty species that originally grew in regions with warm and tropical weather conditions.

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