With a distinct lemony scent and taste, lemongrass is a herb that is relatively easy to grow. Let’s dive in to discover tips on growing lemongrass inside your home and in your garden.
How to grow lemongrass: Lemongrass is a tropical plant and grows best in areas with high heat and humidity. It likes rich, airy soil that is continually moist. Lemongrass spreads out quite wide, so provide it with plenty of room when planting. If you live in a colder climate, you can either grow lemongrass as an annual or place it in a container and bring it inside during winter.
What is the best way to grow lemongrass?
Climate
First, it’s important to recognize that lemongrass is a tropical plant so it will grow best in conditions that mimic this. Think of hot, humid areas. Lemongrass also grows best in gardening zones 10 and 11.
Lots of space
If left alone, lemongrass will grow in abundance. Unless you want the plant to take over your entire garden, it’s best to plant it in a separate section or in a container.
Light
Lemongrass prefers access to full sun. Be sure to plant it in a place where there are no shadows and it has a chance to get as much warmth as possible.
Soil
The best way to grow lemongrass is with airy soil that is full of nutrients. Try to add layers of topsoil, compost, and bark mulch. Keeping a layer of leaf mold will also provide the right environment.
Water
Try to keep your soil moist but not soggy. Aim for soil that mimics a tropical environment that will have continual moisture in the soil thanks to a humid environment.
Pruning
During the winter, your lemongrass plant will naturally die off, even if your temperature is still mild. Allow the brown leaves to act as protection from frost.
Once it starts to warm up in the spring you can then prune any dead material from the plant. This should be about 6 inches worth of leaves.
Perennial vs Annual
Finally, lemongrass can be grown as a perennial or an annual. It will only overwinter if the temperatures remain consistently warm, so if you plant lemongrass in a cooler climate, expect it to die over the cold winter and be prepared to have to plant it fresh each year.
Alternatively, if you live in a colder climate but want to keep your lemongrass alive in the winter, plant it in a container. This way you can bring the lemongrass indoors once it gets cold out.
Can we grow lemongrass at home?
Yes, lemongrass can definitely be grown at home. This is a versatile plant and while it does prefer tropical, humid conditions, you can also maintain it as an annual in cooler climates.
After planting, lemongrass will need a slow-release fertilizer to help it grow. Choose a fertilizer that is higher in nitrogen and lower in potassium for the best results.
Planting Lemongrass at Home
Growing in Pots
Lemongrass will grow quite large so it’s best to start with a container that is also large. Aim for a pot that is at least 10 inches in diameter so you don’t have to repot your lemongrass too soon.
You also want a fairly deep container as this will allow the root structure to remain healthy. To promote drainage, add a layer of gravel to the container as you will need to maintain a regular watering schedule.
To get your lemongrass started on the right foot, always use fresh, clean potting soil. Make sure there are plenty of nutrients in the soil. You can also add a slow-release fertilizer, to begin with, and then add more every few months.
If your lemongrass is in a container inside, make sure the air isn’t dry. If you don’t want to install a humidifier, simply fill a spray bottle with water and gently mist around your plant each day to increase the humidity.
Again, if you have your lemongrass indoors, place it near a sunny, south-facing window. This will allow the plant to bathe in plenty of sunlight and will keep the overall temperature of the room warm enough.
Growing in landscapes
Lemongrass can be grown in a landscape garden as it has both functional and decorative purposes. Not only can you eat lemongrass but its pungent smell can also repel certain bugs such as mosquitos and fleas.
Lemongrass also grows up to 5 feet tall, which makes it great for privacy or to add a vertical dimension to your garden. You can plant it at the back of a garden to hide an unsightly fence or as a border between your neighbor’s property.
When growing lemongrass in a landscape garden, space your plants out. The plants you purchase will be young and will quickly fill out, so even if you have some bare ground initially, it won’t last long.
Not only do you want to space our different lemongrass plants, but you want to provide space between them and other plants. Remember that lemongrass can be quite tall, so you don’t want it to cast shadows over other, shorter plants that need full sunlight.
Quick tips on growing lemongrass at home
- Keep your lemongrass in a container to prevent it from taking over your garden.
- If you live in a cooler climate, bring your lemongrass inside during winter to keep it alive.
- Lemongrass can be used for various culinary purposes, so make sure you test out different recipes.
- While some people love the scent of lemongrass, it can be overpowering, especially if you grow a lot of it together.
- Lemongrass is toxic to dogs; however, large quantities need to be ingested so poisoning is very rare.
Conclusion
Whether you opt for a container or as part of your landscape, lemongrass is easy to grow. As long as you keep the soil moist, provide it with plenty of suns, and give it lots of room to spread out, lemongrass will thrive.
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