Lemongrass, or Cymbopogon citratus, thrives as a popular herb in both culinary and medicinal realms, originating from Southern India and Sri Lanka. It’s a staple in many kitchens, especially for crafting delicious teas, soups, and sauces.
This herb is a breeze to grow and maintain, and it’s particularly forgiving when it comes to harvest time—you can pluck it nearly all year round if it’s kept indoors.
Of the many types of lemongrass—over 55, to be exact—only the East Indian and West Indian varieties are chosen for their culinary merits.
These are favored in Southeast Asian cuisines from countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia, finding their way into curries and salads. Beyond the kitchen, lemongrass’s aromatic oil is also prized in the creation of soaps, lotions, and even perfumes.
I personally grow lemongrass in containers and it’s a regular feature in my garden talks. I often recommend planting it in decorative pots as it adds a striking height and visual appeal. Not only does it enhance the garden’s aesthetics, but it’s also edible.
Drying the stalks for herbal tea or tossing them into curries during the cooler months are just some of my favorite uses. Growing lemongrass myself has been a game changer—it’s incredibly fulfilling to harvest your own, and it’s surprisingly simple, too!
This herb isn’t just versatile in the kitchen; it’s also celebrated for its health benefits, including reducing inflammation, lowering cholesterol, and alleviating anxiety. Whenever I spot lemongrass-infused skincare products, I can’t help but indulge—its scent is irresistible!
Lemongrass is fast-growing and low-maintenance, making it a fantastic addition to any kitchen garden or home landscape. If you’re thinking about incorporating it into your green space, getting started is easy and rewarding.
Lemongrass Cultivation Essentials
Lemongrass, a vibrant tropical plant, reaches a height of 2 to 4 feet and spreads about 2 to 3 feet wide under normal conditions, though in tropical climates, it can shoot up to 9 feet.
It thrives best in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11, but the roots can endure even in zone 8. In less warm areas, gardeners often treat lemongrass as an annual or move it indoors during winter months.
Starting lemongrass from seed can be tough, which is why I opt to buy established plants each year and integrate them into my ornamental gardens. Once you’ve got a plant going, it’s easy to propagate more for the following season.
I prefer the East Indian variety, Cymbopogon Flexuosus, sourced from a local nursery called Freeman Herbs, although there’s also a West Indian type, Cymbopogon citratus.
For potting, I mix a standard vegetable potting mix with some compost to nourish my edible ornamentals. Lemongrass loves the sun and does well in full exposure, requiring just slightly moist soil—overwatering is a no-no as it can lead to rot.
I’ve noticed that lemongrass is more drought-resistant than many other herbs I cultivate. Ensure your pots have adequate drainage to support healthy growth.
I usually blend my lemongrass with other ornamentals, feeding them all with an organic vegetable garden fertilizer, often choosing hen manure for its high nitrogen content which really supports growth.
You might consider planting lemongrass directly in your garden as a decorative feature annually, sidestepping the need for perennial maintenance.
- Soil and Sunlight Needs
Lemongrass yearns for fertile, well-aerated, and well-drained loam that’s consistently moist without being soggy. It copes well in average soil too, as long as it’s well-drained, with a preferable pH between 6 and 7.8. Ensure it gets at least six hours of sunlight daily for optimal growth.
Like many grasses, lemongrass is hungry for nitrogen. During its growth period, provide a half-strength balanced soluble fertilizer weekly if potted, or monthly if planted in the garden. Organic alternatives rich in nitrogen like composted chicken manure, blood meal, or feather meal are excellent choices.
- Pest and Disease Management
One of the perks of growing lemongrass is its natural resilience to pests, thanks to its high essential oil content, which also makes it a popular choice in natural insect repellents.
Once established, it naturally suppresses weeds, although young plants might need some weeding. Indoor lemongrass plants may attract spider mites, but generally, lemongrass is a hassle-free and rewarding herb to grow.
How To Harvest Lemongrass
Harvesting lemongrass is both simple and rewarding. Start harvesting once the plant reaches about a foot in height. For the best flavor, select stalks that are at least 1/4 inch in diameter. Gently twist or cut these stalks as close to the root as possible to get the most tender part.
After gathering your stalks, strip away the tough outer layers and the leaves. The leaves can be air-dried or composted, while the soft inner part of the stalk should be sliced for use in your cooking. Any unused lemongrass can be kept fresh in the fridge or frozen for later use.
Lemongrass grows quite tall, reaching 2 to 4 feet, and spreads wide, but it’s surprisingly easy to grow and harvest. When harvesting, always use gloves as the leaves can be sharp and may cause cuts similar to paper cuts. I like to use herb scissors to trim the leaves for drying, which I then use for making tea.
It’s best to hang them to dry in a spot that avoids direct sunlight, even though I hang mine where they catch the morning sun due to space constraints. Once dry, I chop the leaves into small pieces and store them in an airtight container.
In cooking, the thicker stalks are most desirable. Wait until the plant is well-established and the stalks are thick enough before harvesting. Initially, it may be challenging to gauge the right time to harvest, but with experience, you’ll learn the signs.
When preparing lemongrass for a dish, remove the outer leaves and cut the stalk into large segments that can be easily removed later, much like bay leaves.
If you’re not preserving the plant over winter, you can uproot it, clean off the soil, and separate the stalks to store in the freezer, wrapped tightly to maintain freshness. Simply pull out a stalk whenever you need to add a burst of lemongrass flavor to your dishes.
At the end of the growing season, particularly in cooler climates where lemongrass is treated as an annual, harvest the remaining plant before the first frost.
Trim down to the lighter-colored stalks, break them off, and dispose of the roots and any discolored parts. This helps ensure you have fresh lemongrass to use throughout the winter months, which can be stored effectively by wrapping tightly and freezing.
Discover the Versatility of Lemongrass in Your Kitchen and Beyond
Lemongrass, with its wood-like stalks and fibrous texture, is a culinary challenge I’ve tackled personally—ever chewed on a big chunk unknowingly? Not pleasant! Despite this, I’m drawn to its distinctive flavor. I typically toss whole stalks into dishes like chicken curry and Thai coconut soup, removing them before serving to avoid any surprise bites.
Before using lemongrass, peel away its tough outer layers. You can use it fresh or store it in the freezer for later. When you’re ready to cook, just grab the needed amount and throw it into your pot or slow cooker, snipping the ends to enhance the flavor release.
For a hassle-free experience, I store dried lemongrass in unbleached tea bags for brewing. This trick keeps the bits out of my teeth and lets me enjoy my tea peacefully. You can brew fresh lemongrass similarly, treating it just like fresh ginger.
Enjoy the creative uses of lemongrass in the kitchen:
- Lemongrass Tea: Ideal for the less flavorful bits, steep chopped pieces in boiling water, sweeten with honey or sugar, and enjoy hot or chilled.
- Ginger Alternative: Use lemongrass as a gentler substitute for ginger to soften the flavor of your dishes.
- Enhance Your Salads: Sprinkle finely minced tender stalk pieces as a fresh topping or garnish.
- Lemon Juice Alternative: In cream sauces, lemongrass is a great stand-in for lemon juice, sidestepping the risk of curdling.
- Aromatic Additions: Add lemongrass to broths and sauces for a subtle lemony hint, much like you would with a bay leaf, but remember to remove it before serving.
Beyond its kitchen prowess, lemongrass is a staple in herbal remedies, praised for its broad spectrum of medicinal properties. It’s used as a diuretic, mild sedative, and has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects.
Traditional applications include treating stress, colds, headaches, circulatory issues, sore throats, and bacterial infections. Lemongrass is also featured in natural deodorants and as a component of insect repellents, showcasing its practical and health-oriented benefits.
Storing Extra Lemongrass
Got more lemongrass than your recipe calls for, or perhaps a bunch left from the garden at the end of the season? Don’t let it go to waste—you can keep it good through the winter by freezing or drying it.
- Freezing Lemongrass Stalks
You can freeze lemongrass stalks whole or chop them into smaller bits that’ll last for about six months. When you’re prepping them for the freezer, divide the stalks into the portions you’d typically use for cooking. Tuck them into a freezer bag or container, and make sure to label it with both the date and the quantity.
- Drying Lemongrass Stalks and Leaves
If drying is more your style, start by cutting the fresh stalks and leaves into manageable pieces. It’s easier to do this before they dry out and get brittle. Then, separate the leaves from the stalks and spread them out on paper towels or a drying screen in a spot that’s dry and shaded from direct sunlight.
Once they’re completely dry, store your lemongrass in a jar kept in a cool, dark place. Properly dried lemongrass can spice up your dishes for up to a year.
Taking Care of Lemongrass in Winter
Lemongrass is a delicate, tropical herb that won’t make it through the winter if left outside. You can either treat it as a yearly addition to your garden or keep it alive indoors over the winter.
If it’s been growing in your garden, before the first frost hits, dig it up, trim down the greenery and stems to a couple of inches, and replant it into a big pot or a few smaller ones. Position your lemongrass indoors where it gets plenty of light, such as by a sunny, south-facing window, in a warm greenhouse, or under grow lights.
Harvesting lemongrass is a skill that allows you to continuously gather its leaves and stalks throughout the growing season. Just make sure to collect everything you want to preserve—either by freezing or drying—before the first severe frost in your area.
I always watch for frost warnings and will hustle my lemongrass into the garage overnight if I haven’t had the chance to harvest everything.
If you’re moving the entire plant indoors for winter, first transfer it to a suitable pot and trim the foliage down to just a few inches. Keep the plant in a spot that gets southern light and maintain the soil on the drier side, but ensure it doesn’t completely dry out.
Indoor lemongrass thrives with bi-weekly fertilization, as the confined soil will deplete nutrients more quickly. It’s crucial to water these plants just right—keeping the soil moist without letting it get soggy, which can lead to root rot. Once the frost threat is over, you can replant them outdoors.
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Propagating Lemongrass
Looking to boost your lemongrass stash or kick off a fresh batch in the spring? It’s quite simple to get more plants from a single stalk, whether you’ve snagged one from your garden or picked it up at a local supermarket or Asian store.
Trim the leaves down so they’re just an inch above the stalk’s base, then pop it into a clear glass or dish filled with clean water. Don’t worry if there aren’t any roots yet. Just place your setup in a spot that gets plenty of sunlight and remember to swap out the water every day. Within a few days, you should see roots starting to form.
Give it about two weeks, and if the roots look strong, it’s time to move your lemongrass into soil, either in a garden bed or a container.
As for me, I don’t usually bring my lemongrass plants inside over winter. They generally share space with other annuals that end up in the compost when the season wraps up.
However, you can definitely save a segment of your plant to nurture indoors for next year. Just peel off the tough outer layers, stick the stalk in a small jar of water, and place it in a sunny spot.
Make it a point to change the water regularly, and keep an eye out for new roots over the next couple of weeks. Once the roots look healthy, plant your lemongrass in a pot with soil designed for indoor herbs.
Since lemongrass thrives in warm climates, make sure all danger of frost has passed in your area before you consider moving it back outside in spring. I usually wait until it’s time to arrange my decorative outdoor pots with a mix of seasonal annuals.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- When is the best time to harvest lemongrass?
You can start harvesting lemongrass once the plants are fully established. Feel free to snip the blades of lemongrass—they dry well and will regrow several times. For harvesting the stalks, aim for the fall when they’re thick and have reached a good length. Harvesting can begin any time after the plant forms vigorous, healthy clumps.
- How should I harvest lemongrass to ensure it continues to grow?
Instead of uprooting the entire plant or cutting down a whole clump, selectively cut individual stalks from the plant’s outer edges, as close to the ground as possible. This method promotes ongoing growth throughout the season.
Remember, lemongrass is resilient but goes dormant in winter. To ensure it sprouts again in spring, cover it with a thick layer of mulch before the frost sets in.
- Is it okay to eat lemongrass leaves?
Absolutely! Don’t throw away the leaves; they are perfect for making a delicious lemongrass tea. Use about a teaspoon of chopped leaves for a flavorful brew.
- Can I freeze lemongrass?
Yes, lemongrass freezes well. Pack it tightly in a freezer bag or an airtight container. It can be refrigerated for up to three weeks or frozen for as long as six months, retaining its flavor and aroma.
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