How to Grow Lemongrass

Days to germination: Not started by seed
Days to harvest: 100 days, when started by seedling
Light requirements: Full sun
Water requirements: Frequent watering
Soil: Well-drained and rich with organic material
Container: Yes, even indoors

Introduction

Lemongrass has a strong flavor of lemon citrus and it can be brewed in tea as well as used as a herb for seasoning. The most common dishes that use lemongrass are Asian cuisine.

A native of India, you will have to live in at least zone 9 if you want to grow lemongrass outdoors. Each plant can grow to between 3 and 6 feet high if you do grow it outside. It will be somewhat smaller if you have to keep it inside.

There are 2 kinds of lemongrass: East Indian and West Indian but there is little difference between them in terms of culinary use and growing. There really isn’t much variety to choose from.

It’s a very nondescript plant, looking much like a very tall patch of grass that doesn’t often produce flowers. At the base of each group of leaves there is a fat stalk, similar to a spring onion bulb. The overall plant is made up a big cluster of these individual stalks.

The bulb or bottom part of each stalk is used for most cooking purposes, but the rest of the leaves can be used as well. Teas are usually brewed with the leaves.

Not only is the tea very zesty in flavor, it can also help settle upset stomachs and ease a cough. The oils in lemongrass have a number of homeopathic health uses, though most home-growers do not extract the essential oils from their plants. It’s mostly used as a flavoring.

Starting from Seed

Home gardeners don’t typically start lemongrass plants from seed because it is so easy to start by just rooting stalks or cuttings.

Actually, you may even be able to start a new lemongrass plant from fresh stalks you purchase at the regular grocery store. As long as they are still firm and green, you should be able to get them to root. Snip off an inch or two from the end of the leaves, and put the base end in a glass of water. Leave somewhere sunny, and you should start to see roots sprouting from the bottom of the stalk in about a week or two.

Once your stalk has roots at least an inch long, you can either plant it in a container for indoor growing or take it right out into the garden.

Transplanting

Keep your lemongrass plants at least 3 feet apart, and allow for a height of 6 feet (though you can trim it lower than that).

When you dig the holes for the plants, mix in a some compost or well-aged manure to help enrich the soil. The soil shouldn’t be too thick though, the water still has to drain to keep your plants healthy.

You should plant your stalks outside after your last frost date, if you live in an area that gets winter frosts (such as zone 9).

Growing Instructions

Lemongrass will need a lot of nitrogen, so you should fertilize at least monthly with either a standard or high-nitrogen formula. Water your plant regularly and don’t let it completely dry out, especially when the weather is very hot.

Once your plant gets to 3 feet or so in height, you may want to keep the tops of the leaves cut down even more than what you are taking for an actual harvest. This can help keep the size of the plant down. Lemongrass doesn’t grow branches so no other pruning is necessary.

Containers

Lemongrass can be grown in large pots, either indoors or out. Depending on your climate, you should try to let it have a few summer months outdoors to get extra sun. Considering its size, most people keep their lemongrass inside only during the winter.

Your plants can get quite large, so plant it in a 5 gallon pot or larger. If it does start to outgrow the pot, you can always separate off more stalks just to keep the plant under control. It’s not usually a problem with exclusively indoor plants.

While inside, a lemongrass plant needs as much sun as you can offer with a minimum of 6 hours a day. It may thrive as an indoor-only plant but you won’t get as many stalks from it.

Fertilize your container plants once every 2 weeks with a standard mix, though you can skip this during the winter months. Water frequently, 2 or 3 times a week.

Pests and Diseases

The lemon-scented oils in lemongrass are frequently used to make natural insect repellent, so you really won’t have much to worry about when it comes to those kinds of pests.

Leaf blight will sometimes hit lemongrass. The leaves can start to wilt and you will find brown or rust colored spots on the ends of the leaves. Pick away the infected leaves, and spray the whole plant with a natural fungicide that can be used on edible plants.

Cats have also been known to have a fondness for lemongrass and may chew on your plants if given the chance.

Harvest and Storage

You can trim leaves from the plant any time once the plant is at least a foot tall. To harvest entire stalks, use a sharp knife to slice each one off at the soil level. Take the outer stalks first, and they should be at least 1/2 inch thick before you cut them. Try not to just break them off or you could damage the rest of the plant.

You may have to peel off the tougher outer leaves before use. Store the entire stalk with leaves in the fridge to keep it fresh for several days. Keep it in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel for the best results. Chopped pieces of the stalk can be frozen for later use.

If you want to store just the leaves, then they preserve best when dried rather than frozen.

Whether you use it to add flavor to meat or fish, or just to brew tea, remember that it can be quite strong. It doesn’t take much.

69 Responses to “How to Grow Lemongrass”

Ann S Says:
May 2nd, 2015 at 6:36 pm
Do you have to replant lemongrass yearly or just once
Bev Says:
May 8th, 2015 at 4:52 pm
The lemon grass grew last year in pots, but when I put it outside this year it is not getting new leaves. What happened????
Bobbie Says:
June 20th, 2015 at 5:33 am
Will it really repell mosquitos?. What about flies ?
Christy Says:
July 24th, 2015 at 3:51 pm
I really want to grow lemon grass to keep the insects away from our small patio . We will not be using it for cooking in any way . But I’m having a difficult time finding it to grow it . And what do I do during the winter months ? Do I have to start over every spring ?.. Please help
joe h gill jr Says:
August 19th, 2015 at 6:38 am
will it grow back an spring planted out side in north carolina
Lily Says:
October 19th, 2015 at 9:48 am
Mosquitos hate the smell of lemon. Planted lemongrass, lemon mint and lemon thyme in large pots around patio and pool this spring. No mosquitos at all…here in Houston,Tx they are a real problem.
paul f werner Says:
October 24th, 2015 at 5:43 am
please subscribe me. thank you
j Winters Says:
November 3rd, 2015 at 6:00 pm
I agree with Sandra Austin and the others. I too would like to grow lemongrass from rooting stalks. I have been trying to find some for awhile. Can anyone suggest a place where they can be bought?
June Says:
November 7th, 2015 at 11:44 am
I made the mistake of cutting my lemongrass down to about 3 inches and put the pieces in a jar of water, then grew the roots. Problem is that the stalk is growing from scratch, so there are tiny greens growing tall from the nice wide stalk. Will it still be OK to plant in the spring?
Peter Says:
February 10th, 2016 at 2:45 am
I grew more than 60 plants from seed this year and they are growing beautifully. The packet said the seed germination was hit and miss but I really had no problems. Now each one has about 20 stems and I hope to harvest some next month. I live in South Australia so it is summer at the moment.

We had a few weeks of over 40’C and the lemon grass survived without dying 🙂

I have been told to pull off the dead leaves that occur.
Rita Lipscomb Says:
July 1st, 2016 at 2:56 pm
I agree with a lot of the comments about feedback. Why make a post that you never give feedback on! I took the time to read every comment and learned a lot from the posters but was very disappointed in the originator. I will not ask my questions for 2 reasons. 1. I will never get a response and 2. the comments from other citizens answered my questions. Thanks folks!
Linda Says:
August 21st, 2016 at 12:14 pm
Go to the grocery and buy some lemongrass from the produce dept. put it in water and it will grow roots, when the roots are a couple of inches plant in a pot and water weekly. It should thrive! Make sure you divide your plants about every 3 yrs. Take them out of the dirt and cut in sections….you’ll have more lemongrass than you know!
Gary Says:
August 27th, 2016 at 5:07 pm
Can you use the long stalks that have produced seeds or do you use the smaller younger stalks…
Delores Metcalf Says:
November 10th, 2016 at 5:39 am
Can’t he lemon grass survive in North Carolina (Asheville )
in the winter months outside? Low is around teens usually
at the coldest time.
Charles Says:
May 2nd, 2017 at 5:58 pm
Is it better in a pot or in the ground?
That is lemongrass.
Nick Abrenica Says:
June 13th, 2017 at 8:34 am
I’ve been using lemon grass years. I grow it from my backyard, no problems.
christine Says:
August 10th, 2017 at 5:27 pm
Hi, Can we grow lemon grass on the waters edge, in the water?
Thank you !
christine Says:
August 10th, 2017 at 5:29 pm
Hello, Can you tell me if we can grow lemon grass on the waters edge, in the water? We have some full grown plants we wold like to plant.
Thank You,
Christine
Nabeel Says:
February 3rd, 2018 at 9:28 am
How can i get seeds for lemon grass ???