Do you love the smell and pungent taste of lemongrass? Do you like to grow your own herbs? Well get this, growing lemongrass is incredibly easy. All you need to get started is a jar, water, and some lemongrass stalks from the supermarket. If you live in a zone 9 region, which is primarily the Southwest and parts of Florida, you can grow lemongrass outside to produce impressive plants. Don’t worry if you live elsewhere though, it makes a great houseplant too. Keep reading if you want to learn more about how to grow lemongrass.
When you go to the grocery store to buy some lemongrass stems, keep a few things in mind. Make sure you get healthy looking plants. You want them to have some signs of life, and avoid the ones with a lot of dead material. You’re going to have to cut back dead parts anyway, and you don’t want to end up with plants that won’t grow. After you get home, cut off the tops and dead parts of the plants. Fill the jar with about an inch of water and place your plants inside. Place the jar near a window where it gets plenty of light. Also, lemongrass needs a lot of water. You should change it every two days. Within a few weeks, the lemongrass will take root. Lemongrass is ready for soil after at least two inches of roots have developed.
Caring for lemongrass is also easy. Regular potting soil will work fine, and you can grow them inside pots. This is great news for apartment dwellers and those of us in colder climates. Lemongrass is a tropical plant, so it will need plenty of sunlight and water. Do not allow the plant to dry out. If you live in a zone 9 area and have the space, you can grow your plants outdoors. When transplanting them into a garden, give them plenty of room; about 3 feet is good. Plant them in a sunny area as they will not do well in the shade. Lemongrass can reach heights of 6 feet, but you can cut them back if you like. Fertilize your lemongrass monthly. You may consider using a high nitrogen fertilizer as lemongrass needs a lot of nitrogen. Aside from this, lemongrass works well on its own and requires little attention. You can sit and watch your plants grow.
You should harvest lemongrass shortly before you use it. Make sure to break the stem near the root. To keep lemongrass fresh for a few days, store the entire stem in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. If you plan to store your lemongrass for a long time, it is better to dry it than freeze it. Lemongrass is a popular addition to many Asian dishes and is also used to make a flavorful tea and various spices. Many people grow and use lemongrass for therapeutic purposes. Popular medicinal uses include treating upset stomachs, headaches, and other pain. Lemongrass oil is used externally to treat arthritis, joint pain, acne, and athlete’s foot.
Growing lemongrass is easy. All you need is a few starter stems to get you going. Lemongrass grows well in both indoor and outdoor gardens. They do well on their own, which means you get a big reward for little work. You can use your lemongrass to flavor dishes, make tea, or store for later use. Now that you know how to grow lemongrass, give it a try.