Lemongrass is an exotic easily-grown herb. It is widely used in different dishes such as seafood dishes, soup, and meat dishes. It is distinguished by its delicious tense flavor. Since this amazing herb is not always available in grocery stores, growing it will provide you with a constant supply of it. Learning how to grow lemongrass is easy, all you need to do is to follow the below steps.
1. Preparing the cutting
First of all, you should buy a fresh plant from your local grocery store. Lemongrass plants remain viable for a long time, therefore, you should buy your plant from a trusted grocery store to make sure that the plant is fresh. Fresh lemongrass plants develop roots fast and grow quickly.
Once you purchase a fresh plant you should trim off its top and clean it well from dirt and dust. Then, immerse it in a glass of water and put in a sunny spot until it develops roots. Once the roots mature, you can plant the cutting in a container.
2. Planting
Once you notice that the roots of your cutting have developed, plant the cutting in a container. Immerse the plant in the soil until the crown touches the surface of the soil. Then water thoroughly.
3. Sowing from seeds
You could also grow lemongrass from seeds. It is easy, yet, it will take longer to grow. Buy fresh lemongrass seeds, they germinate faster. When sowing the seeds, don’t sow them too deep. They need to be close to the surface. You should sow them deep enough to access the water and the nutrients in the soil.
When your seeds grow into seedlings, you should transplant each seedling to its own pot. By doing so, you will ensure that your lemongrass grows better.
4. Soil
Lemongrass requires a well-draining soil to grow. The soil should also be rich in organic matter. However, if it is not, it won’t be a problem since lemongrass is a sturdy herb that can tolerate many soil qualities as long as they are well-draining.
5. Position
Lemongrass loves warmth. It needs daily exposure to sunlight to grow. Therefore, you should put the container in a spot where your lemongrass can access a full sun. Lemongrass also requires a temperature degree of at least 40 f (5C). If the temperature degrees go below 15F, this herb will die.
6. Fertilizing
Lemongrass does not need fertilizing. However, you could improve the growth of your herb by applying a balanced liquid fertilizer once a week.
8. Watering
You should water lemongrass carefully. This herb does not like overwatering as it leads to root rot. Water it enough to keep the soil moist. It is recommended that you check the soil by poking your finger 1 inch onto it. If the soil is moist, no watering is required. Otherwise, you could water your plant.
9. Harvesting
You can harvest lemongrass anytime around the year. You could pick up the stem by hands or cut it off by a sharp knife. It is advisable that you don’t cut off the whole stem so the plant can grow again.
This is how to grow lemongrass correctly. Follow these steps and you will be able to enjoy this healthy delicious herb all year round. Besides lemongrass, basil, parsley, and mint are perfect herbs to grow indoors. For a full list of herbs that you can grow indoors, check out this article.
Have fun growing lemongrass and if you ever needed more tips or information, we remain at your disposal.