Lemongrass is originally native to Asia and therefore requires a warm climate all year round. You can cultivate the aromatic lemon-smelling and tasting spice in a pot on the windowsill and grow it outdoors in the summer months.
How do you plant lemongrass correctly?
Lemon grass prefers a warm, sunny and rain-protected location with humus-rich, well-ventilated soil. It is propagated by root division or rooting of plant parts in water. The optimal plant and pot size is 50 cm apart and the harvest time is mainly in summer.
Which location does lemongrass prefer?
In the garden you should give the lemongrass a warm, sunny and rain-protected place. The spice also needs a sufficiently bright and well-tempered location in the room or on the balcony.
Which substrate is suitable?
Lemongrass loves humus-rich, well-aerated soil and, like many heat-loving plants, is very sensitive to waterlogging. The plant feels extremely comfortable in conventional herb or potting soil (€10.00 on Amazon), which you loosen up with a little sand. Place a drainage layer of expanded clay or gravel in the planting hole or flower pot. This means that rainwater can drain off easily and the lemongrass doesn't get its feet wet.
When can lemongrass be allowed outdoors?
Lemongrass is one of the most cold-sensitive herbs and you can therefore only plant the spice outdoors during the warm summer months. Only when there is no longer any risk of night frosts after the Ice Saints can you plant the spice or place the planter on the balcony all day.
Can lemongrass be propagated yourself?
Lemongrass is usually propagated by dividing the root. Alternatively, you can let plant parts root in water and grow the spice plant yourself. Proceed as follows:
- Separate plant parts.
- Put a few centimeters deep into a glass of fresh tap water.
- Place in a sunny spot on the windowsill.
- As soon as sufficient roots have formed, transplant into a flower pot filled with a soil-sand mixture.
- Plant several shoots in the container to ensure dense growth.
How to sow lemongrass?
Lemongrass rarely blooms, so growing it with self-collected seeds is not always successful. Alternatively, you can purchase seeds from garden retailers and sow them preferably between the end of January and March. Lemongrass is a dark germinator, so cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. At a constant temperature of 20 and 22 degrees, the seeds germinate after about three to four weeks.
How to repot lemongrass correctly?
It is best to plant lemongrass in spring at the beginning of the growing season. Always give the plant a sufficiently large pot, as lemongrass has a very extensive root system.
What planting distance must be maintained?
The optimal planting distance outdoors is at least fifty centimeters. Due to its clumpy growth and slightly overhanging leaves, lemongrass planted too close together suffocates sensitive neighbors.
When is harvest time?
You can harvest lemongrass from the windowsill all year round. The leaves develop the most aroma during the summer months when main growth begins. When cutting the lemongrass, be careful not to injure the delicate bulbs.
Tips & Tricks
Remove yellow-colored plant parts regularly, as these cost the plant unnecessary energy.