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Lemongrass

Lemongrass

A rhizome of the Family: Poaceae (Gramineae) (Grass), is a clumping type fountain
grass. It is not a running type grass, so it is non-invasive. The clump can grow 3 to 4 feet across and
up to 5 feet tall. Also attractive in containers, it can be grown anywhere as an annual. One caution: the
blades are very sharp, as with many grasses… that’s why they call them blades! So, when pruning or
tending to your Lemongrass, gloves are useful. Always rub the leaf from the bottom up to prevent being cut by the blade. This great-tasting herb contains a pungent oil, which is what acts as a pest repellent. The name of this oil is citronella.

Introduction
Mr. John Doe

Head Director

Description

Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
Lemongrass is a tropical plant that freezes to death where winter temperatures drop below 15F (-9C). In all climates, potted plants are easy to keep through winter indoors. Sow seeds indoors in late winter. Transplant outdoors only when night time temperatures are steadily above 10°C (50°F). Lemongrass slows down in winter and doesn’t put out as many new leaves each week. The plant is still green, but its leaves will look a bit bedraggled after a long growing season. You’ll think the plant has died as the leaves turn brown in winter. But not to worry! Lemongrass roots are typically hardy in zones 8b and 9. With a frost blanket or heavy layer of straw mulch over the soil, the plant has a good chance of returning year after year (even when the leaves die back). The arrival of summer will spur your lemongrass to grow vigorously again, and new leaves will fill out the plant more.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
Soil pH preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5) Neutral (6.6 – 7.3) Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8). Start with a purchased plant in spring, and grow it in a pot until the soil warms in early summer. You can also root a stalk from the produce market in water. Plant lemongrass in a warm, sunny spot that is convenient to water having any well drained soil. Plants may rot in poorly drained clay soil. When grown in a suitable 3 gallon container, you may still need to shift the plant to larger pot since when the roots become crowded, they can cause clay pots to crack.
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
If doing rows, try 1′ 11″ (60cm) apart and 2′ 11″ (90cm) for a row gap. Press the seeds gently 5mm (1/4″) into pre-moistened, sterilized seed starting mix and use seedling trays with plastic domes or containers sealed inside large plastic bags. You can try bottom heat from a seedling heat mat to maintain a soil temperature of 21°C (70°F). Keep seed trays or containers in a dark room or cupboard. Seeds should germinate in 5 to 21 days. The trick is to maintain a moist, not wet, environment. Once seedlings appear, remove the dome or plastic bag, and move them into full sun or beneath strong, full spectrum, artificial light. Thin or transplant shipped plants to 12 inch apart when seedlings are 1-2 inches tall.
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
As many insects and pests are attracted to sweet and juicy smells produced by flowers, the sharp and pungent citronella odor of this herb has the opposite effect on pests. It helps in keeping pests and insects away from your other plants. Lemongrass doesn’t harm those nuisance pests; it helps in deterring them away from your property and home. Pests that Lemongrass repels are mosquitoes, flies, ticks, ants, and gnats. (you can crush its leaves, rub the leaf and squeeze the stem on your skin, or cut the stems and leaves.)

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
Weekly watering in the summer and sparingly to keep it alive in winter months so it’ll kick back into action in spring.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
Remove weeds and work organic matter into the top 6-8 inches of soil; then level and smooth. Thoroughly water and apply a light mulch layer on top of the soil (1-2 inches) to conserve water and reduce weeds.
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
Try a monthly balanced soluble fertilizer since growing season has a nitrogen requirement. Gardeners whose plants stay green all winter just need to maintain the shape of the shrub. Light pruning of the leaf tips can be done throughout the year, but a heavy pruning should be done in spring to give your lemongrass a chance to grow stronger and healthier. To begin, rake out all the dead leaves under the plant. If this is your first time pruning, you might be surprised by how much organic matter accumulates under there so pull out any brown outer stalks as well as brown or rusted leaves. You may have to reach in between the clump to get all the leaves out (but leave the inner stalks intact, as those are the newer ones). Generally, give a light tug and anything dead comes out easily. Once you’ve removed all the brown bits, use hedge shears to cut back the leaves. Just do a straight cut across, trimming one section of leaves at a time (similar to trimming hair bangs).
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
Maintaining your plant simply by harvesting it, helps reduce the spread of pests and diseases. For yellow sugarcane aphids, attract natural predators like lady bugs and wasps that eat them or wash them off by spraying. For grass bagworm, try hot pepper or insecticidal soap. To prevent rust fungus infection which favors warm temperatures and high moisture, water plants at soil level and not from above the leaves.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
Lemongrass can be harvested at any time once the stalks have reached 1/2 inch (1.3cm) in diameter. (In late summer, dig away an outer stalk, cut back the leaves to 3 inches (8 cm), and plant it in a small container. Grow it through winter in a sunny windowsill, providing only small amounts of water, and replant outdoors the following spring.)
How to Harvest:
Simply harvest a few stalks from your plant, making sure that your harvested stalks have roots. Use secateurs to snip whole stalks from the base of the plant as needed. Leave the plant to develop some thick stems before starting to harvest. The most tender leaves are found close to the stems.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
Lemongrass dries well for use as a tea, and whole stalk segments can be bundled and frozen for use in soups and curry paste all winter long. Various chicken and seafood preparations are flavored with the lemony flavor of Lemongrass. The part that is used is the firm lower part of the stem. The whole stem is cut at the soil line, the leafy parts are trimmed off while the rest is used to flavor food.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Seed Saving:
Occasionally, in frost free areas, you might see some attractive airy flower heads which turn into seeds. Lemongrass may never seed out from seed growth, but the tall flowers stalks and succeeding seed heads add interest to the garden.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

You can dig up healthy stalks with the roots intact and replant them elsewhere in your garden to thin out the clump. If you’re doing some major dividing, you can even pot up a few stalks in soil to give as gifts. (keep them tidy). In pots or in the garden around a patio or deck, Lemongrass can help repel mosquitoes. The essential oils citral and citronella have shown to be effective as insect repellent. Citral is the key component that gives the lemony aroma and taste in several herbal plants such as Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) and Lemon Verbena (Verbena officinalis.) The stem is crushed or pounded and added in large pieces during the cooking process. Then, the pieces are removed so they are not eaten. A 2 – 4 inch piece of Lemongrass will impart a very lemony flavor to a stir-fry. Try placing a crushed piece of Lemongrass stem in a pot of rice using chicken broth instead of water and cook as usual. You will have a lovely, lemony rice to serve with chicken or seafood! Add some Lemongrass to a chicken soup for an Asian twist on an old favorite. Just don’t forget to remove the thick pieces of the stem before serving! The leafy parts of the Lemongrass stalk can be used to make a delicious and refreshing tea. You can use the leaves fresh or dried. If fresh, use about 2 teaspoons chopped leaf per cup of tea. If dried, use about 1 teaspoon per cup. Lemongrass blends well with green tea, chamomile, mint, rose hips, hibiscus and holy basil. More uses are groundcover, culinary, will naturalize, suitable as annual , and medicinal. According to the ASPCA, lemongrass is toxic to dogs and cats.

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