We know lemongrass mainly from Asian cuisine. You can also grow the exotic at home with a little care and attention.
The original home of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is in Asia, probably southern India or Sri Lanka. The plant belongs to the grass family (Poaceae) and is closely related to our native cereals. On the other hand, sweet grass and lemons have nothing in common apart from taste and smell. The grass can grow 1 to 2 m tall. The lemongrass forms rhizomes underground, but it does not proliferate uncontrollably in the garden. Since the rhizomes are very short, the culms form dense clumps. The narrow, tapering leaves can reach a considerable length of up to 90 cm and can be noticeable due to a slight bluish tinge. Although the frost-sensitive weed doesn't want to do without subtropical to tropical weather, it can also be grown in cooler areas with a few tricks for use in your own kitchen.
Lemongrass: Grow it yourself at home
Location
There is a problem in the cultivation of lemongrass: it is absolutely sensitive to frost. Commercial cultivation therefore only takes place in warm regions such as Southeast Asia, Africa or South America. Nevertheless, lemongrass can also be grown here. In any case, it should be placed in full sun.
You either cultivate lemongrass in a pot all year round, or you plant it in the bed for the summer months. In any case, a humus-rich, permeable substrate should be chosen. A high-quality organic soil such as our Plantura organic universal soil is suitable for cultivation in pots as well as for the bed, which is mixed in a ratio of 1:1 with a coarse material such as sand, expanded clay or perlite to create drainage.
You can find detailed growing instructions in our article "Growing Lemongrass: Planting the Asian herb in your own garden".
Reproduction
One wayto propagate the lemongrass is sowing. For this purpose, the seed is spread from the beginning of February to the end of March. This must be covered with earth. The sweet grass is a dark germ. At optimal temperatures of around 15 °C, it takes three to four weeks for the seedlings to break through the covering substrate layer. In late spring, however, there is also the simple and quick possibility of propagation by division. You can simply tear apart the clump-forming, connected shoots and replant them individually. If you have neither lemongrass seeds nor a mother plant to divide, you can also buy fresh lemongrass stalks. Instead of cooking with these, you put them in a glass of water for rooting. The water should be changed regularly, as the longer the water has been left standing, the more the pathways in the plant become clogged. Once the first roots of a few centimeters have formed at the base of the stem, the young plant can be potted in the substrate.
Watering and fertilizing
As with so many plants, there is a he althy balance to be found when it comes to watering lemongrass. If kept too dry, it will stop growing. If it is constantly wet, there is a risk of root rot. The bed must also be watered, especially due to the preferred location in full sun.
An annual dose of a mainly organic long-term fertilizer is sufficient to supply nutrients. Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer is ideal for lemongrass and releases its nutrients slowly and gently to the plant.
Maintenance
The lack of frost hardiness poses a challenge for the cultivation of the evergreen perennial grass in our latitudes, as already mentioned. In any case, the plant must be overwintered frost-free. Specimens planted out in May must be dug up again with the first threat of frost and brought into the house in containers. During the winter, the place for the lemongrass should also be as sunny as possible and not cooler than 10 °C. If the lemongrass is then brought outside after the ice saints in mid-May, you should choose a day that is not too sunny for it. This is as gentle as possible for the plants, which are no longer used to direct sunlight due to overwintering.
Lemongrass is otherwise not considered to be particularly high-maintenance or susceptible to pathogens. Only rust fungi can infest the grass. Infested plants should no longer be harvested for consumptionwill. The fungi can produce harmful mycotoxins. Even moisture and avoiding drought stress prevent infestation with rust fungi.
You can find even more tips and tricks for care under "Caring for lemongrass: planting, cutting, overwintering".
Lemongrass: harvest and store correctly
The evergreen grass can basically be harvested all year round. The stalks can easily be cut off close to the ground. However, five centimeters should remain above the surface of the earth so that there is no risk that the rhizome will no longer sprout again due to injuries. Lemongrass is at its most aromatic in summer. In addition, only tender, young shoots should be cut, as these also have the most intense taste.
Like all kitchen herbs, lemongrass is best used fresh. Since the sweet grass plant is mainly produced commercially in distant countries and it has therefore been transported a long way when it is for sale in our shops, care should always be taken to ensure that it is fresh. Wrapped in kitchen paper, the lemongrass can be stored for several weeks without losing its aroma. And by freezing you can even extend the usability of the weed to several months. If necessary, the required straws are simply removed from the freezer compartment. However, lemongrass should not be dried. As a result of the process, the herb loses too much of its aromatic ingredients and the characteristic spiciness is lost.
Lemongrass: Uses in the kitchen
Lemongrass owes its eponymous smell and taste to the essential oils it contains. The two most important are the so-called citronellol and geraniol. These essential oils are also found in some varieties of roses and scented geraniums, for example. Lemongrass is most famous for its use in Asian cuisine. The long, narrow leaves and the base of the culm are mainly used here. It is actually suitable for seasoning all hearty dishes. Lemongrass goes particularly well with meat and fish. But it is also often found in vegetable dishes. To create a soft drink popular in Asia, the straws are beaten and then hot water is poured on.
Lemongrass oil can also be obtained from the stalks. This is used in the production of perfumes and cosmeticsfragrance used. It is added as a repellent to repellents against biting insects.
Our conclusion: Even if lemongrass doesn't like our winter cold at all - dare to grow it yourself at home. Thanks to the new local seasoning, you are guaranteed to forget the additional trouble of overwintering the next time you try Asian cooking.