Use these bakshis to keep lemongrass break down through the winter .
grow lemon grass in your garden is an easy way to enjoy the fragrance and sapidity of citrus . Just by brushing against the folio of this tropical green goddess , you may have its soft lemon scent . This popular herbaceous plant also can lend refreshinglemon flavor to teaor to a kind of formula . Is lemongrass a perennial in your orbit ? Before planting , check whether it come through year - daily round in your mood or needs protection from frost based on yourhardiness zone . Here ’s how to manage for and overwinter lemongrass .
Will Lemongrass Grow Back After Winter?
Is lemongrass aperennial or annual ? This is easy to determine with a little research about its temperature tolerance .
Perennial Lemongrass
Technically , lemongrass is a frost - tender perennial grass . " Frost - attendant ” is important to note because althoughlemongrassis a perennial , the plant is only winter hardy in USDA geographical zone 10 - 11 where it ’s evergreen ( it stays green all year round ) .
Annual Lemongrass
If lemongrass oil is institute in colder areas outside of Zones 10 - 11 , it will not survive winter conditions or produce back after winter . Lemongrass will act more like an one-year and not render in the bounce in areas that can experience temperature below freezing such as Zone 5 . So , take a glance at theUSDA Plant Hardiness Zone Mapif you do n’t already know which hardiness geographical zone you survive in .
Growing Lemongrass in Pots
It ’s well-heeled to grow lemongrass because it ’s a firm grower even with minimal tutelage . The slow leaf can turn up to 3 feet grandiloquent and wide in one growing time of year . One way to keep its growth turn back is byplanting a potted stalkfrom a nursery or seed company in a pot that ’s at least 14 inches across .
Root a freshlemongrass stalking in waterbefore planting it in a raft . Find them at grocery store store specializing in Southeast Asian culinary art .
Do n’t be tempted to plant multiple lemongrass stalk together in the pot , because it will quickly become too crowded . And ensure the pile has drainage hole , isfilled with fresh potting ground , and isplaced in a spot that get full sunlight . The vibrant green leafage add an eye - catching grassy texture to miscellaneous container gardens , plus growing lemon grass in pots makes it easier to move the plant indoors for the wintertime .
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
How to Overwinter Lemongrass Indoors
If you live in a warmer realm ( Zones 10 - 11 ) , you may grow lemongrass all year longnear a backyard pondor other consistently damp area as long as the temperature stay above 50 ° fluorine . But if you survive in colder region , you ’ll need toprepare to take lemongrass oil indoorsbefore cold conditions get .
Pot It Up
The good mode to gear up lemongrass for overwintering is to dig out up a few stalks and trim them down so that they ’re just a few in tall . Thenplant them in a containerthat ’s gravid enough to permit some development . Do this by part take the pot with the potting soil . Then , set the theme ball on top of the dirt , fill in around it with more dirt , andwater the plant thoroughly .
To help oneself the plants acclimatise to their new surroundings , leave the newly potted lemongrass oil stalks in a shaded locating alfresco for about a hebdomad .
Before bringing lemon grass indoors , inspect the leavesfor insects and gargle the foliage to remove any lingering pests .
Put It on a Windowsill
you may serve your lemon grass thrive during winter by arrange it on an indoor windowsill or hang it in a windowpane that receives at least six time of day of sun day by day . you’re able to alsouse a grow lightif there ’s not enough natural light . Water it when the top inch of dirt palpate wry . When spring arrive , wait to relocate your lemongrass oil alfresco until temperature bide above 40 ° F . This herb will quickly begin to develop more leave-taking again and develop its full flavor during summertime ’s rut .
How to Prune Lemongrass
If you live in warmer areas , the best time to prune lemongrass is in early bound before the new growth gets plump . You canprune the plantsback to within 3 - 5 inches of the flat coat to bring in them back after they go dormant in the winter . If you live in colder regions , glean the leaves for cooking during the summer is enough to stimulate the plant ’s development .
How to Harvest Lemongrass
During the summer months , you’re able to harvest the leave of lemongrass anytime by cutting a stalk that ’s very close to the base of the industrial plant . It ’s full to apply the lower , off-white luck of the still hunt up to where the leaves start to arm to flavour tea , sauces , soups , and groom dish antenna . To harvest whole stalks of lemongrass , cut the stalks when they ’re roughly 2 - 1/2 inches foresighted and virtually an in wide at the base .
Of the 55 Cymbopogon species , only East - Amerindic and West - Indian lemongrass are commonly used in cookery .
Linse , Terra . Drost , Dan . “How to farm Lemongrass in Your Garden . ”Utah State University Yard and Garden Extension . 2020 .
