Growing Tips for Lemongrass

  

While shopping at the garden center I passed an ornamental grass-looking plant that had a refreshing lemon scent. The plant was in a container and the ticket said no need to transplant, this plant is easy to grow, and was hand-selected by Bonnie plants to grow in a container. 

Lemongrass is grown in a container

We enjoy the lemon scent and that it repels mosquitos 

This ornamental grass is eye appealing, has movement, and has a fresh scent.  I loved it and I bought the lemongrass and set it in the center of my patio table.

You can grow it in a container or you can plant lemongrass in the ground in the spring after frost has passed The lemongrass likes it hot so a sunny location is best.  

The plant is very easy to grow in a container or in the ground. 

If you reside in USDA zone 8, 8b, and 9 then this plant will not die. You may want to plant in well-drained soil in a sunny location (needs a minimum of 6 hours of sun daily).  Space grass 24 inches apart.  For all other locations where it gets cold, you will need to bring your lemongrass indoors as cold weather will cause the plant to die.

In North America, the growing zone 8, 8b, and  9 are the warmest growing zones in the United States, including much of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Arizona, California, and coastal Oregon and Washington

Keep your lemongrass hydrated by watering when the soil feels dry.   A container causes the soil to dry out quickly especially when the weather is hot.  Where I reside the weather is extremely hot so I water the lemongrass that is grown in a container in the morning, then mist the leaves in the afternoon. If you grow lemongrass in the ground then water every other day or when the soil is dry.

 The fresh lemony scent from the oil in the leaves will repel mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.

 

Harvest your lemongrass for tea, see the recipe for a fresh leaf tea here https://www.tarladalal.com/lemon-grass-tea-4989r