Lemongrass

Lemongrass is a bushy evergreen growing two to five feet high with green to gold narrow blades. Crushed blades have a distinct aroma of lemons and are used to make tea. Lower stalks or roots are chopped and used in stir fry or other food dishes for flavor. For teas, dry out and crush the leaves, then seep in hot water in a tea ball; or take a full blade and start at the bottom and tie in knots then put it in hot water. It helps fight allergies and repels mosquitos. In 2006 researchers found lemon grass causes cancer cells to die. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31845598/ Lemon grass makes a great tea to reduce the impact of allergies, and it works quick, I know, I use it and it tastes delicious! It's a beautiful plant, smells great, repels mosquitos and makes a great ornamental shrub. The most cost effective way to start your lemon grass plantings is to buy individual "plugs". I pull the plugs fresh from the plant when you order. Each leaf fan you buy will be attached to a narrow bulb-like base with roots attached, and each one of these has the potential to become a new clump. They will grow well in sunlight, and don't need a lot of water - they prefer an arid environment. The Following Excerpts were taken from http://www.thespruce.com about the care of lemongrass: LIGHT In its native habitat, lemongrass grows in full sun, even in hot climates. At least six hours of direct sun per day will meet the plants' energy needs. SOIL Lemongrass plants prefer rich, loamy soil. You can create this ideal soil by adding several different soil amendments: compost, manure, and leaf mold are all enriching additives that you can add at planting time. WATER Lemongrass prefers moist soil for best plant growth, but once established, it will tolerate drought. A 3-inch layer of mulch can help conserve soil moisture and will enrich the soil as it breaks down. TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY Lemongrass thrives in hot, steamy climates. The time for growing lemongrass outdoors is similar to the timing for tomato planting—when night temperatures are in the 60s, it's time to plant. FERTILIZER As a grassy plant, lemongrass needs a nitrogen-rich fertilizer for its best growth. You can use a slow-release 6-4-0 fertilizer that will feed lemongrass throughout the growing season. You can also water your lemongrass plants with manure tea, which will add trace nutrients. PRUNING Lemongrass plants that live for more than one season benefit from an annual haircut to tidy up plants and remove dead foliage. The plant will naturally die back for the winter, when you should leave the browning leaves alone to protect it from frost. *Shear the ornamental grass to about 6 inches high at the end of winter, when plants are in their resting phase. Lemongrass plants will rebound quickly and send up new shoots when warm weather returns. HARVESTING LEMONGRASS Harvesting lemongrass differs from pruning. As a fast-growing plant, lemongrass can withstand harvesting when plants are young, and there won't be any adverse effects on its growth. Although the green leafy portions of the plant are too tough to eat, you can snip them for steeping in tea or broth. The juicy stalks are edible when mashed or minced, adding a fragrant lemon note to dishes. Use a hand trowel to remove individual stalks, roots and all, from the clump. Remove the tough outer leaves and prepare the tender white stalks by chopping, or freeze whole stalk pieces for later use. PROPAGATING LEMONGRASS Lemongrass grows in clumps that make it very easy to propagate by dividing. You can combine your harvesting and dividing tasks, as both require digging the plant. Each leaf fan will be attached to a narrow bulb-like base with roots attached, and each one of these has the potential to become a new clump. It's up to you how large you want each division to be. Replanting a division with at least five or six bulbs will look more substantial than a single bulb. The bulbs break apart readily with a spade or hoe.