On our previous blog post, we talked about How Often Do You Water Lemongrass? and today we are going to talk about how tall does Lemongrass can grow.
Lemongrass is one of the easiest herbs to grow yourself—it’s no wonder beginner gardeners often find themselves planting one at home. And if you’re here, chances are, you have one budding in your garden too!
So now that you’ve successfully planted them—hopefully somewhere sunny—it’s time to ask yourself, how tall does lemongrass grow?
Lemongrass is a tropical plant that can reach up to 6 feet tall (1.8 m).
The type or variety of lemongrass that you’d want growing at home goes by the botanical name Cymbopogon citratus. The West Indian lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is the variety that is used in the kitchen since it has the best taste, scent, and texture.
This perennial grass is native to South and Southeast Asia and is widely known for its lemony scent and taste—citrusy, just like its name. It grows in tight clumps. And once your lemongrass continues to mature, you’ll see it develop stiff stems and slender leaves with sharp droopy tips.
When it comes to easy to grow culinary herbs, lemongrass certainly deserves being one of the gardener favorites. Its fragrant foliage together with its lemony taste makes for a versatile ingredient you’d want near your kitchen. It’s no surprise that it’s a mainstay in Asian cuisine.
If you want your dishes to have a pop of zesty, lemony flavor, adding some lemongrass certainly wouldn’t hurt. Be it soups, meat or curries, this is the herb you’d want to always be at hand.
To know more about growing lemongrass at home so you can have some fresh thick, grassy stalks in the end, here are some of the key things you should know.
How Fast Does Lemongrass Grow?
If given the right soil, water and sun conditions, you can expect your fully grown lemongrass ready for harvest in just two to four months.
Starting a lemongrass plant from stem, expect 1 to 2 weeks for the roots to emerge while still on the container with water. During that first week, new leaves will also form at the top.
In just three weeks, its sizable roots signify that it’s ready for transferring. If you used one stalk in your pot, don’t be surprised by how fast lemongrass can create its own offshoots as the stalk will divide itself.
After this, you’ll just have to wait for two to four months before you can harvest a fresh batch of tasty lemongrass.
OR you can harvest them at any time once the plants have grown to the height of 12 inches with stem bases that are at least ½-inch thick. The process of harvesting the stalks is pretty straightforward, you can just cut them at ground level using a sharp knife or scissors. Or you can opt to just bend and twist the stalks to snap them off.
Take note that lemongrass can grow up to 6 ft (1.8 m). And it will grow for several years. It’s generally known to have an economical lifespan of 4 years. So expect to have an almost endless supply of this herb once you’ve perfected the lemongrass-growing basics!
How Do You Grow Lemongrass Thicker?
There’s really no secret way to grow lemongrass thicker. You just have to give this plant its required growing conditions.
Giving your lemongrass the right general care and maintenance will result in a thriving plant, just like with any other plant in your garden.
This includes, of course, planting them in the right soil condition and giving them their required amount of water. And given that lemongrass is a tropical plant, you’d want to mimic its origin so it can successfully grow—meaning this herb requires regular rainfall and enough sunlight.
Lemongrass grows best in warm and sunny locations. Ideally in the tropics or subtropics with humid conditions. If grown in drier climates, this plant should be watered regularly.
During the growing season, see to it that they’re given enough amounts of nitrogen as they highly need it.
Giving them a balanced soluble fertilizer once a month is also greatly encouraged. I’ve been using this fertilizer for the majority of my tropical plants in my garden and it’s been such a great help. Pretty impressive for such a cheap price. So you might want to try that one.
If you’re growing your lemongrass in containers—which is the more popular way of growing them at home—keep in mind that they should be fed more frequently compared to lemongrass frown directly on the ground.
Another tip for thriving and thick lemongrass is carefully hand pulling weeds that might compete with your plant.
Can You Plant Lemongrass in The Ground?
Yes. You can absolutely plant lemongrass in the ground. This herb is not finicky at all. It can grow in a wide range of soils but it prefers well-draining, fertile loam soil with a pH between 5.0 and 8.4.
Lemongrass can grow in temperatures ranging from 10 to 33°C (50-91.4°F). But it will grow best at temperatures between 25 and 30°C (77–86°F).
So if you are in a growing zone that can provide your plants a warm, sunny and humid climate—one resembling that of the tropics and subtropics, you can easily plant your lemongrass in the ground.
But in the colder climates, it’s safer to grow them in containers. Lemongrass is a tropical herb and therefore not winter hardy in colder climates. Due to this, it is best grown in containers like round pots.
Find a large pot, make sure it’s big enough, at least 12 inches across. A 5-gallon bucket works well for growing lemongrass. Visit your local nursery to score some free durable pots or you can just order some online, for a faster and more convenient way.
Some pots in my garden are from Amazon and since I’ve been gardening for years now, it’s safe to say that these guys are indeed durable. It’s a great buy and definitely, worth your investment, they’re not that cheap anyway.
Plant lemongrass in the ground or in containers, choose the one that will work best for you.
How Long Does Lemongrass Last?
Your lemongrass plant will grow for several years. And it’s generally known to have an economical lifespan of 4 years. After 2 to 4 months of planting, you can start harvesting your own batch of lemongrass.
There are a number of ways you can store your harvested lemongrass. Though I find that they’re best used fresh. If you haven’t tried lemongrass tea, you are missing out. Pop a couple of ice and you got yourself one refreshing drink.
But if you harvest more lemongrass than you need, you can just store them in the refrigerator, freeze them or dry them.
If stored correctly, lemongrass can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge, 6 months frozen in the freezer and lasts up to a year when dried.
Tightly wrap your fresh-cut lemongrass with a plastic wrapper and store it in the refrigerator. They will keep fresh for 2 weeks. The signature smell of lemongrass may fade a little but its wonderful flavor will remain and ready for your dish.
Can I Freeze Lemongrass?
Yes, you can freeze lemongrass. It’s one of the ways to preserve the extra lemongrass you may harvest in the end.
You can choose by either freezing the lemongrass stem whole or chopped in smaller pieces. The part that you’d want is the heart of the stalk. It’s so soft, almost like butter and will slice easily.
I store mine in freezer bags or containers. Just a tip, portion out the stalks you’ll be storing in the freezer. Store them in amounts that you usually use in a regular dish for easier use in the kitchen and faster preparation in cooking!
Plus, do not forget to label your frozen lemongrass with the date and amount stored.
How Do You Dry Out the Lemongrass?
Another way to preserve extra lemongrass at home is by drying them.
You can cut the lemongrass stalks into tiny pieces and dry them out. I store mine in a tightly sealed jar and place it somewhere cool and dry. Traditionally, this is perfect for a hot tea or you can also grind until it’s powdered form before adding it on your favorite dish.
Keep in mind that when drying the stalks or leaves, it’s important to cut them while they are still fresh.
Ideally, you should do this immediately after you’ve harvested, cut and washed the lemongrass. Otherwise, they’d be difficult to cut—once they are dry, they tend to be crumbly.
To dry out the lemongrass, first, you need to separate the leaves from the stalks.
Get a paper towel or a screen and lay the leaves and stalk on them.
Find a dry place where you can lay the cut lemongrass out of direct sunlight. You can put them in a jar once they’ve dried out completely.
Place the jar in a cool, dark place to preserve the dried lemongrass.
There you have it, you’ve planted, grown, harvested, AND stored your very own lemongrass. Now you get to play with this citrusy herb in the kitchen. Enjoy!
On our next post, we are going to talk about Can You Grow Lemongrass From Stalks? Keep Reading!
