How to Maintain your Lemon Grass Plants

Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) plants are easy to grow during the summer season. However, these perennials which thrive during tropical hot summer seasons are not forgiving in cold climatic winter months When temperatures dip below 50°F (10°C), their long green sword-like blades begin to show tell-tale signs of browning, shriveled leaves, it is time to transplant them indoors.

Begin by knowing where all your sunny spots are located inside your home with space to provide for the plants.

How to Maintain Lemon Grass Plants

A pitch fork works best when beginning to uproot them.

• Separate the stalk bulb clusters to fit a large plant pot; you may need several pots
• Fill a half inch of perlite into the bottom of the container pot, then fill up to 1/3 of the way up with well draining good organic compost soil mix, then position the lemon stalks and continue to fill with soil, leaving four inches of room on top
• Water the newly potted plant ensuring that the water drains and absorbs quickly (or the soil mixture may require additional perlite; the bulbs will rot in poor draining soil
• Place your potted lemon grass plants indoors in sunny warm areas; they do not like cold drafts or be placed near heat vents
• Allow the plant soil to dry completely to the touch before each water feeding

How to Harvest Lemon Grass Plants

• Locate the base of the stalks; where the bulbs and roots have embedded in the ground. A pitch fork will work well to loosen around the perimeter until the whole clustered plant can be pulled out from the earth ground.
• Measuring eight to twelve inches from each root base until the grass blades spread out is the lemon stalk. Use a sharp pruning shear and cut across every stalk (view photo image), collecting the grass blade cuttings.
• Gather a bunch of grass blades with one hand and use a garden wire twine to wrap them with your other hand; cut bunches measuring two inches in diameter and about 6-8 inches in lengths; you will soon have completed the method of harvesting aromatic lemon grass blades

How to Store Lemon Grass

• Use plastic freezer bags to fill the harvested bunches of twined tied lemon grass blades
• Store in the freezer; they keep well to use throughout the year

Lemon grass plants can grow indoor by warm sunlit areas; new grass blade shoots will delightfully begin to emerge once harvested from outside. You can continue to clip the tender new leaves to use or allow them to grow; adding a dramatic indoor appeal to your home. Transplant them outside in your garden late spring; usually when temperatures begin to exceed and maintain 70 degrees during the day with no threat of night frost.