I love the smell of lemongrass: fresh, clean and zesty. My favourite way to use it up is in this lemongrass drink that I learned from one of my favorite local restaurants. Back then, lemongrass was a hard-to-find ingredient and since I’d never tried it in a drink, it was difficult for me to figure what the chef had added to a mundane sweet soda. The waiter was kind enough to share the recipe, and now I can make it myself at home. Now I’m even more thrilled because I can have my favourite drink whenever I want because I finally grow my own lemongrass!
And you know the good news? Growing lemongrass is child’s play. All you need to do is plonk the stalks that you buy at the supermarket into a jar filled with about an inch or so of water and just watch it grow! Within just two days you will see the roots sprout and you know you’re on your way to a bountiful lemongrass garden. Just a pot or two will do the trick, so even for those of you who, like me, live in apartments, growing your own lemongrass is so easy.
Just keep changing the water every day or every second day at most. In about three to four weeks, the lemongrass would have grown about 2 inches of roots. Now is when you can transfer the lemongrass sapling to the soil. Keep it watered well, but make sure the soil isn’t soaked in water. It can withstand a good amount of sunlight as well.
Have a look at these weekly progress photos in case, just like me, you didn’t believe that growing lemongrass could be this easy:
Oh, and here’s an old post I had written back in 2007 about lemongrass. What’s special to me about that post is that it was the first ever post on PurpleFoodie.com!
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few years ago at an herb gardening class instructor gave out root snippets of lemon grass, rosemary, basil, etc. Only one that flourished was the lemon grass – have to cut it back often…its huge.
Wow!! the first time i would never thought of this & cant wait to grow my own lemon-grass, thank you for the most amazing website! i love it very exciting!!!
I want to grow the lemon grass plant. I need cuttings. Where can I get it in Cincinnati Ohio?
You can get it at Asian markets. It is so easy to sprout. I am trying it for the first time and in just a week I had sprouts.
Propagation is one thing, how to care for it after planting?
Just keep it watered, warm and in sunshine. Occasional feeding is appreciated! E-A-S-Y !!!
Hi. I’m from Singapore, which is pretty much on the equator. Lemongrass does best with full sun here, so I presume it needs as much sun add it can get anywhere else. Just be sure to water it generously when it gets more sun to prevent it from drying out. Because over here, we also get torrential downpours very frequently; everyday for the months of Nov and Dec.
i would like to try to grow lemon-grass as the supermarket product has been in transit and in controlled storage for a conciderable time before its purchased, It then looks tired and will have lost its strength of flavour..So in being able to grow my own, would ensure i could have fresh lemon-gras when i require it . . Im not sure how it will fare in Ireland as we are in the northern hemisphere. But im going to try growing some this coming springtime.. happy gardening to all .
I am also in Ireland…Grow it in a pot on a sunny windowsill as I have – keep it well watered! – success!
Ireland~Seamus, You CAN grow it! Put it in the sunnyist window you have, or supplement with full-spectrum florescent lights, and it WILL grow. Sunny, water, and an occasional feed, with love, it will grow! Just try it. ;-)
Thank you Kimbra.. i will try this come spring time and the weather warms up .
I’ve been trying to grow my own lemongrass for about a week now. I used slightly older dry lemongrass. No roots yet but it’s turning a slight purple hue. Suggestions on what’s wrong/what can be done?
Mine was looking pretty dried up too, but I noticed that there were little roots forming on the base. I cut the dried tops off the plants to give the new growth a chance to get out and I think it helped.
reply to Shallot. re; growing Lemon-grass.
My thinking on this is that the Lemongrass you are trying to grow is old . judging by your discription of what you have . id imagine what you rquire is some that is fairly green and has a semblence of root attached . even one strand , in order for it to feed on the wate. Good luck.
I am reading this with great interest! We are in Ubud, Bali, now and I watch the cook gather lemongrass for meal prep from three huge clumps of it! It is wonderful when fresh, and I would to give growing it a go. We live in the Pacific NW, US, but am hoping our large windows will be provide enough light. Wondering what type of potting mix is best?
Debbie, I love “PRO-MIX”. It’s a peat blend, so retains water. Lemongrass really likes water. Everyone is on the Organic train, which isn’t a bad thing, but also isn’t necessary for the soil. (I just don’t recomend dollar store type brands due to their being so inconsistent.) As far as the sun issue, you can use flourescent light as a supplement. You DO NOT have to buy “grow lights”. A full spectrum bulb is good enough! Fl. lights don’t get hot like incandescents, therefore you can keep it within a couple of inches above the plant(s) without them getting burned. 8-10 hrs. is good as supplemental light and 6 would work. They wouldn’t have to be on daily, only if it were prolonged darker days. I say try it! I grow it and it’s easy! :-)
I bought two stalks today thinking to do this, so it is great to see the documented results – thanks so much! Seems that link for your fave lemongrass drink is no bueno, do you have it posted elsewhere? Thanks
Hi Julie, thanks for the heads up! I’ve updated the link and it’s working now. All the best with the lemongrass project.
I had my husband buy me 4 stalks of fresh lemongrass last Friday at Wegman’s. I used one whole stalk in soup and the other three, I put in a glass of water. None of the stalks had roots but in two days, one stalk had a big root and the other two stalks had grown at least an inch. It is truly amazing! I am hoping that the other two stalks will root but so far it doesn’t look as though it will happen. By the way, I am pretty sure that you can find fresh lemongrass at Whole Foods and other grocery stores, in addition to Asian Markets. Nursery Centers such as Lowe’s and Home Depot also carry potted lemongrass. It should be very easy to find. I have bought it on eBay and I have also found lemongrass seeds online.
For those of you with not much light, I wouldn’t worry about it. It has been very dark and gloomy here in Baltimore, MD yet my glass of lemongrass on the edge of my kitchen sinking is very happy. Good luck!
I had my husband buy me 4 stalks of fresh lemongrass last Friday at Wegman’s. I used one whole stalk in soup and the other three, I put in a glass of water. None of the stalks had roots but in two days, one stalk had a big root and the other two stalks had grown at least an inch. It is truly amazing! I am hoping that the other two stalks will root but so far it doesn’t look as though it will happen. By the way, I am pretty sure that you can find fresh lemongrass at Whole Foods and other grocery stores, in addition to Asian Markets. Nursery Centers such as Lowe’s and Home Depot also carry potted lemongrass. It should be very easy to find. I have bought it on eBay and I have also found lemongrass seeds online.
For those of you with not much light, I wouldn’t worry about it. It has been very dark and gloomy here in Baltimore, MD yet my glass of lemongrass on the edge of my kitchen sink and it is very happy. Good luck!
Very interesting ! I love gardening but stay in an apartment so just have a few plants in my balcony. will now try growing lemon grass esp cos my husband and me love its fragrance
I’m going to try to plant lemongrass here in Denmark. My plan is to start in a sunny window and then when the frosty nights are over I want to plant them outside at my terrace. I’ve seen pictures on pinterest of big bushes of lemongrass, but how close should I plant the sprouts then?
How about growing them in just water. Do you need to plant them in soil? Thanks
Not sure – please let us know if it works for you!
Hi,I read about the lemon grass .I would like to have the recipe for thatwoderful beverage u get at the resuraunt. Thank yon Enjoy spring time
Hi, Just started growing the lemon grass myself and now stumbled on this post. For a lot of our Indian uses of lemongrass (mainly the milk tea) we simmer the leaves in the drink. For this the potted plant is perfect. Every time you cut it, it grows even more prolifically. However a lot of the other asian preparations seem to demand the use of the stalk itself. Am loathe to part with the stalk since I guess I will then have to sacrifice the plant itself. Or do you think the plant will regenerate itself if I cut it from as low as that? How did you use your plant?
Hi Reshmy, Yes it’s a pity and kinda heartbreaking to to use up the stalk itself. And while that’s the only reason I planted my lemongrass, I just didn’t have the heart to use it to cook. So while I let my plant grown, I’d still go and buy the stalk to cook East Asian food. I’m not much of a tea drinker so the leaves aren’t very useful to me – my parents ended up using them occasionally.
Does lemon grasss come back in the garden every year.
I would imagine that it does.. your best bet is to GOOGLE it , as its easy to propogate . my guess (i havnt googled it YET) is that it does.
im gong to grow some this year . bet of luck with your efforts.
I was looking on how to grow lemon grass in my garden and found out how easy it is to grow this herb plant. Looks like everyone on this blog has an interest because of its flavor and aroma. I would like to share that I found out in many medical study that lemon grass (as tea – hot or cold or in a soup) is also good for hypertensive individuals . People who suffer from high blood pressure may find that drinking the tea or having a soup of lemon grass can reduce high blood pressure.
My father and mother would always tell me to plant lemongrass on four corners of the house because to drive away snakes.
I’m so glad I found this! I’ve had lemongrass sitting in a cup of water for a little less than a week and it’s barely sprouting roots (tiny little thin ones). I was worried that it wasn’t going to take because other plants I’ve tried had rooted within a week. It has new growth on it though, so hopefully with the new green leaves that are popping out the roots will get more food.
What was the lemongrass drink from the restaurant made of? I’ve never heard of it being used in anything other than teas.
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