Growing lemongrass »This is how it works

Root purchased stalks in a glass of water

You can get fresh lemongrass in many supermarkets or the Asian shop. Put some of the stems in water about two inches deep and place the container in a warm and bright place. Tender roots start to sprout after about a week. Once the roots are two to three centimeters long, you can move the lemongrass into a flower pot with nutrient-rich soil.

Grow lemongrass from seeds

You can get lemongrass seeds for self-cultivation in every well-stocked plant store. Go to the sowing do the following:

• Pots with Potting soil to fill.
• Sprinkle the seeds on the ground and press down a little.
• Moisten gently with a sprayer.
• Cover the planter with a hood or a transparent plastic bag (greenhouse climate).
• Ventilate daily to prevent mold or rot.
• Lemongrass is a warm germ and only sprouts at temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius.

New perennials through division

Maybe friends have a vigorously growing lemongrass that you can divide to grow new plants. The right time to divide is in spring or autumn, when the plant moves outdoors or for wintering is brought back to the house.

• Take the lemongrass out of the planter.
• First prune all around the outdoor plants and lift them out of the earth with the digging fork.
• If possible, carefully pull the roots apart by hand and divide them into individual pieces.
• Dense root balls can also be cut with scissors.
• Remove dead plant material.
• Put plants in nutrient-rich soil and water.

When dividing, take care not to injure the roots and bulbs as much as possible. Lemongrass is quite sensitive in these areas and often no new stalks grow from damaged root parts.

Tips & Tricks

The germination rate of lemongrass is low and is only 40 to 60 percent. Therefore, the seeds can be scattered relatively densely. Seedlings that are too tight can be separated as soon as they have reached a size of about ten centimeters and continue to grow in small pots.

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