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Lemongrass advice?

16 years ago

So on impulse at WFF's tent sale this morning, I picked up a pot of lemongrass for the herb garden. Now that I've researched it a bit (post-purchase, of course), I'm not sure (a) where it will do best and (b) if I have to repot it and bring it in for the winter. If the latter, I will just sink a pot into the ground and pull it up later (or better still, just plant it in a planter on the patio). But if it will overwinter here in northwest-central Connecticut, I will find a spot at the back of the herb garden. Has anyone grown lemongrass and if so, what is your advice in terms of soil conditions, sun/partial sun, winter-hardiness, etc.

Many thanks for any thoughts. It was only a few dollars and is a lovely looking plant, so I'm not out a lot if this doesn't work!

Comments (5)

  • 16 years ago

    It's a tropical swamp plant. Not difficult to grow in a pot and overwinter indoors, but definitely not something that can overwinter outside.

    How was the sale? I was thinking of going today, but made rose petal jam instead.

  • 16 years ago

    Thanks for the lemongrass advice. I think I'll leave it in a pot and sink the whole pot into the garden, then pull it in the fall.

    The WFF sale was PACKED! I've never had to park so far from the entrance -- and I got there at 9:15 in the morning! I think I was in the overflow-overflow-OVERFLOW lot. I'm guessing everyone came early because (a) the sun came out and (b) they figured it wasn't going to STAY out! The staff said it was busier than usual, even for the tent sale. (I think people may also be suffering from a bit of rain-induced cabin fever??)

    Some nice things, as always, but also as always, a mixed bag in terms of plants -- some sad little things that didn't look worth $1, much less $3 (and how they sell them for more is beyond me!) and others that were great buys. I got a beautiful heather in a quart (?) pot for $3. Also a bunch of heucheras ("Caramel" and "Marmalade" and a couple of others) that I've been wanting that they just happened to have in abundance. Splurged on a "Wings over Water" collection of Siberian iris for $20 (instead of $58). Not the ideal planting time for them so we'll see how they do -- they are clearly in need of getting out of their box! Didn't take the time to check out the shrubs but they did have a bunch lined up along the wall. Under the tent, not as much "random" stuff as some years -- some things from Gardener's Supply, the usual nice assortment of hats and garden gloves, tons of ceramic and stoneware pots, dried wreaths, books, etc. Worth the trip for me, but then, I only live 20 minutes away ;)

  • 16 years ago

    Marty, the most recent issue of Horticulture magazine (June/July) had an article about non-hardy ornamental grasses - including lemongrass - as an alternative
    to the usual perennial grasses available in our Zones. . .

    Carl

  • 16 years ago

    Carl - thanks, I'll have to check it out. For now I've got my lemongrass in a pot on the patio (yanked it back out of the garden less than a day after I planted it) ... as a "swamp" plant, it should be very happy just about anywhere in my yard right about now. Geeez! ENOUGH RAIN already!!!!

  • 16 years ago

    I grew lemon grass one summer in a large pot on my patio which gets sun from 10 or 11:00 on. It grew huge, but I never ended up using it in cooking, so when it didn't overwinter well indoors, I didn't replace it the following year. It was really happy in the pot (maybe 2 feet tall by 15 inches across) for one year, but it got so big in the first summer that if it had done well overwintering, I'm not sure what I would have done with it a second year. It did smell nice when the leaves were rubbed, but I didn't think it was a really ornamental plant.