Lemon Grass for SASE

I was going to process a bunch of these and put them in the freezer, but decided if any of you want to overwinter some to plant next year, e-mail me, you are welcome to some now. Remember, this is a zone 11 plant. I'll keep this offer open for 1 week.

I would love some lemon grass; I will pot it!
You have mail!

Thank you!
Arlene

Ester - I just bought some lemon grass from the produce section at the grocery store. Could you explain how to plant it?

Poppysue, it is very easy. When I want individual plants to keep alive thru the winter to give away, I just put each 'bulb' with the root stub in a pot. You can just trim the tops - leaving 3" to 5" of the lower part. Eventually a few shoots will come up, but it is gangly, and not much to look at. It is very tolerant of my lapses in watering.

However, once you are sure it is warm outside, put it in the ground and you will be rewarded by this very attractive green 'fountain'. When you dig it up to divide or give a chunk to someone at this point, it reminds me of what you would do with a clump of daylilies. In winter we generally keep a clump in a pot and put it in the garage, the tops get brown, but so long as the part just above the roots is still green, it comes back nicely. I've kept it for 5 years now, and my friends and neigbors have some too.

me oh me too. i would love to get some. lmk janet

Esther_z6, you have mail coming at you, :-) I would love some! It would go well with my herb garden, most of which are in pots incase we do get the occasional light frost.

Thank you,
Annie

Thanks so much Esther-my lemon grass is doing just great-already sending up lots of new shoots (have it sitting in the basement under lots of plant lights!) Should do great this spring. Thanks again!

I'd love to get some if you still have some left!

How do you keep these plants over winter?

Wind, if you have grown this all year, you will have a huge clump. You just need to dig it up, put it in your garage or somewhere so the roots do not freeze (tops will get brown). Then when the weather is warmer, just cut the clump into several pieces and plant them.

Good luck with yours.

Esther

Thank so much, I have been buying new plants each year.

Esther-
Do you still have lemon grass?
I have a friend who has tried to find some and cannot...I am trying to help her find some...
Thanks!
-Taylor
ps-I've got lots to trade, especially vines...

I would like some in it's still available. JLMK Thanks

Oops! Sorry Esther_z6. Thanks Critter for pointing that out. Not the observant one. How embarrasing, lol.

This message was edited Aug 23, 2005 10:51 PM

please realize that Esther posted the above in 2003!

If I get around to wrestling mine around & repotting it this fall, I should have extra shoots, and I'll post if I do.

Yes, I did realize that, ...this thread just came up in a lemon grass search, and I posted.
I figured if she had it then, she still might grow it.
Did I do something wrong?
-T

You certainly didn't do anything wrong, but there's no guarantee Esther still has this thread on her "watch" list, and I didn't want you to be disappointed if she didn't post. She's the nicest lady, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you sent her Dmail and asked if she might have some available to trade.

Mine definitely needs repotting, as it's looking rather sad, so I'm not sure how many viable shoots I'll find, or I'd be arranging to send you some right away. :-)

Esther_z6 I have some that I cook with that I got at the grocery store - it doesn't have any roots. Do you think that will root in soil if it has the bulb part?

Critter-
well, if you find you have extra, I'd love to try to trade for some. I'm trying to locate some for a friend who has been trying to locate some for ages.
She has several recipes that call for lemon grass and would love to be able to find some.
The nurseries around here don't always have the greatest selection...and lemon grass has been hard to come by
-T

Grikdog, I'd say it's worth potting up a couple of stalks to see what happens! Mist it regularly while it is rooting, or put a plastic bag over the pot to increase humidity around it (use a couple of sticks or something to keep the plastic from touching the leaves).

T, I'm back out in the garden trying to catch up this week.... I'll LYK when I get a chance to tackle that big pot with the lemon grass!

Sounds good. anything YOU are looking for?

When I want to plant some more Lemon Grass, I buy a bunch at an oriental grocery, they sell huge bundles in some of the big ones, and then stuff a wide mouth jar with them, fill the jar with water, and change out the water regularly. When they start to grow roots, I pot them. This is the most reliable way I have yet found.

I tried lemon grass one year and it didn't make it. I've not been able to find any since. Anyone still have some for SASE?

O.K. How do you use lemon grass once you have grown it?
farizona