Lemingrass

[Melissa Smith]

I have a few pots of lemongrass and I'm not real sure how and when to harvest it. Any ideas?

 

[marlingardener]

Lemon grass can be cut and used at almost any stage of growth. The leaves are pretty much inedible--tough and stringy, but they can be used for making a tea, or added to a dish for flavor and then removed before serving. The edible portion is about the bottom third of a stalk. Stripped of its outer covering, the tender inner part can be chopped and eaten.
(Just a hint, black type on a white background is easier on a reader's eyes, rather than the italic and bright pink).

 

[Melissa Smith]

What do I need to do to make my lemongrass healthier

 

[IcyBC]

I haven't try to grow lemongrass but it is one of those herbs that I love to have year around if giving the right weather. My sister has success growing them, but I failed with my first attempt and gave up.

I can't offer any help to make your lemongrass healthier, but now I know it can be grown in pots

 

[Corzhens]

We have lemon grass that we use for food. We planted it when we learned that lemon grass is good for lowering the cholesterol level. It is like any grass that grows by having "children" that small growth. Harvesting or picking lemon grass is by the plant itself. You pick a stem that would include the roots. Cut off the stem and leaves, leaving about 5 inches from the root. Cut also a portion of the roots so that you shed off some leaves. When it looks clean enough, you can mix in in your dish in place of ginger.

 

[ChanellG]

You have to wait for the stalks to get thick. Have you ever looked at the stalks of lemon grass in the store? Lemongrass can regrow, so unless you are thinning it out, there is no need to harvest down to the root.

The leaves are pretty much inedible--tough and stringy, but they can be used for making a tea, or added to a dish for flavor and then removed before serving.

Do you personally use them this way? I haven't found any information online about using leaves, but I have included them when making soup stock. I can't remember if I have tried them for tea.

 

[Corzhens]

Okay, here is the lemon grass that I used in the sauced chicken a while ago. Check out the length of the stem that I used after cutting the leaves. Harvesting lemon grass means killing that particular plant. No worry because lemon grass is like grass that multiplies fast.

Here is the photo of that lemon grass this morning...

 

[Melissa Smith]

How long it take it to get that big

Okay, here is the lemon grass that I used in the sauced chicken a while ago. Check out the length of the stem that I used after cutting the leaves. Harvesting lemon grass means killing that particular plant. No worry because lemon grass is like grass that multiplies fast.

Here is the photo of that lemon grass this morning...View attachment 7512

 

[Corzhens]

@Melissa Smith lemon grass is like a grove which propagates by having sprouts. From a sprout, it takes about 4 months to reach that growth where it is appropriate to be used. And since it is a grass, that means it is easy to grow and to propagate. Just regular watering will make for a healthy grove of lemon grass.