I grow lemongrass in containers every year. When I give my raised bed talks, I usually tell the audience that I like to plant lemongrass in place of a spike or dracaena, in my ornamental pots because it provides that lovely dramatic height. It’s a great double-duty plant because of its ornamental grass qualities—and it’s edible. I love drying lemongrass for herbal tea, and come fall, when I fire up the crockpot, I toss it into hearty curries. Until I started growing it myself, I didn’t really know how to harvest lemongrass. It’s not a particularly expensive herb to purchase, but there is something very satisfying about growing your own. And harvesting is super-easy!
There are over 55 types of lemongrass, but only the East Indian and West Indian varieties are used for tea and cooking. This incredibly fragrant culinary herb is used in Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, and Malaysian cooking. There are health studies that show lemongrass can reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, and relieve anxiety, among other benefits. And if I ever come across a lemongrass lotion or soap, I grab one. I absolutely love the scent!
Growing lemongrass
I have found it challenging to grow lemongrass from seed, so I usually purchase plants each year. Into my ornamental arrangements they go. However, once you have a plant, you can propagate lemongrass, so you have your own plants ready in the spring. The variety I grow, Cymbopogon Flexuosus, comes via a local grower, Freeman Herbs. It is an East Indian variety. I’ve also seen seeds for Cymbopogon citratus, which is a West Indian variety.
I use vegetable potting soil amended with a bit of compost for all of my ornamental containers that contain edibles. Lemongrass is a tropical plant, so it thrives in full sun. It doesn’t mind slightly moist soil, but you don’t want to overwater, which can cause the plant to rot. Make sure your container has good drainage! I’ve actually found lemongrass to be pretty drought tolerant compared to other herbs I grow. Stalks grow to be two to three feet—or more, depending on the location where it’s been planted.
Since I grow my lemongrass with ornamental plants, when I fertilize, I use an organic fertilizer formulated for veggie gardens (the most common one I use is hen manure, which is good because it’s high in nitrogen, which the plants like).
You could also plant lemongrass in the garden as an ornamental grass each year, if you don’t want to deal with the maintenance of a perennial ornamental grass.
How to harvest lemongrass
Wearing gardening gloves, I use my herb scissors to snip the leaves from the base of the outside of the clump to dry for tea. Do be careful as the leaves are sharp and can give unexpected papercuts! Pruners just kind of bend the leaves, rather than cut through them. I string lemongrass leaves up in a window with twine to dry for tea. They get a bit of morning sun, even though it’s recommended you hang them out of direct sunlight. That’s where I have the space to hang all my herbs. When the leaves have dried, I cut them into two- to three-inch pieces and store them in an airtight glass jar.
When used in cooking, you want the thicker bit—this is the part you purchase at the grocery store. Lemongrass stalks are called culms. For these thicker parts, you can use pruners to cut the culm as close to the base of the plant as possible. Wait until the plant is established before cutting. When first learning how to harvest lemongrass, it’s hard to know when it’s safe to start snipping. It’s generally recommended that stalks are at least a half inch thick before you snip, but my plants, though vigorous, don’t always produce stalks that thick.
Remove the outer leaves from the lemongrass stalk and cut it into pieces that are big enough to remove when the dish is ready, much as you would with a bay leaf.
If you’re not saving the whole plant by overwintering it, you can pull it out of the pot in the fall, dust off all the soil, and separate each culm to store for the winter. Wrap them tightly in plastic to freeze, or put into freezer bags, and simply pull out a stalk for cooking as you need it.
More tips on how to harvest lemongrass can be found in this video:
Using lemongrass in the kitchen
I find lemongrass stalks to be quite woody and fibrous (I found this out the hard way after biting into a huge piece once in a bowl of coconut soup), so I don’t generally mince it in my dishes. But I love the flavour itself. I use pieces of the stalks in chicken curry and Thai coconut soup, but I’ll fish them out before serving.
If you freeze lemongrass, simply take out the amount you need and toss it in the pot (or crockpot). I’ll give the ends a snip at this point to release more of the flavour.
I put my dried lemongrass leaves in an unbleached tea bag to brew. This prevents me from pulling pieces out of my mouth as I sip. You can also brew fresh stalks in tea, just like you would with fresh ginger.
Overwintering lemongrass
Once you learn how to harvest lemongrass, you’ll be able to pick it throughout the season. However, do make sure if you want to eventually save all of it (leaves and stalks) for freezing or drying, that you get to it before your region’s first hard frost. I keep an eye out for frost advisories. I’ll move my pots to the warmth of the garage for a night if I haven’t had a chance to save all the lemongrass beforehand.
If you want to bring your whole lemongrass plant indoors, transplant it to its own pot. Cut the leaves down, so they’re only a few inches high. Place your pot of lemongrass in a south-facing window. Keep the soil slightly moist throughout the winter, but be careful not to overwater.
Lemongrass propagation
I don’t bring my lemongrass plants indoors. They’re usually planted with other annuals that get tossed in the compost at the end of the season. But you can propagate a piece of your lemongrass to grow a plant for the following season. (This can also be done with a stalk that you purchase from the grocery store.)
Simply take a stalk, remove the outer leaves, and place the stalk in a small glass of water. Put your wee bit of lemongrass in a sunny window and change the water daily (or as often as possible). Check for roots in the first couple of weeks. Once you see decent root growth, transplant your piece to a pot filled with indoor potting soil for herbs.
Lemongrass is a tropical plant, so you’ll want to make sure you’re well past your region’s frost-free date before bringing it back outside in the spring. I would wait until you’re ready to put your ornamental pots together with the usual assortment of annuals.
What do you do with your lemongrass harvest?
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Great Post Tara!
Lemongrass also contains substances that are thought to relieve pain and swelling. Also, Lemongrass has antioxidant properties which is also very beneficial. Like you, even I love to dry lemongrass for herbal teas.
You have explained the entire procedure very well.
Thanks for sharing!
Im very interesting in growing heberal for tea and seasonings I love the ideals you shared thanks 🙏🏾 GOD BLESS
Thank you for this clearly written, informative article.
Thanks for the information,I have lemon grass in my yard and was planning to get rid of it.Since I enjoy herbal tea,lemon grass is in good hands now👏
I didn’t know or want to wait for my lemongrass to dry, so I boiled a few stalks and let them sit in the hot water. After a few minutes, I used honey to sweeten and drank the tea.
I’m wondering if I’m getting the same benefits from the herb that I would if I had dried the leaves?
Thanks.
Hi Cynthia, I’m not really able to comment on the health benefits, but it sounds like it would have more flavour if used fresh!
Had some today and it was great, add a few slices of fresh ginger to it, drink it hot , it makes a great after dinner drink. It will relax you and help you get a good nights sleep.
I grew c. flexuosus from seed (Parks), and brought inside during winter (z 7b). Lots of dead brown leaves over time but most stalks survive. After a 2nd summer of only scrawny stalks, I did some research which indicated c. citratus is the preferred variety, so bought some of those seeds and am now on first yr with them. Then happened to see one in a store so planted it with my 2 seedlings. No harvest yet from either pot. We’ll see. BTW, the leaves have quite sharp edges so would not recommend as a general substitute for ornamental grasses, particularly if have youngsters moving nearby such as at a pool.
Hi George, thank you for your findings and recommendation about lemongrass being sharp!
I planted lemongrass in my garden as a deer deterrent, turns out deer don’t like the scent of lemongrass or the texture of the sharp edges
👏👏Planting more next year!!
Here in Arizona, typically I put mine on the patio during our so called winter. I cut it back and it tends to look dead. But once it warms up, it always comes back each year. Now I have planted some in the ground so I guess I’ll see what happens.
I find that making tea from fresh leaves and add a chunk of rock sugar on the stove tastes very much like froot loop cereal. I like to chill it first before drinking it and it is so refreshing during our super hot summers.
Sounds delicious, thanks for sharing! 🙂
I soak mine in vodka after i clip it- its a cool and refreshing summertime drink- sometimes i make ice cubes with the smaller stalks after i boil them- it give just a hint of flavor
Hi, I’m in Florida by Tampa so not any frost to worry about. Anyone cooked it with sweet potato leaves? I’ve got plenty in my yard so wanting to find informations.
You can stir fry sweet potato leaves. I love them just cooked like I would do with spinach or kale
I LOVE lemongrass! One year, i had so many leaves that i made a bed for my holiday turkey to lay on, then stuffed the cavity as well.
My favorite turkey ever!!!!
Hi Susan, that sounds delicious!
Can the sharp leaves be eaten after boiling, or will they damage your stomach even after being softened?
Hi Michael, I would avoid eating the actual leaves and use them instead to infuse flavour into a dish, removing them before serving.
First of all, thank you so much for your comprehensive article!
I received my original lemongrass plants from an Okinawan Lady who barely speaks English. I don’t know the variety she gave me but the young leaves and stems are very edible and I use it in soups, stews, and any other dish that I think might benefit from a bright citrus flavor.
I happen to live in agri growing zone 8a so I do take my plants in during our 6 week winter time but the only plant I have ever lost to a freeze is ginger.
I dry the leaves and freeze the culms as I would buy them from my favorite Asian market.
I’m new to lemongrass and I need to harvest. Great information on how to harvest and use. Thanks.
Fabulous article. I have grown Lemongrass for a few years but it has never amounted to anything. Finally this year, it’s beautiful! So excited to start snipping! I do a lot of Asian cooking and love Lemongrass tea. So, no part of this is going to waste.
Particularly interested in trying to propagate for next season (z 5a/b) as it won’t overwinter here.
I have been growing lemongrass for approx. 8 years. I harvest at the base and dry it for herbal teas. I never knew you could over winter it or propagate. That will be on my todo list fall of 2022. Thank you
I cut the leaves of my Lemongrass into pieces, dried it and tried to make a tea from this, but not much flavour. Is this usual please? I would like to store some dried, but not sure if this is the best thing to do with it.
Hi Angela, I think you may have better luck with flavor if you focus on the root area and the stalk just above it.
I’ve always planted lemon grass as a mosquito deterrent on either side of my back porch…beautiful to look at, smell, eat and know they are doing an important job. Good to know deer are not fond of them….