Can I grow lemon grass?

[geoff]

Can I grow lemon grass outdoors in north - west England?
Is it too late now to start?
Any recommended suppliers, or shall I just trawl through a few seed catalogues?
And any other tips and comments would be appreciated Thanks

[valmarg]

You certainly can not grow it outdoors in the UK. It is a tropical plant, and needs to be kept indoors.

The easiest way to get plants, I have found, is to buy a pack of stalks from a supermarket, put them in a jar of water, changing the water regularly. They eventually start to root. Then you can pot them up. They throw out side shoots, which you can use for cooking.

valmarg

[Demeter]

As a houseplant, would it need any special treatment, or is just growing it on a sunny windowsill going to be enough to get lemon grass? If so, I might give it a go!

[Rhona]

Morning! I've grown lemon grass from seed and will be starting some off again today if I get time. I just put in deepish pot, sprinkled the seed, and put on very sunny windowsill and it thrived.

I tried rooting shop-bought stems but had no real luck. Much prefer the sunny 'sill approach - looks nice too!

[Kristen]

I've got 20 in 3" pots from seed that I sowed in the Spring. Slow job, so far ...

[valmarg]

Rhona, I have bought several packets of seed and the germination rate to date is nil.

I have, however, had great success with rooting the shop-bought stalks.

I shall have to persevere with the seed.

valmarg

[minnie the mulcher]

You certainly can not grow it outdoors in the UK. It is a tropical plant, and needs to be kept indoors.

The easiest way to get plants, I have found, is to buy a pack of stalks from a supermarket, put them in a jar of water, changing the water regularly. They eventually start to root. Then you can pot them up. They throw out side shoots, which you can use for cooking.

valmarg

Hi Valmarg - I have had much success with growing lemongrass outdoors planted in borders and potsin NorthWest England!
As long as you keep indoors/conservatory etc until frosts have passed in May find a nice sunny spot and they will thrive, bring indoors at the onset of Autumn. Unfortunately my plants die every year during the Winter indoors due to the fact that my cats cannot get enough of the stuff and chew the poor things until they die - have tried everything to discourage this but they obviously instinctively know the value of the medicinal properties of lemongrass!
I am attempting to grow from seed this year - wish me luck, I usually buy my lemongrass plants from Pimbo Garden Centre near Skelmersdale in Lancs.

Minnie the Mulcher

[selfraising]

Hi I planted lemon grass outside the last two years and it did well but then I am further south than you. I found the seeds took a long time to germinate so .last year rooted some shop bought ones and planted them out after last frost

[rogesse]

I managed to grow it from seed last year in London but it didn't do well or overwinter so they will stay in the sunroom this year.

The seeds/seedlings can be tricky but I've got more on the go now from T & M

[eospete]

I planted some T&M lemongrass seeds in Feb in the greenhouse heated propogator with the basil and have about 15 3cm seedlings. They seem to be doing ok.

Wondering about the inconsistencies of rooting stalks, do some retailers apply a treatment to the bases to prevent them rooting? I have heard of ginger being treated to prevent sprouting. I have 1 stalk rooting well and two doing nothing and they were from different sources.

P

[Lawrence]

A lot of supermarkets get their suppliers to trim their products to improve appearance, but this damages the root plate and they will not grow.
I got mine from the local asian grocer, where they are un-trimmed and grew fine.
However as said, they will not survive a winter, but grow fine all summer outside.

[Ananke]

I grew it outside successfully here in Glasgow two years ago, it died off in the winter but this year I plan on moving it into the greenhouse in the Autumn to see if it will survive until the following year.

[perkin]

I've grown mine from supermarket stalks - they can take a long time to root though. Then put into a tall pot and 'half sunk' into a border just to help with the water supply/ I moved the pot into the gh overwinter and put a piece of fleece over it. The very harsh cold at in Jan finally put paid to the two main stalks but all the offshoots have survived and it's already started putting on some growth.

[eospete]

I'm trying an experiment putting rooting compound in the water to see if it forces the lemongrass to root quicker. It seems to be growing the stalks but not the roots at present.

[Two_Sheds]

buy a pack of stalks from a supermarket, put them in a jar of water, changing the water regularly. They eventually start to root.

I've grown mine from supermarket stalks - they can take a long time to root though.

They take ages! I think I've had mine in water for 2 or 3 months now. Out of about 8, only one has rooted. Today it got potted up and is in the gh having a sunbathe