Presumably I should pot these up, but into what medium? I've some citrus compost left over but strictly speaking they are not citrus plants, are they?!
There's a chap with PATIENCE?
I'll be going for galangal as well come the Spring! :)
we grow the lemongrass in the poly, in a pot but just in ordinary soil, got lots this year, just left it in the poly, don't know if it needs more protection over winter, maybe others have got more ideas ?
I just potted mine up in normal potting compost of the peat-free variety. Seems to have done OK, although loads of roots so I think I should have used a bigger pot! I also think I should have watered it more.
I left mine outside most of the summer, and only brought it into the plastic greenhouse when the nights started getting cooler. I'm planning on bringing it indoors overwinter, but might try and find some info just to check what exactly it needs!
Thanks for the info Manciscousers and Sweetpea. How deep did you plant them?
just stuck it in the pot, rather like a cutting :-\
sounds within my capabilities ;D
Congratulations on your roots - none ever appeared when I tried that. I sowed seed next, and have 5 little plantlets that I have just brought indoors because of the threatened frosts this week - they're in compost from compost heap, so I hope that's good enough.
Their leaves are a little tattered from keeping rubbing them to make sure they smell of lemon....must leave them alone. They smell lovely already.
Not sure how tolerant they are over winter. ???
Maybe just pot them up in average compost and keep the chill off them.
We planted ours in the greenhouse bed in spring '05 and they took off hugely. Like a jungle in there by the autumn, when we pulled it, dried it and ended up giving most of it away!
I've stuck some in some oil, it means we've got some lemongrass oil and some preserved lemongrass :)
Thanks for the all the advice.
I'll pot them up now in middling size pots and leave one on the windowsill and one in the (unheated greenhouse) for the winter.
I`ve found that if you keep it frost free and keep the base totally dry over winter it comes through OK
Hi Barnowl,
Love lemon grass - but have only tried to grow it twice. Once via the supermarket and planting part of a stem directly into compost. This was a couple of months ago - the plant is growing, but not enough to harvest yet.
I also purchased a very sad stem of lemon grass for 10p at Tesco (it was very unwell) but have grown roots and (today) have planted it in compost. I am looking forward to it growing.
Keep in touch and I will let you know how I get on and share cuttings.
Regards
Ann
Ok. Planted them into 7" pots yesterday - mixture of seed compost, multi compost and perlite.
Both are in the greenhouse because OH says no moreplants on the windowsill! I've got a heater that cuts in if the temperature drops below 5 deg C, so have plugged that in hoping it will ease the shock for the lemon grass and protect the chillies that are still ripening. Can't keep it on all winter though so will have to come up with a cunning plan.
we got the tip about old demijohns from the wiki and tried it, put one over the lemongrass and ginger in the poly, hopefully that'll be enough to protect them