GrowSabzHow to grow lemongrass in pots
Also called Lemon Grass, Citronella Grass, Fever Grass, tanglad · Cymbopogon citratus
لیمون گراس
- ☀️ Sunlight
- 6–8hours daily
- 💧 Water
- 1.8 Levery 2 days, 15 L pot
- 🌡️ Ideal temp
- 20–30°C
- 🪴 Min pot
- 15 L30 cm deep
- 🧺 Harvest
- 60–90days from sowing
- ⚖️ Yield
- 1 kgper 20 L pot
Lemongrass drinks far more than most container plants — about 1000 ml for every 10 litres of soil, and in hot weather it wants that every single day. Underestimate that and you get the classic result: a plant that looks healthy in the morning and wilts by afternoon.
Short answer
Grow lemongrass in a 15 litre container at least 30 cm deep, watering about 1000 ml per 10 litres of soil every 2 days, and keep temperatures between 20 and 30 °C. First harvest comes 60–90 days after sowing.
Where to plant it
What size pot does lemongrass need?
15 litres and 30 cm deep is the realistic minimum for a single plant. Pick a container below to see what changes.
| Container | Minimum size | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot | 15 L | 30 cm | Use pots with good drainage; larger pots are better for clump development. |
| Grow bag | 15 L | 30 cm | Fabric bags promote air pruning and prevent root circling. |
| Open ground | — | 30 cm | Space plants 60-90 cm apart for optimal growth. |
| Raised bed | 20 L | 30 cm | Provides excellent drainage and allows for easy soil amendment. |
Watering
How often should you water lemongrass?
Every 2 days through the growing season, at about 1000 ml per 10 litres of soil — daily in hot weather, every 3 days when it turns cool. Water in the early morning. Deep watering at base works best.
Too little water
- leaf curling
- browning leaf tips
- stunted growth
Too much water
- yellowing leaves
- mushy base
- stunted growth
Avoid: waterlogging; prolonged dryness.
Climate
Can you grow lemongrass where you live?
No hardiness zone needed — compare your actual temperatures against the plant's own limits.
| Ideal range | 20 – 30 °C |
|---|---|
| Survives | 10 – 40 °C |
| Germinates above | 20 °C — best at 25 °C, about 14 days |
| Flowers drop | above 38 °C, or below 15 °C |
| Sunlight | 6–10 hrs/day, best 8 |
| Frost | Highly sensitive — will not survive it |
The flower-drop thresholds matter more than the survival ones. A plant can be perfectly alive at 40 °C and still give you nothing.
How cold is too cold for lemongrass? Check your temperaturesEnter your night low and day high — see if it survives, and if it will cropTimeline
Lemongrass growing stages, day by day
Click any stage to see what's happening. Durations shift with temperature — a warm season runs roughly a quarter faster than a cool one.
Feeding
Fertiliser schedule for lemongrass
Feed on the interval below, changing what you give as the plant shifts from making leaves to making fruit.
| Stage | What to use | Per 10 L | Every |
|---|
How to prepare each feed
Common mistakes
Why lemongrass fails, and how to avoid it
- A container that is too small
Below 15 litres the root run is too shallow. The plant grows, flowers late, and drops whatever it sets because it cannot support the crop.
- Watering too lightly
A daily splash wets the top few centimetres and nothing else. Lemongrass wants about 1000 ml per 10 litres of soil — one deep soak beats three shallow ones.
- Ignoring the flower-drop threshold
Above 38 °C, or below 15 °C, flowers fall before setting. The plant can look perfectly healthy and still give you nothing — shade it through the hottest hours.
- Planting it beside Carrots
Lemongrass can grow quite large and dense, potentially outcompeting root vegetables like carrots for space and nutrients.
- Leaving it out through a cold snap
Lemongrass is highly frost-sensitive. One night below 10 °C can end the plant outright — bring containers in or cover them.
Companions
What to plant with lemongrass
Good neighbours
Lemongrass can help deter pests like aphids and black spot from roses due to its strong aroma.
Its strong scent can deter whiteflies, aphids, and other common garden pests from tomato plants.
Similar to tomatoes, lemongrass can help protect pepper plants from various insect pests.
Marigolds are known to deter nematodes and other soil-borne pests, complementing lemongrass's pest-repelling qualities.
Both are aromatic herbs that can mutually benefit from pest deterrence and thrive in similar warm, sunny conditions.
Keep apart from
Lemongrass can grow quite large and dense, potentially outcompeting root vegetables like carrots for space and nutrients.
Strong aromatic plants like lemongrass may sometimes inhibit the growth of legumes or interfere with their nitrogen-fixing abilities.
Small, delicate herbs like thyme can be easily overshadowed and outcompeted for light and resources by vigorous lemongrass.
Problems
Lemongrass pests and diseases
Each lists the weather that brings it on, so you know when to start checking rather than reacting once it's established.
Rust humidity >70% · temp 18-28
Appears as small, raised orange or brown pustules on the leaves, often on the undersides. Can cause yellowing and reduced vigor.
Leaf Blight humidity >80% · temp 25-32
Irregular brown spots with darker margins appear on leaves, which can enlarge and merge, leading to leaf dieback.
Scale Insects humidity any · temp any
Small, immobile, oval-shaped bumps on stalks and leaf bases. They suck sap, causing yellowing and stunted growth, and excrete sticky honeydew.
Mealybugs humidity any · temp any
White, cottony masses found in leaf sheaths and crevices. They feed on plant sap, leading to weakened growth and potential sooty mold.
Root Rot humidity high_soil_moisture · temp any
Caused by overwatering or poor drainage. Leaves yellow and wilt, and the base of the plant may become mushy and dark. Roots will be soft and brown.
Spider Mites humidity <50% · temp >27
Tiny pests causing stippling (small dots) on leaves, which may turn yellow or bronze. Fine webbing can be seen on the undersides of leaves or between stalks.
Nitrogen Deficiency humidity any · temp any
Older leaves turn uniformly yellow, starting from the tips and moving inward. Overall growth is stunted, and stalks are thin.
Harvest
When to harvest lemongrass
First picking falls between day 60 and day 90, and the plant then keeps producing for about 180 days. Pick often — what you leave on the plant signals it to stop making more.
How to tell it's ready
- Stalks are at least 1/2 inch thick at the base
- Strong citrusy aroma when bruised
- Leaves are vibrant green and healthy
How much to expect
Storing it: Refrigerate stalks wrapped in a damp paper towel in a plastic bag for 2-3 weeks, or freeze chopped stalks for several months.
Questions
Lemongrass: common questions
How long does lemongrass take to grow?
About 100 days from sowing to the first harvest, with picking usually starting between day 60 and day 90. It then keeps producing for roughly 180 more days. Warm weather pulls that forward; cool weather pushes it back.
What size pot does lemongrass need?
At least 15 litres and 30 cm deep for one plant. A raised bed wants 20 litres of soil and 30 cm of depth.
How often should I water lemongrass?
About 1000 ml per 10 litres of soil, every 2 days in normal weather — daily when it is hot and every 3 days when cool. Water in the early morning.
What temperature does lemongrass need?
It does best between 20 °C and 30 °C and survives from 10 °C to 40 °C. Seed needs soil above 20 °C to germinate, ideally around 25 °C.
Can I grow lemongrass in winter?
Not outdoors anywhere that frosts — it is highly frost-sensitive and will not survive it. In a frost-free winter it grows slowly; anywhere colder, treat it as a warm-season crop.
How do I know when lemongrass is ready to harvest?
Stalks are at least 1/2 inch thick at the base; Strong citrusy aroma when bruised; Leaves are vibrant green and healthy. Once picked: refrigerate stalks wrapped in a damp paper towel in a plastic bag for 2-3 weeks, or freeze chopped stalks for several months.
How much does one lemongrass plant produce?
Roughly 1 kg from a 20 litre container, or about 3 kg in open ground. Larger containers give proportionally more, up to a point.