One of the first plant related experiences I had that lead me to become the plant worshiper I am today involved lemongrass. When I was seventeen I worked at a zoo on a Kibbutz in Israel. One rainy day an elder came to volunteer with us. At break she excused herself, took a brief walk around the grounds, and came back with an armful of herbs including lemongrass. She made us the best tasting tea I have ever had right there on the spot. It was so nourishing and delicious! I was enthralled with her witchy, herbal, magical ways and am basically still trying to grow up to be like her. Haha. (But seriously, I really do want to be a plant witch.)
Lemongrass is used in three primary ways: in cooking, for scent, and for medicinal qualities. There are many ways to use it in all three of these categories. The flavor of LG is like lemon (duh) but without the acidity of an actual lemon, it's more gentle. The scent is fresh and invigorating. In terms of medicinal qualities, according to WebMD "Lemongrass might help prevent the growth of some bacteria and yeast. Lemongrass also contains substances that are thought to relieve pain and swelling, reduce fever, improve levels of sugar and cholesterol in the blood, stimulate the uterus and menstrual flow, and have antioxidant properties."
I highly recommend adding lemongrass to your garden. For those without a garden, it can be grown in a pot indoors too!
Growing:
You can start lemongrass from seed, buy a small start from your local nursery, or even root a fresh cutting. I prefer buying starts because I am constantly trying to simplify my garden To Do list. Rooting a stalk is easy though, it just takes more time. To root LG, get a stalk with as much bottom portion as you can find (the bulbous part is what roots), peel back a couple leaves, stick it in a jar of water, keep the water clean, and wait. Once roots form, plant it. If you know anyone with lemongrass this is an great way to get a free plant!
Lemon grass is a super easy plant to grow as long as you have a sunny, warm spot for it. It needs a full 8 hours of sun. My plants have never been bothered by any pest or disease, the only thing that kills them is standing water and a hard freeze. In fact, lemongrass oil is a common ingredient in natural insect repellents! It can be grown in pots and brought indoors if you live in an area that freezes.
As with most plants, lemongrass will do better with a top dressing of nitrogen rich compost. However, the lemon grass in my garden is doing fine despite being in piss poor soil and receiving zero attention from me. I thought I killed it last winter (here in zone 9b we do get some occasional freezes, but not the hard freeze that lasts for weeks) but it came back! My kind of plant!
In terms of aesthetics it is a great addition to an herb garden because it brings the height and movement of a tall grass to the otherwise short and stout herb bed. The leaves do have razor sharp edges though, so be sure to plant it somewhere where you won't be brushing past it.
Using it:
My favorite way to use lemongrass is making it into tea wreaths. I simple twist a few leaves into a little wreath, dry it for 2ish weeks, then store them in a jar once dry. When I want some tea I just pop them in a cuppa and let them steep for 5 mins. Easy!
Lemongrass is commonly used in Thailand and Vietnam to flavor all sorts of dishes. You can harvest tender stalks, slice, and freeze them or dry bundles of leaves. Leaves or stalks can then be added to curries, sauces, marinades... just about anything!
You can make lemongrass oil for cooking by following this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8086-lemongrass-oil
If you are the crafty, homesteader type, you can add lemongrass to homemade soaps, deodorants, cleaning products, and lotions. You'd need to make it into an oil first though, this is different from the cooking oil above. To make an essential oil that retains the plant's medicinal properties, follow these steps: https://www.ehow.com/how_8029306_make-lemongrass-essential-oil.html
If you have a favorite way to use lemongrass, let me know!
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