Mastering the Art of Growing Lemongrass in Pots Outdoors

I remember the first time I tasted a Thai curry made with fresh lemongrass. The bright, citrusy zing was a world away from the dried, dusty stuff I’d found in stores. That flavor got me hooked, and I knew I had to grow my own.

The problem? I live in a place where winter means business, and my garden space is limited to a sunny patio. So, I embarked on a journey to figure out how to grow this tropical wonder in pots.

Let me tell you, it was a mix of glorious successes and some, shall we say, learning opportunities. But now, my potted lemongrass is a thriving, fragrant beast that fuels my culinary adventures all year long.

And I’m here to share everything I’ve learned so you can skip the drama and get straight to the good stuff. Growing lemongrass in containers is not only possible, it’s surprisingly easy once you get the hang of it. Ready to turn your patio into a fragrant oasis? Let’s get our hands dirty.

Getting Started: Everything You Need for Lemongrass Success

Before you can dream of harvesting those aromatic stalks, you need to set your plant up for a happy life. Think of this as building a luxury home for your lemongrass. You wouldn’t want to live in a cramped space with bad food, right? Neither does your plant. This initial setup is arguably the most critical part of the entire process.

Sourcing Your Lemongrass Starter

You can’t grow what you don’t have, so your first mission is to get a starter plant. You have a few great options, and each has its pros and cons.

• From the Grocery Store: This is my favorite method, and it feels like a cool magic trick. Buy a few fresh-looking stalks of lemongrass from your local supermarket or Asian market. Look for ones that are firm, with a bit of the bulbous base intact. Avoid any that look dry, shriveled, or brown. When you get them home, trim off any dry top leaves, and place the stalks in a glass with a few inches of water. Put the glass on a sunny windowsill. Within a week or two, you should see little white roots starting to sprout from the base. It’s incredibly satisfying to watch! Once the roots are an inch or two long, they’re ready for potting.
• From a Nursery or Garden Center: This is the most straightforward route. You can buy a small, established lemongrass plant that’s already growing in a pot. This is a great choice if you want a head start or feel a bit intimidated by propagating from stalks. The plant is already living, so your main job is just to keep it that way. When choosing one, look for a plant with healthy, green leaves and no signs of pests or yellowing.
• From Seeds: I’ll be honest, this is the most challenging and time-consuming method. Lemongrass seeds can be tricky to germinate and take a long time to mature into a harvestable plant. I only recommend this route for the patient, adventurous gardener who enjoys a good challenge. If you choose this path, start your seeds indoors about a month before your last frost date.

Choosing the Perfect Pot

Pot selection is more important than you might think. Lemongrass is a vigorous grower and will quickly become root-bound in a small container. This is a classic rookie mistake that I definitely made my first time. I put my starter in a cute little 6-inch pot, and within a month, it was screaming for more space.

For one lemongrass starter, you’ll want a pot that is at least 12 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep. A five-gallon container is an excellent starting point. This gives the root system ample room to expand throughout the growing season. Remember, a bigger pot holds more soil, which means it holds more moisture and nutrients, reducing your workload.

Crucially, your pot must have drainage holes. Lemongrass loves water, but it absolutely despises sitting in a soggy, waterlogged mess. This leads to root rot, the silent killer of many container plants. If you find the perfect pot but it lacks holes, do yourself a favor and drill some before you even think about adding soil. Trust me on this.

The Ultimate Soil Mix Recipe

Lemongrass isn’t terribly picky, but it thrives in a rich, well-draining soil. Bagged potting mix from the store is a good base, but I like to supercharge it to create the perfect environment. A plant with good soil is like a person who eats a balanced diet—it’s just healthier and more resilient.

Here’s my personal soil cocktail for happy lemongrass:

1. High-Quality Potting Mix (60%): Start with a good all-purpose potting mix. Don’t go for the cheap stuff that’s mostly wood chips and dust. Invest in a mix that contains peat moss or coco coir for moisture retention.
2. Compost or Worm Castings (20%): This is the “good food” for your plant. Compost adds a slow-release source of essential nutrients and improves the soil structure. It’s like a vitamin boost that keeps your lemongrass fed and happy over the long term.
3. Perlite or Coarse Sand (20%): This is your drainage insurance. Perlite is the little white, lightweight rocky stuff you see in potting mixes. It creates air pockets in the soil, preventing it from becoming compacted and waterlogged. This ensures that even when you water thoroughly, the excess can drain away freely, protecting the roots.

Mix these three ingredients together thoroughly in a wheelbarrow or on a tarp. Once your soil is ready and your pot is chosen, you’re ready to plant! Fill the pot with your soil mix, leaving a few inches at the top.

Dig a small hole in the center, place your rooted stalk or nursery plant inside, and gently backfill the soil around it, firming it down to remove air pockets. Water it well, and you’re officially a lemongrass parent.

The Art of Lemongrass Care: Sun, Water, and Food

You’ve planted your lemongrass. Congratulations! Now comes the ongoing care, which is where you really get to connect with your plant. Think of it less as a chore and more as a relationship. If you pay attention to its needs, it will reward you with lush, fragrant growth. Lemongrass is a tropical plant, so your goal is to mimic its native environment: lots of sun, lots of water, and plenty of food.

Let There Be Light! (And Lots of It)

Lemongrass is a full-blown sun worshipper. It needs at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight every single day to truly thrive. An east-facing patio might not cut it. You’re looking for a south-facing or west-facing spot where the sun beats down for most of the afternoon.

When I first moved my pot outside, I placed it in a corner that I thought got enough sun. After a few weeks, the growth was slow and a bit spindly. I moved it to the sunniest, most unforgiving spot on my deck, and the plant exploded with growth.

The stalks got thicker, the leaves turned a richer green, and the aroma became much more potent. More sun equals more flavor.

If you live in a scorching hot climate (think Arizona or Texas summers), your lemongrass will still love the sun, but it might appreciate a little bit of shade during the absolute peak of the afternoon heat to prevent its leaves from scorching. However, for most of us, the rule is simple: find the sunniest spot you have and put your pot there.

The Never-Ending Thirst

Remember how I said lemongrass hates soggy feet but loves water? This is the central paradox of its care routine. During the peak of the growing season, especially on hot, sunny days, you will likely need to water your potted lemongrass every single day.

Because it’s in a pot, the soil dries out much faster than it would in the ground. The best way to know when to water is to simply stick your finger about two inches into the soil. If it feels dry at that depth, it’s time to water. When you do water, do it thoroughly.

Pour water onto the soil until you see it running out of the drainage holes at the bottom. This ensures that the entire root ball gets a good drink. A light, shallow sprinkle just wets the top surface and does nothing for the thirsty roots below.

In the blistering heat of July and August, I sometimes have to water my largest pots twice a day. It sounds like a lot, but a happy, well-watered lemongrass plant is a fast-growing one.

Feeding Your Hungry Herb

Growing vigorously in a confined pot requires a lot of energy, and that energy comes from nutrients in the soil. While your initial compost-rich mix provides a good start, your lemongrass will be a heavy feeder throughout the growing season. Think of it as a teenage athlete who is always hungry.

Starting about a month after you pot your plant, you should begin a regular feeding schedule. I recommend using a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer.

• What to use: Look for a liquid fertilizer with a balanced N-P-K ratio, something like 10-10-10 or 20-20-20. Nitrogen (N) is especially important for promoting lush, leafy growth.
• How often: I feed my lemongrass every 2 to 3 weeks from late spring through early fall. I simply mix the fertilizer into my watering can according to the package directions and water the plant with it. This regular feeding keeps the growth strong and prevents the leaves from turning yellow due to nutrient deficiencies.

Don’t fertilize in the winter when the plant is dormant. It’s not actively growing, so it doesn’t need the extra food. Pushing fertilizer on a dormant plant is like trying to force-feed someone who is sleeping it’s not going to end well.

Harvesting, Winterizing, and Dividing: The Lemongrass Lifecycle

Your plant is growing like a weed, and the air around it smells amazing. Now for the best part: the harvest! But the fun doesn’t stop there. To keep your plant productive for years to come, you’ll also need to know how to get it through the winter and how to divide it when it outgrows its home.

How to Harvest for Maximum Flavor

Harvesting lemongrass is incredibly simple. You want to harvest the stalks when they are at least half an inch thick at the base. You can harvest at any point during the growing season once the plant is established.

The correct way to harvest is to cut the stalk at the soil level. Don’t just pull it out, as this can damage the main clump and neighboring stalks. I use a sharp knife or a pair of sturdy garden shears. You can also sometimes bend the stalk outwards and snap it off cleanly at the base.

The most flavorful part of the lemongrass is the bottom third of the stalk. This is the tender, pale-yellow section. To use it, you’ll want to peel off the tough, woody outer layers until you get to the softer core. You can then smash this part with the back of a knife to release its aromatic oils before chopping or mincing it for your recipes.

The upper, green leafy parts are too tough to eat, but don’t throw them away! You can bruise them and steep them in hot water for a wonderfully refreshing herbal tea.

Surviving the Winter: A Tropical Plant’s Dilemma

Unless you live in USDA Zone 10 or warmer, your potted lemongrass will not survive the winter outdoors. Once temperatures consistently dip below 40°F (4°C), it’s time to take action. You have two main options for overwintering.

1. Bring It Indoors as a Houseplant: This is my preferred method. Before the first frost, I trim the entire plant down to about 6-8 inches in height. This makes it more manageable to bring inside. I give it a good spray-down with the hose to knock off any potential pests that might be hitching a ride. Then, I bring the pot indoors and place it in the sunniest window I have, usually a south-facing one. It won’t grow much during the winter, but it will stay alive. I reduce watering significantly, only giving it a drink when the soil is almost completely dry. No fertilizer is needed.
2. Let It Go Dormant: If you don’t have a sunny spot indoors, you can force the plant into dormancy. Trim it down as described above and place the pot in a cool, dark place like a basement, garage, or unheated shed. The key is that the location must stay above freezing but remain cool. The foliage will die back completely. You only need to water it very lightly about once a month, just enough to keep the roots from totally desiccating. It will look completely dead, but don’t panic! In the spring, once the danger of frost has passed, you bring it back outside, give it a good watering, and it should sprout new growth.

The Art of Division: When One Pot Becomes Many

After a year or two, your lemongrass will likely have filled its entire pot. The growth may slow down, and it might look overly crowded. This is a sign that it’s time to divide the plant. Division not only relieves the crowding but also gives you more lemongrass plants for free! Who doesn’t love that?

The best time to divide is in the spring, just as new growth is starting.

1. Remove the Plant: Carefully tip the pot on its side and slide the entire root ball out. It will likely be a dense, tangled mass of roots and stalks.
2. Separate the Clumps: Using a sharp, serrated knife (an old bread knife works wonders for this) or a small garden spade, cut the root ball into several sections. Each section should have a healthy clump of stalks and a good amount of roots attached.
3. Repot Your New Plants: Pot each new division into its own container with fresh, nutrient-rich soil. Water them well and place them in a sunny spot. They might look a little sad for a week or two as they recover from the shock, but they will quickly rebound and start putting on new growth. I started with one plant, and now I have four, with plenty more given away to friends.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (That I’ve Definitely Made)

We all make mistakes in the garden. It’s part of the learning process! But if I can help you avoid some of the most common pitfalls when growing lemongrass in pots, I’ll consider my job done.

• Starting with Too Small a Pot: I can’t stress this enough. A small pot is the fastest way to a stressed, unproductive plant. It will become root-bound, dry out in a flash, and won’t have the resources to produce those thick, juicy stalks you want. Go big from the start.
• Forgetting to Water: Potted plants are completely dependent on you for water. You can’t rely on rain like you can with plants in the ground. Forgetting to water for even a couple of hot days can lead to a crispy, brown, and very unhappy plant. Make checking your lemongrass pot part of your daily summer routine.
• Not Providing Enough Sun: Lemongrass without enough sun is a sad sight. It will be pale, leggy, and lacking in flavor. It will survive in part-shade, but it will never thrive. Be honest with yourself about how much direct sun your patio gets before you commit.
• Letting It Freeze: This one is a heartbreaker because it’s so final. Lemongrass is tropical. A hard frost will turn it to mush, and it will not come back. Pay attention to your local weather forecast in the fall and get your plant to safety before that first frost hits. Set a reminder on your phone if you have to!

Conclusion: Your Patio-to-Plate Journey Awaits

Growing lemongrass in pots is one of the most rewarding gardening projects you can undertake. It takes a sunny spot on your patio and transforms it into a source of incredible flavor for your kitchen. There’s nothing quite like walking outside, snipping off a fresh stalk, and bringing that vibrant, citrusy aroma into your home.

From choosing the right pot and soil to mastering the watering routine and bringing it safely through the winter, you now have the complete roadmap. Remember the key takeaways:

• Give it a large pot with excellent drainage.
• Place it in the sunniest spot you can find.
• Water frequently and feed it regularly during the growing season.
• Harvest by cutting stalks at the base, and don’t forget to protect it from frost.

Now, it’s your turn. You have the knowledge and the blueprint for success. Go find some lemongrass stalks, a big pot, and a sunny corner. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can grow your own supply of this fantastic herb.

Have you tried growing lemongrass in pots before? Do you have any tips or questions? Drop a comment below I’d love to hear about your experience!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

My lemongrass leaves are turning brown and crispy at the tips. What’s wrong?

This is usually a sign of underwatering. The pot is likely drying out too quickly between waterings, especially on hot or windy days. Try increasing your watering frequency and make sure you are watering deeply until it runs out the bottom.

Can I grow lemongrass indoors all year round?

You can, but it’s a challenge. To grow it productively indoors, you would need a very large pot and a high-quality, full-spectrum grow light running for at least 10-12 hours a day. A sunny window, even a south-facing one, usually doesn’t provide enough intense light for the kind of vigorous growth you see outdoors.

Why are my lemongrass stalks so thin and spindly?

This is almost always a combination of two things: not enough sun and not enough nutrients. Move the pot to a location with more direct, intense sunlight (at least 6-8 hours). Also, make sure you are feeding it with a balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks during the growing season.

My lemongrass plant has started to flower. Is that a bad thing?

Not at all! It’s a natural part of the plant’s life cycle and usually happens in late summer when the plant is mature and happy. The flowers are interesting, but they don’t have the culinary flavor of the stalks. The flowering does not harm the plant or reduce the flavor of the existing stalks.