Gardeners' World expert Frances Tophill has recommended lemongrass as an easy-to-grow plant that thrives in warmer conditions. In the latest BBC Gardeners' World podcast, she explained that the herb can be propagated from supermarket-bought stems.
Simple propagation method
"Lemongrass is a great one to grow because you can propagate it by cutting, and you just do that in water," Tophill said. "It's time of year dependent, so I wouldn't do it in the winter, but when the weather is warm, they'll go quite quickly."
She noted that a stick of lemongrass from the supermarket usually includes its basal plate, a slight bulge at the bottom of the stem. Placing it in a glass of water on a warm windowsill allows roots to start growing within two to three weeks.
Growing and harvesting
Once roots develop, Tophill advises potting the cuttings together and cutting them back to about three centimetres above the soil. "They'll start to sort of bulk up a little bit, and they do produce little clusters and grow from that," she said.
If planted in spring, the pot can be placed outside for summer, producing strong growth. Lemongrass prefers moisture and can benefit from feeding. Tophill recommends chopping back the plant as needed, and keeping it frost-free allows it to regrow year after year.
"I have lemongrass that's about six years old in my greenhouse," she said, "and I can chop it back whenever I want and get fresh, homegrown lemongrass."
