The companion crops
Lemongrass, at the edge of the plot
A tall, lemon-scented grass that grows in clumps. On our farm it will line the edges of the plot and hold the soil in the rains.
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a tropical grass that grows in dense clumps about a metre tall, with long, narrow leaves that smell of lemon. It is planted from divisions of an existing clump, which is ready for its first harvest after about six to nine months. Its dense, fibrous roots bind the soil, so it is planted along slopes and field edges to slow erosion.
On this page
What the lemongrass plant looks like
Lemongrass grows as a fountain of narrow, rough-edged leaves rising from a tight base of pale stalks. The stalks are the part used in cooking. Crush any part of the plant and it smells of lemon, from citral, the same aroma compound found in lemon peel.
It rarely flowers in a garden, so it is grown from pieces of a clump rather than from seed.
How lemongrass grows
- Split a clump into slips, each with a piece of root. Stalks from the market with their base intact often root in a glass of water too.
- Trim the leaves to about 25 cm and plant the slips 10 to 15 cm deep and 30 to 60 cm apart, in full sun and well-drained soil.
- Water them while they settle in. After that, lemongrass copes with heat and heavy rain, as long as water does not stand around it.
- Start harvesting after six to nine months, once the clump has many stalks: pull a stalk firmly near the base and cut it off. The clump keeps growing for years.
Why lemongrass will line our vanilla farm
On our plot, lemongrass will grow in a line around the edges. When the monsoon arrives, heavy rain can wash loose soil away; the dense roots of the clumps hold it in place, the same way farmers use lemongrass on slopes and along field edges.
In Thai, lemongrass is ตะไคร้ (takrai), which is also the name of the scout in our series: always at the edge of things, and always the first to notice.
Lemongrass in the kitchen
Lemongrass is one of the pillars of Thai cooking. It goes into tom yum, curry pastes and lemongrass tea. Use the bottom third of the stalk, the pale, tender part: bruise it to release the scent, or slice it very finely.
It works with vanilla in desserts too. Steep a bruised stalk with a vanilla bean when you make panna cotta or ice cream, then strain them both out.
Questions
How long does lemongrass take to grow?
About six to nine months from planting until the clump has enough stalks to start harvesting. After that, it keeps giving for years.
Does lemongrass need full sun?
It grows best in full sun. It survives in partial shade, but the clumps stay thinner.
Does lemongrass keep mosquitoes away?
Not on its own. Citronella oil, which repels mosquitoes for a short time, comes from a related grass, Cymbopogon nardus. A lemongrass plant in the garden does not protect you.
Episode 1 is being drawn
Join the expedition
Get the first episode when it is out, Vanillin’s diary from the farm once a month, and first pick of the first jar of vanilla sugar.
One letter a month. Leave whenever you like. We first send you an email with a link, and you join only when you click it to confirm. See our privacy notice.