Why Choose Lemongrass for Your Home?

• Pest Repellent: Lemongrass contains citronella, which helps repel mosquitoes and insects naturally.
• Aromatic: It has a refreshing citrus scent, perfect for enhancing your home atmosphere.
• Easy to Grow: Lemongrass is low-maintenance and thrives in tropical climates with moderate watering and sunlight.
• Culinary Use: Adds a unique flavor to dishes, especially in teas, soups, and curries.
• Health Benefits: Known to aid digestion, reduce anxiety, and detoxify the body.
• Aesthetic: Its long, green stalks create a tropical look in gardens or balconies.

How to Grow Lemongrass

Step-by-Step Process (Recommended for Home Gardeners):

• Soil Preparation: This plant thrives in well-drained, slightly acidic soil. You can mix some perlite or coarse sand with the soil to improve drainage. A quick home gardening tip is to add crushed eggshells or banana peels to the soil, which provides calcium and potassium, essential for strong root growth and flowering.
• Quick tip for home gardeners: Add banana peels to the soil as a natural fertilizer. They are rich in potassium, which is crucial for healthy root development. You can chop the peels into small pieces and mix them into the soil.
• Planting: You can start lemongrass from seeds or by using cuttings (which is faster). For cuttings, take a few healthy lemongrass stalks, trim the tops, and place the cut ends in a glass of water. After a week, roots should start to grow. Once they reach about 2-3 inches long, transfer them to soil.
• Quick tip for home gardeners: If you're using cuttings, onion peels are an excellent option to enhance root growth. Simply place a few onion peels in the water along with the lemongrass stalks to boost root development.
• Sunlight: Lemongrass thrives in full sunlight, needing at least 6-8 hours of sunlight a day. Ensure the plant is placed in a sunny spot, like a south-facing window or balcony.
• Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but avoid over-watering. Water regularly, especially during the dry, hot months. Over-watering can lead to root rot, so ensure good drainage. A simple home trick is to use a watermatic stake in the pot for easy, automated watering.
• Spacing: Lemongrass can grow quite large, up to 3 feet in diameter. It's ideal for planting in large garden beds or containers. Ensure you provide enough space for the plant to spread out.

Common Problems, Pests, & Diseases

Urban Farmer’s Solutions for a Healthy plant:

1. Aphids and Whiteflies:
   These pests feed on the sap of Lemongrass, causing leaf yellowing. Spray with a neem oil solution 2 ml per liter of water every 10 days. Neem oil is natural and safe for plants.
   
2. Rust:
   Lemongrass rust is a fungal disease, leading to the appearance of reddish-brown spots on the leaves. This disease can reduce plant growth if not managed properly. Use an organic fungicide like Tricho Shield 5 gm per liter of water. Spray every 20 days for effective control.
   
3. Root Rot:
   Caused by overwatering or poor drainage. Ensure proper soil drainage and use a perlite or sand mix for potted plants to promote airflow in the soil. To prevent or cure, mix 5 gm of organic fungicide Tricho Shield per liter of water and drench 50 ml of the solution near the plant's stem.
   

Best Practices for Growing Lemongrass

Urban Farmer’s Expert Tips for Lemongrass:

• Fertilizing: Use organic compost or well-rotted manure for nutrients.
  Quick tip: Compost vegetable peels at home for extra nutrients.
• Pruning: Trim long outer stalks and remove dead leaves to encourage new growth. Use clean, sharp pruning shears to prevent disease transmission.
  Quick tip: Propagate new plants by rooting healthy stalks in water or soil.
• Harvesting: Harvest once stalks are 12 inches tall, cutting at the base.
  Quick tip: Leave roots intact to allow regrowth. Use harvested lemongrass for cooking or health purposes.
• Pest Management: Check regularly for pests and use organic insecticides.
  Quick tip: Spray with water and mild soap or garlic solution to repel insects.

Recommended Products for Lemongrass Care

Urban Farmer’s Trusted Products for Lemongrass Care:

1. Fertilizers:
   • Balanced Fertilizer: Use a granular, slow-release fertilizer for Lemongrass. Apply Flora TAB (1 tab per liter of water) or NPK 12:61:00 - 10 gm per liter water and spray on foliage every 15 days to boost flowering.
   • Bloom Stick Fertilizer: Insert a bloom stick near the root zone. It releases nutrients over 60 days, supporting healthy blooms.
2. Pesticides:
   • Neem Oil: Use neem oil spray to control common pests like caterpillar, aphids and whiteflies. Mix 2 ml of neem oil in 1 liter of water and spray every 15-20 days to prevent infestations.
   • Tricho Shield: Mix 5 gm of Tricho Shield (Trichoderma viride) in 1 liter of water and spray or drench it every 20 days to prevent and control fungal diseases like root rot and leaf spot. Tricho Shield is an organic fungicide that promotes plant health without harming the environment.
3. Growth Promoters:
   • Seaweed Extract: Spray Seaweed extract (2 ml per liter of water) monthly to promote healthier growth and more vibrant flowers. This organic growth promoter is beneficial for both foliar spray and soil drenching.
4. Soil Conditioner:
   • Perlite or Sand: Adding perlite or sand to the potting mix improves drainage, preventing waterlogging and root rot.

By following these detailed guidelines and incorporating the trusted products recommended by Urban Farmer, you can cultivate healthy and vibrant Lemongrass plants in your home or terrace garden.