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Lemongrass
Cymbopogon citratus
Still time — sow lateherb
Tropical clumping grass with lemon-scented stalks prized in Southeast Asian cooking. Heat-loving perennial in zones 10-11; grown as a warm-season annual elsewhere, where one season yields usable stalks before fall frost.
In Zone 7b, right now
Still time to plant — it should mature before frost
The usual transplant window (Mid April – Mid May) has closed, but with about 100 days to harvest there's still enough season left. Get it in now.
Edible?
Yes — herb — leaves & stems
Small space?
Yes, in a pot
Sun
Full sun (6+ hrs)
Comes back yearly?
Yes — perennial
Harvest in
100 days
Ways to plant it
Start seeds indoors
Past the ideal window — still time
Early to Mid February
Start seeds in trays now; they only need a few weeks indoors before they go straight out into the warm soil.
Transplant
Past the ideal window — still time
Mid April – Mid May
Buy a young plant from a nursery, or move one you started indoors, into the ground or a pot.
Plant
Past the ideal window — still time
Mid April – Mid May
Put it in the ground (or a pot) outdoors.
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