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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 9b, right now
Still time to plant — it should mature before frost
The usual transplant window (Early to Late March) 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
Late December – Early January
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
Early to Late March
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
Early to Late March
Put it in the ground (or a pot) outdoors.
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