When to Plant Lemongrass in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide
What this month normally looks like in Cool Temperate
In October the Cool Temperate zone normally runs 19°C by day and 8°C overnight, with about 67 mm of rain over 9 or 10 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -3.0°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 28 postcodes, SILO.
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This Lemongrass guide is written for the Cool Temperate zone, which takes in Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Nov to Dec
- Days to harvest
- about 17 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 60 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.0
A tropical perennial grass forming dense clumps to 1.5m tall. The swollen stem bases provide lemony flavour essential to Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian cooking. Frost-tender. Dies at sustained temperatures below 5C.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cool Temperate
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov P
- Dec P
P = Planting window
Plant divisions in late spring in the warmest spot or a large pot. Protect from frost and winter wet, or lift a few stems into a pot under cover for winter.
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How to Grow Lemongrass in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Rich, moist, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 5.5-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun. Needs heat and light.
- Spacing
- 60cm apart, 90cm between rows
- Watering
- Regular deep watering in growing season. Reduce in winter.
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Tomato, Basil, Capsicum, Thyme
- Keep away from
- Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Fennel, Mint
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Lemongrass
Recommended Varieties
- Cymbopogon citratus
Key Challenges
- Will not survive winter outdoors
- Short growing season
Pro Tips
- Container growing only
- Bring indoors before first frost
- Start from shop-bought stalks rooted in water in August
Pests and problems for Lemongrass in Cool Temperate
Harvesting Lemongrass
When ready: Harvest when stalks 1cm+ thick at base and 30cm+ tall. Usually 3-4 months after planting.
How to harvest: Twist and pull outer stalks from base. Use bottom 10-15cm (swollen white base). Peel tough outer layers.
Storing and preserving lemongrass
How to keep it
- Freezing whole stalks. Trim to 15cm, peel outer layers. Freeze whole. Slice frozen directly into cooking. Keeps: 12 months.
- Freezing paste. Blend stalks with a little water. Freeze in ice cube trays. Keeps: 6 months.
- Drying. Slice thinly, dehydrate at 50C for 6-8 hours. Rehydrate before cooking. Keeps: 12 months.
What lemongrass costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Lemongrass
When do you plant lemongrass in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Nov to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Nov to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Oct to Dec
When should I plant Lemongrass in Melbourne?
Plant divisions in late spring in the warmest spot or a large pot. Protect from frost and winter wet, or lift a few stems into a pot under cover for winter.
How do I know when Lemongrass are ready to harvest?
Harvest when stalks 1cm+ thick at base and 30cm+ tall. Usually 3-4 months after planting.
What are the best Lemongrass varieties for Melbourne?
Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Cymbopogon citratus.
What grows well with Lemongrass?
Good companion plants for Lemongrass include: Nasturtium, Tomato, Basil, Capsicum, Thyme.
Are lemongrass salt tolerant?
Only a little. Lemongrass are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.