When to Plant Lemongrass in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide

Plant September to December. Right now in October you can plant.

Planting window
Plant divisions from spring into early summer. Cut all year, with most growth from October to April.
Days to harvest
about 17 weeks
Sunlight
Full sun. Needs heat and light.
Water needs
Regular deep watering in growing season. Reduce in winter.
Spacing
60cm apart, 90cm between rows
Soil pH
5.5-7.0

Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Lemongrass guide is written for the Subtropical zone, which takes in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Lemongrass

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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. Reliable perennial in tropical to warm-temperate zones, a pot plant or annual in cooler zones.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Best Planting Window for Subtropical

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- - - - - - - - P P P P

P = Planting window

Plant divisions from spring into early summer. Cut all year, with most growth from October to April.

Want a nudge when it is Lemongrass sowing time in Brisbane?

One email a week with what is worth planting in the Subtropical zone right now, Lemongrass included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.

This month in Subtropical

In October the Subtropical zone normally runs 27°C by day and 15°C overnight, with about 77 mm of rain over 7 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -0.2°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 33 postcodes, SILO.

The full twelve months are on the Subtropical zone page.

How to Grow Lemongrass in Subtropical Australia

When to Plant

Plant divisions from spring into early summer. Cut all year, with most growth from October to April.

Soil
Rich, moist, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter.
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.

Companion plants: Ginger, Turmeric, Most tropical plants

Subtropical Growing Tips for Lemongrass

Recommended Varieties

  • Cymbopogon citratus

Key Challenges

  • Light frost may brown leaf tips

Pro Tips

  • Excellent zone
  • Cut back brown leaves in late winter
  • North-facing position

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.

Where to next

What lemongrass costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the subtropical zone this October: Ginger, Basil, Climbing Beans and Okra.

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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:

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page 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 Subtropical zone, Brisbane is its reference city.