When to Plant Lemongrass in Cairns, Tropical Guide
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
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This Lemongrass guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Sep to Feb
- 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 Tropical
- Jan P
- Feb P
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec P
P = Planting window
Plant rooted divisions any time, best from the build-up into the wet, when warmth and rain get it going fast. Cut stems all year once clumps establish.
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How to Grow Lemongrass in Tropical 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
Tropical Growing Tips for Lemongrass
Recommended Varieties
- Cymbopogon citratus (West Indian)
- C. flexuosus (East Indian)
Key Challenges
- Can become very large
Pro Tips
- Set and forget
- Divide clumps every 2-3 years
Pests and problems for Lemongrass in Tropical
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 Cairns?
Plant rooted divisions any time, best from the build-up into the wet, when warmth and rain get it going fast. Cut stems all year once clumps establish.
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 Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Cymbopogon citratus (West Indian), C. flexuosus (East Indian).
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 Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.