When to Plant Lemongrass in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide

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

Planting window
Plant divisions in late spring once the soil is warm. Stems are cut mainly from summer to autumn, and regrowth is slow in winter.
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 Warm Temperate zone, which takes in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane 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 Warm Temperate

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

P = Planting window

Plant divisions in late spring once the soil is warm. Stems are cut mainly from summer to autumn, and regrowth is slow in winter.

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

One email a week with what is worth planting in the Warm Temperate 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 Warm Temperate

In October the Warm Temperate zone normally runs 24°C by day and 13°C overnight, with about 66 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -1.5°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 153 postcodes, SILO.

The full twelve months are on the Warm Temperate zone page.

How to Grow Lemongrass in Warm Temperate Australia

When to Plant

Plant divisions in late spring once the soil is warm. Stems are cut mainly from summer to autumn, and regrowth is slow in winter.

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

Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Lemongrass

Recommended Varieties

  • Cymbopogon citratus

Key Challenges

  • Frost damages foliage
  • Slow in cool weather

Pro Tips

  • Mulch crown 20cm+ in autumn
  • North-facing wall for thermal protection
  • Container growing allows moving indoors

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 warm temperate zone this October: Beetroot, Dwarf Beans (Bush), Eggplant (Aubergine) and Radish.

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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 Warm Temperate zone, Sydney is its reference city.