Growing Lemongrass in Australia: The Complete Guide

Lemongrass is an easy perennial herb to grow, needing full , warm sun with regular watering.

If you're thinking about adding lemongrass to the homestead, here's the detail behind our printable guide — what it actually takes to grow it well in an Australian garden, not just the quick-reference version.

It's worth being clear about why lemongrass is worth the bed space before getting into how to grow it. At a glance, it's rated easy, with a sun of full sun, warm; water of regular; soil ph of 6.0–7.5 — details that matter more once you're actually planning around them than they do on a first read. The rest of this article works through exactly what each of those means day to day, in more depth than a single printable card has room for, and with the reasoning behind each recommendation rather than just the recommendation itself.

Climate and Timing Considerations

Australia's climate zones change growing timing more than most general advice accounts for. Cool temperate zones (Tasmania, the Victorian highlands, southern NSW) have recurring frost risk well into what other zones call spring, which compresses the safe planting window for frost-tender plantings. Warm temperate zones (Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth) sit closest to what general advice assumes by default. Subtropical zones (Brisbane, northern NSW) rarely see frost at all, and the growing calendar shifts earlier and later as a result. Our site-wide zone setting adjusts the advisory note shown on the Planting Calendar for exactly this reason — worth setting once if you haven't already. The same zone setting also feeds the Harvest Calendar, so both ends of the growing cycle reflect wherever you actually garden, rather than a generic Australia-wide average.

• Cool Temperate (TAS, VIC highlands, southern NSW, ACT): shorter frost-free window — lean toward the later end of any spring planting window shown on the guide above.
• Warm Temperate (Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, coastal NSW/WA): closest match to the general timing shown above; frost is occasional but rarely severe.
• Subtropical (Brisbane, northern NSW, coastal QLD): minimal frost risk — often plantable a few weeks earlier and later than the general window shown above.

A large, useful clump

Lemongrass forms a substantial clump over a season or two and divides easily — a few plants can quickly become a hedge-sized supply.

Planting Lemongrass

Method. Plant a nursery seedling or a rooted stem from a supermarket bunch.

Soil. Rich, well-drained.

Timing. Plant in spring once frost risk has passed.

Taken together, these are the details that separate a smooth result from a frustrating one.

Ongoing Care

Worth paying attention to:

• Water regularly through the warmer months.
• Feed occasionally with compost.
• Divide the clump every couple of years to keep it vigorous.
• Protect from frost in cooler zones — foliage dies back but the base often survives.

Getting these details right matters more than it might seem — water regularly through the warmer months. Protect from frost in cooler zones — foliage dies back but the base often survives. Treat this list as a routine to build rather than a one-off checklist, and it becomes second nature within a season or two.

What Can Go Wrong

Keep these points in mind:

• Frost damage — the main risk in cooler zones; mulch heavily over winter.
• Rust — occasional leaf spotting; improve airflow.
• Few other pest issues — a generally trouble-free plant.
• Slow establishment — be patient in the first season.

Each of these compounds over a season — small misses early tend to show up later — frost damage — the main risk in cooler zones; mulch heavily over winter. Slow establishment — be patient in the first season. Treat this list as a routine to build rather than a one-off checklist, and it becomes second nature within a season or two.

When and How to Harvest

Signs. Usable once stems reach pencil thickness at the base.

Method. Cut stalks at the base, use the lower white-pink section.

Curing. None needed; can be frozen for longer storage.

Storage. Fridge, a couple of weeks; frozen, several months.

It's worth reading these as a set rather than in isolation; they reinforce each other.

Preserving. See Dehydrating for drying woody herbs for storage.

Companions & rotation

Our printable card above lists specific plants that pair well nearby and others best avoided, along with a rotation note: Chilli, Ginger, None major. Getting this right matters more over multiple seasons than it does in any single one — the benefits and the risks of poor rotation both compound over time rather than showing up immediately.

Related Guides

If lemongrass suits your garden, these related guides in the same category are worth a look too:

• Bay Tree
• Curry Leaf
• Mint
• Oregano

For the condensed, printable version of everything above, head to the main lemongrass guide page. Companion planting and bed rotation both make a measurable difference over a season, and our Companion Planting Checker takes the guesswork out of both. As with every guide on this site, this is general information based on our own research and experience, not professional advice — your specific soil, climate, and circumstances will always vary from ours to some degree.

Beyond the printable card, our Planting Calendar and Harvest Calendar tools will show a zone-adjusted note for lemongrass specifically, and the Companion Planting Checker covers the specific pairings mentioned above in more detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ View the printable A4 guide for lemongrass