Lemongrass
These instructions are sent with the plant gift
The thick stems of lemongrass add a distinctive flavour to a whole range of asian dishes and stirfries but they are easy to grow here in the UK on a sunny patio or in a bright room.
Keep the soil moist all the times by watering every day and place your grass in a warm sunny spot. The warmer and sunnier the position, the quicker your plant will grow on and the stronger the flavour will be.
Most recipes stipulate the stem of the lemongrass and you would normally harvest this when they are about the width of a pencil and use the white "blanched" central stem as an ingredient in stirfries and curries. However the grassy leaves also have a distinctive citrus flavour and can be shredded as a garnish or used as a herb in place or as well as the stems.
Over time you might find that the ends of the leaves turn brown and die back, this is perfectly natural but you can remove them at the base or trim them with sharp scissors to keep the plant tidy. In the autumn, give your plant a good haircut and let it rest until the spring when you will be rewarded with a flush of new growth.
