Crop details

Lemongrass

Cymbopogon citratus

Family: Poaceae

Quick stats

Family	Poaceae
Typical harvest	30.0 t/ha
Varieties	3
Pests & diseases	4
Seasons	3

Crop profile

Growth habit	perennial
Days to harvest	150
Main uses	Fresh and dried leaves for tea, flavouring, medicinal extracts and essential oil.
Pollination	unknown
Origin / where it grows	Tropical and subtropical regions; widely grown in warm, humid to sub-humid areas with good moisture.

Weather, soil & spacing

Best temperature	22–30 °C
Rainfall	1000–1600 mm/yr
Altitude	0–2000 m
Best pH	5.5–7
Soil type	Well-drained loam or sandy loam, rich in organic matter, allowing strong clump and tiller development.
Row spacing	60 cm
Plant spacing	30 cm
Planting depth	3 cm
Seed rate	600 kg/ha
Nursery days	—

Simple notes for farmers

About the crop: This crop is perennial, which means once you plant it, the same plant can keep producing for many years. You can normally start harvesting about 150 days after planting, depending on care and variety.

Main use: Farmers mostly grow this crop for fresh and dried leaves for tea, flavouring, medicinal extracts and essential oil..

Pollination: This crop is mainly pollinated by unknown. Keeping flowers healthy and having insects like bees in the field helps improve fruit set and yields.

Where it grows: Tropical and subtropical regions; widely grown in warm, humid to sub-humid areas with good moisture. It is grouped under: Spices & Condiments.

Best climate: This crop does well in warm areas where the temperature is usually between 22 and 30 degrees Celsius. It prefers places that receive around 1000 to 1600 millimetres of rain in a year. It can grow from near sea level up to about 2000 metres above sea level.

Soil: The crop grows best in slightly acidic to near neutral soils, with a pH of about 5.5 to 7. It does well in well-drained loam or sandy loam, rich in organic matter, allowing strong clump and tiller development.. Good drainage is important, so avoid waterlogged spots.

Plant spacing: Plant in rows about 60 centimetres apart, and leave about 30 centimetres between plants in the row. This gives each plant enough space for roots and canopy to spread.

Planting depth: Dig planting holes or furrows about 3 centimetres deep so the roots sit firmly in the soil but are not buried too deep.

Seed or planting material: Use around 600 kilograms of seed or planting material per hectare. Spread or plant evenly so the field has a good stand without being overcrowded.

Farmer guide (mwongozo wa mkulima)

Planting: Plant healthy, well-rooted slips or splits in moist soil on ridges or flat beds at onset of rains or with irrigation.

Transplanting: Most growers plant splits directly; a nursery is rarely needed.

Irrigation: Keep soil moist but not waterlogged during establishment; provide supplementary irrigation during long dry spells.

Fertigation: Under drip, apply regular light feeds of N and K to encourage tillering and leaf regrowth after cuts.

Pest scouting: Scout for leaf blights, rust, mealybugs and root rots; remove severely affected clumps and improve airflow.

Pruning: No pruning beyond regular harvesting; remove dry leaves and lodged stems to reduce disease.

Harvest: First harvest 4–5 months after planting when clumps are well established; subsequent cuts every 6–8 weeks depending on growth.

Postharvest: Harvest in cool hours, bunch or chop, and shade-cure or dehydrate for tea and oil extraction. Avoid piling fresh leaves in wet heaps.

Nutrient schedule (mbolea kwa hatua)

#	Stage	DAP	Product	Rate	Targets (kg/ha)	Notes
1	Basal at planting	0	NPK 17-17-17 + compost	120 kg/ha (plus 4–6 t/ha compost)	N: 20, P₂O₅: 20, K₂O: 20	Apply along rows and mix lightly into topsoil before planting splits.
2	Tillering topdress	30	CAN 26% N	100 kg/ha	N: 26, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Side-dress on moist soil around clumps; avoid direct contact with stems.
3	Post-cut regrowth feed	75	NPK 20-10-10 or similar	80 kg/ha after main cut	N: 16, P₂O₅: 8, K₂O: 8	Apply after first major harvest to encourage quick regrowth in intensive systems.

Nutrient requirements

Nutrient	Stage	Amount	Unit
N	Basal	40	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Basal	30	kg/ha
K₂O	Basal	30	kg/ha
N	Topdress_tillering	40	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Topdress_tillering	10	kg/ha
K₂O	Topdress_tillering	30	kg/ha
N	After_cut	20	kg/ha
P₂O₅	After_cut	0	kg/ha
K₂O	After_cut	40	kg/ha

Name	Country	Maturity	Traits
East African lemongrass selection	KE	150	Good tillering, suitable for fresh leaves and small-scale oil extraction.
West Indian lemongrass	TZ	150	High citral content; preferred for essential oil production.
Local lemongrass type	UG	160	Adapted local landrace, widely used for homestead tea and medicinal use.

Stage	Product	Rate (kg/ha)	Notes
Basal	NPK 17-17-17 + compost	120	Apply with 4–6 t/ha well-rotted manure or compost before planting.
Tillering	CAN 26% N	100	4–6 weeks after planting or at strong tiller formation.
After cut	NPK 20-10-10	80	After first heavy harvest in intensively managed fields.

Name	Type	Symptoms	Management
Leaf blight / leaf spot	disease	Brown or purplish lesions on leaves, leaf drying from tips, reduced tillering.	Improve spacing and airflow, avoid overhead irrigation late in the day, remove heavily infected leaves.
Rust	disease	Small orange-brown pustules on lower leaf surface, yellowing and early leaf senescence.	Use clean planting material, avoid excessive N, and practice timely cutting and sanitation.
Root and crown rot	disease	Wilting clumps, rotted bases, poor regrowth after cutting.	Ensure well-drained soils, avoid waterlogging and replant severely infected spots with healthy slips.
Mealybugs/scale insects	pest	White cottony masses on leaf sheaths, sticky honeydew and sooty mould.	Encourage natural enemies, avoid excessive shade and remove heavily infested tillers.

System	Typical	Min	Max	Notes
Low-input rainfed (fresh herbage)	15	10	20	Basic manure and weeding; 2–3 cuts per year.
Managed beds with manure + NPK	30	20	40	Good seed splits, weed control and timely topdressing; 3–4 cuts per year.
Intensive irrigated multi-cut	45	30	60	Irrigation + regular fertigation and close spacing; 4–6 cuts per year.

Country	Region	Planting	Harvest
KE	High rainfall highlands & irrigated mid-altitudes	At onset of long or short rains, or any time under irrigation where frost is absent.	First cut 4–5 months after planting; subsequent cuts every 6–8 weeks.
TZ	Southern highlands & northern irrigated belts	Start of main rains or on irrigated fields whenever soil moisture is adequate.	Multiple cuts spread across the year depending on growth and market demand.
UG	Moist mid-altitudes with good drainage	At onset of reliable rains on well-prepared, friable soils.	First harvest around 5 months, then repeated cuts where moisture is sufficient.

Country	Region	Suitability
KE	Central & Rift highlands; warm mid-altitudes	High
TZ	Southern highlands; coastal and northern irrigated pockets	High
UG	Mid-altitude belts with dependable rainfall and good drainage	High