How to Grow Citronella
Citronella is a tender tropical grass that needs a long, warm growing season. It is native to southeast Asia and only reliably hardy in USDA zones 10 through 12. It grows in a clump, much like other ornamental grasses, and can reach heights of 5 to 6 feet, and spread out nearly as far. The true citronella grass is classified as Citronella winterianus or Cybapogan nardus. Plants labeled otherwise, or labeled citronella-scented, are not the real thing. If you live in colder areas of the country, you can grow citronella in a pot, or transplant it into a pot to winter indoors. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Garden shovel
- Garden fork
- Liquid plant fertilizer
- 16-to-20 inch pot
- Indoor potting soil
Instructions
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Grow Outdoors in the Ground
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1
Choose a site in full sun in soil that drains readily after rainfall. Plant the citronella at least 2 to 3 feet from other garden plants so it has room to reach its full, mature size.
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2
Dig a hole that is about twice as large as the root ball. Poke holes in the bottom and sides of the planting hole with your garden fork to help the roots easily grow into the surrounding soil.
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3
Replace enough soil in the planting hole so that the citronella will grow at the same level as the nursery pot. Carefully remove the plant from the pot and place it in the prepared hole. Back fill the hole halfway with soil and firm it with your foot, but don't compress it.
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4
Fill the half-empty hole all the way up with water and allow it to drain. Repeat.
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5
Back-fill the rest of the hole with soil and firm the surface of the soil with your foot, again taking care not to compress it.
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6
Form a ridge of soil with your hands around the rim of the planting hole. Citronella needs copious amounts of water; this will help catch water and send it down to the roots. Fill up the indentation with water, let it drain and repeat.
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7
Apply a 4-to-6 inch layer of organic mulch around the plant. Some good choices are hay, shredded bark or buckwheat hulls.
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8
Water every other day until you are sure the plant has resumed active growth, then water the equivalent of 1 to 2 inches of rainfall per week.
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9
Feed weekly with a liquid, water-soluble, high-nitrogen fertilizer applied at half the manufacture's recommended strength. Buy a fertilizer with a high "first number" (for example 25-10-10). The first number on fertilizer labels denotes the nitrogen content.
Grow in Pot Outdoors in Summer and Indoors in Winter
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10
Choose a pot that is at least 16 inches, and preferably 20 inches in diameter.
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11
Add enough indoor potting soil to the pot so that when you set the plant on top of the soil, the base of the plant sits about 1 inch below the pot's rim.
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12
Carefully remove the citronella from its nursery pot and place it in the prepared large pot. Fill in around the root ball with potting soil and gently firm it with your hands. Rap the bottom of the pot on a hard surface to settle the soil around the roots.
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13
Water until it runs out of the bottom of the pot.
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14
Place the pot outdoors in a sunny place after all danger of frost has past, about the time you transplant your tomatoes outdoors.
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15
Check potted citronella daily to see if it needs watering, particularly during the hot summer months.
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16
Feed weekly with a liquid, water-soluble, high-nitrogen fertilizer applied at half the manufacture's recommended strength. Use the same type of fertilizer as recommended for citronella grown in the ground, as in Step 9 of Section 1.
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17
Move the plant indoors in fall before daytime temperatures dip into the upper 30s. Cut the leaves back by about half and place it in a sunny, south-facing window. Water only when the soil feels dry to the touch, as it will not be putting on as much active growth during the lower light levels of winter.
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