Cultivation environment: lemongrass prefers warm, humid and full sunlight environment and well-drained sandy soil. In India, it is mainly cultivated in areas where the average temperature ranges from 18 to 29 degrees Celsius, the average annual rainfall ranges from 70 to 410mm, and the soil pH ranges from 5.0 to 5.8 (East India) and 4.3 to 8.4 (West India). The maximum oil yield per metric ton of fresh grass was achieved under climatic conditions where the growing temperature ranged from 25 to 30°C and the average annual rainfall ranged from 2,500 to 3,000 mm. At the same time, the amount of nitrogen fertilizer per hectare is about 186 kg per year, phosphorus fertilizer is 26 kg per hectare, and potassium fertilizer is 384 kg per hectare. Nitrogen fertilizer has a greater effect on the yield of fresh grass above the ground of the plant, while potassium fertilizer has a greater effect on the yield of lemongrass oil.
Propagation: Since lemongrass rarely flowers and fruits, the propagation method is based on root division or clumping. Mature lemongrass, each bush has about 50-200 branches, cut off the upper leaves, leaving about 10-15 centimeters with the root of the branches, directly planted in the field can be. The meandering lemongrass can be propagated by seed, with a sowing rate of about 5-10 kilograms per hectare.
Cultivation points: Cultivation rows and plants are generally 100 X 45 centimeters apart. The first harvest is possible about 6 to 8 months after planting, and then every 3 to 4 months on average. According to the report, the yield of fresh grass and essential oil is higher when harvested at 20 centimeters from the ground. Yields of 4-6 metric tons of hay and 30-40 kilograms of lemongrass oil per hectare (4 to 5 harvests per year) can be achieved by mechanical or manual harvesting.
Chemical composition
Lemongrass whole grass contains volatile oil (essential oil), lemongrass oil extracted by steam distillation, essential oil extraction rate of about 0.2 to 0.5%. Lemongrass should be withered after harvest and then extracted. Citronella oil is generally yellow to dark yellow in color. Essential oil can be detected more than 100 kinds of chemical components, and the main chemical composition is divided into citral 70 ~ 80% (citral) and geraniol (myrcene) about 20%; and contains citronellal (citronellal), geraniol (i.e., geraniol geraniol), levoborneol (l-borneol), 1,8-p-menthane-5-ol (1,8-p-menthane-2,5-ol), levoborneol (1,8-p-menthane-2,5-ol), and citronellol (1,8-p-menthane-5,5-ol), and citronellol (1,8-p-menthane-5,5-ol), and citronellal (Citronellus). 5-ol (1,8-p-menthadien-5-ol) and other ingredients. These ingredients are mainly used in perfumes and cosmetics. It is believed that citral is lower in lemongrass than in meandering lemongrass, but this is not conclusive.
Applications of lemongrass
Fresh and dried grass applications: Lemongrass can be used in its entirety, fresh or dried plant leaves and stems have a strong lemony flavor, and are commonly used in Asian countries such as India, Vietnam, and Thailand in soups and meat seasonings, such as adding the leaves to curry. In India, lemongrass is crushed into water and used as shampoo and toilet water. It is also used to flavor non-alcoholic beverages, baked goods and pastries. Lemon lemongrass tea drink brewing method: take about 3 grams of dried grass or cut an appropriate amount of fresh grass (5-10 grams), 250 ㏄ hot water brewing, let it stand for 5-10 minutes to drink, can also be mixed with other aromatic herbs to use. At present, farmers in central Taiwan also have dried and processed into lemongrass pillows for sale.
Lemongrass oil applications: lemongrass oil can be used directly as perfume, cosmetics and soaps, creams and other processed products flavoring material. Lemon citronella essential oil is a semi-dry essential oil, aromatherapy is considered helpful for oily skin. Citral can be used as a raw material for the synthesis of ionones (perfume and cosmetic flavorings). Therefore, citral can be fractionally distilled from lemongrass oil to be used as a flavoring agent for soft drinks, soaps, perfumes, cosmetics and detergents, as well as to mask the bad odors of many industrial products.
Medicinal uses: In traditional or folk medicine, lemongrass is believed to expel wind and worms. In the classification of Chinese herbal medicine, it is categorized as pungent and warm in nature. It is used to expel wind and dampness, and to reduce swelling and pain. In addition, studies have reported that lemongrass essential oil has sedative and anti-microbial properties. Citronella meanderingensis essential oil has antifungal properties. The volatile oils are insecticidal and mutagenic. Martin's citronella was reported to be toxic to fungi. At present, some organic cultivation of cultivation management, the use of diluted lemongrass oil as an organic anthelmintic agent or planting lemongrass as a taboo on the use of plants, but the actual effect of how to be confirmed by experimental data.
Safety and Side Effects: Currently, extracts or essential oils from lemongrass plants have been evaluated for safety, and can be used for food or external use, with no reported side effects. However, lemongrass essential oil is irritating and excessive use may cause redness and swelling.
PS: (can be used for reference for lemongrass planting ah!)
How to grow vanilla plants
One, sowing
Container
Home sowing vanilla can be used in small pots with relatively short, vanilla seeds are relatively small, and, the germination rate of low, so the general sowing of seeds with the soil needs to be loose, permeable, high water-holding capacity and to be sterilized adequately. Lavender seeds should be soaked in warm water at 40 degrees. Continue soaking for 24 hours after the water cools. This makes it easy to germinate.
Sowing method
Generally the seeds are slightly larger (such as lavender, sage), you can spot sow 2~3 seeds in each container. After germination, depending on the growth of the seedlings, leave one stronger plant. For small seeds (e.g., oregano, mint), sprinkle. Dab some seeds in your hand and gently spread them on the soil. Spread seedlings after germination. Leave 1 to 3 seedlings as appropriate.
Mulching
The thickness of seed mulch depends on seed size. Generally 2~3 times the diameter of the seed. Tiny seed soil should be thinner, large seeds can be covered with thicker soil. Some seeds are phototropic and can be left uncovered (e.g., bee balm, rosemary, blue-flowered verbena).
Moisturize
Water thoroughly after planting. Use a fine spray can for watering. It should not be hard enough to wash the seeds away. It is best to use the sit-in-pot method, which involves sitting the container in a large pot with 2/3 of the pot of water. Allow the water to seep in diffusely through the holes in the bottom of the container. (The water level in the large pot should not exceed the height of the soil in the container.) Cover the top of the container with plastic wrap after sowing, and prick a few small holes in the plastic wrap for air. Place the container in the sun and keep the temperature around 20 degrees. Most seeds can germinate in a week.
Second, after germination management
After the seeds germinate, you can remove the plastic wrap. If the seeds are small, you can wait until the seedlings are a little stronger before removing them.
Three, potting
Seedlings can be potted after they have grown 4 to 6 true leaves. At the beginning of the potting should use a small pot. When the seedling grows up, then change the pot as appropriate. When you change pots, you should wait until the soil is a bit dry (because you have to water after changing pots, if it is when the soil is wet, it will be too wet for too long, and the seedling will be easy to grow poorly). First, add more than half of the culture soil with some fertility to the small pot. In order not to damage the root system, transplant without shaking off the soil near the roots. Transfer them directly into small pots, then add soil to fill in the roots. Be sure to water it well after transplanting and shade it for a few days. It can then be placed in sunlight for care.
Four, cultivation medium: loose, well-drained neutral alkaline soil. Cultivation soil can be used garden soil; coarse yellow sand; peat; organic fertilizer = 4:3:2:1, organic fertilizer must be rotted. Preparation of complete culture soil must be disinfected first, can be used formalin fumigation, conditions can be used steam sterilization. If the preparation of culture is less, to add carbendazim powder in it, can also play the role of disinfection. Use lime to adjust the PH value to 7-7.5. Watering: after potting, watering once thoroughly, after the survival of the principle of watering is "see dry, see wet". Be careful when watering: do not pour water directly on the leaves, and do not let the soil splash on the branches and leaves, so as to avoid disease. You can also lay a layer of small stones on the soil surface of the pot, both beautiful, but also to prevent disease. If you use tap water, it is best to use it after two days in the sun. Fertilizer: lavender does not require much fertilizer, in the spring of its rapid growth (March-May), can be applied monthly nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium compound fertilizer, prepared solution watering, the concentration of 1% can be. Too much nitrogen fertilizer is easy to cause futile growth.
How to plant herb plants
(a) cultivation medium (soil)
Many herb plants can survive in poor, gravelly soil, but not too adapted to water-soaked clay, most prefer weakly alkaline, well-drained loose soil, if the soil is acidic, sprinkle some lime, yellow sand, carbonized rice hulls, especially lavender, rosemary, sage and so on. Plants that do not tolerate moisture are best planted in raised mounds.
(2) Fertilizers (expired buttermilk, lactobacillus, rice-washing water, eggshells, kitchen waste)
Avoid artificial chemical fertilizers, which can make plants overgrown, and eventually lack aroma and flavor.
Adequate sunlight will make the herb plants more aromatic, grow strong and less susceptible to disease.
To keep the roots dry, it is best to water the plant thoroughly at once, and then once every two to three days, depending on the situation.
Regular pruning keeps the plant looking beautiful, and the leaves can be used in daily cooking, pickling, soaking in a bath to relieve stress, or drying and preserving.
If planted in pots, it is important to pay attention to the growth of the plant, and replace the larger pots, if overcrowded, the branches grow poorly, and easy to get sick in the summer heat.