Gardening can be an expensive pastime! So I try to practice thrifty gardening whenever I can. Lemon grass oil is a vital element to backyard beekeeping and this spring when I saw a pot of lemon grass for sale, I knew I had to have one. I don’t buy annuals very often because I don’t feel like I get my money’s worth since they only survive for one season. And this one was fifteen dollars!
I dream of having a beautiful greenhouse where I can keep tropical plants during the winter, but so far that is still a dream. So how could I justify purchasing such an expensive plant that would not live through the winter?
Upon further inspection, I realized that it was three separate small grasses planted together. By MY MATH, that’s only $5 each! Cha-ching! That baby was mine!
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PROPAGATION:
When I removed the grasses from the pot, I just used my hands to separate the three plants. I had to loosen up the roots a bit to make sure that they didn’t break off as I separated the plants and that each individual plant had sufficient root on it’s own.
Now that I had 3 plants, I was ready to plant them in my three pots. I dumped potting soil into each pot, placed a plant in and then filled in around the plants.
Three plants is exactly what I needed for these pots that sit in front of my cute little shed. I like them here near the bee hives.
Aaaaaand as a bonus, I get to try making my own lemon grass oil. Now that’s thrifty gardening!
Stay tuned as I add a new category to my blog for Using Garden Produce. UPDATE! See the category Using Garden Produce by CLICKING HERE.
That should be interesting, making lemon grass oil! The pots look nice next to the cute shed! I love ornamental grass and I especially love pampas grass! I inquired about purchasing some locally but the merchant told me she will NEVER sell pampas grass because it is so invasive! If it’s so invasive then why hasn’t my neighbor’s pampas grass invaded my yard? Hmm…
Well, I have never heard that before! Pampas grass does get big, but I’ve never seen it take over anywhere! Thanks for visiting with me Dee. 🙂
Thank you Nikki for linking up at the #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty 29! Shared x 4 ♥
Hi Dee. Thanks for the party and the shares! 🙂
Yep… I think $5 each, too! LOL! Great post, and I think they look lovely in front of the cutie-pa-tootie shed!
Thanks Julie. I do love a bargain. 🙂
Awesome that you were able to split your plants and make three, Nikki!!! They have really grown!!! I love when you can get a few more plants out of a pot. Maybe for winter you could wheel them into the garage and set up an electric heater to keep them alive?? It’s a thought. 🙂 I can’t wait until I get a house again so I can play with tender plants that aren’t too excited about 8 degree winter temps here in North Central Texas! 😉
Happy planting!!! Pinned and tweeted for you and our readers.
Hugs,
Barb 🙂
Thanks Barb. And I do hope to save the grass through the winter. I read that you can by putting them in the garage. I just have to remember to water them a few times. Thanks for visiting and sharing. 🙂
I used to grow herbs. It was so nice to have them in the garden. Now I’m in an apartment so I can’t garden anymore. I hope I will again someday.
I do love my herb garden! Have you tried growing your herbs in pots? Do you have a balcony? Thanks for visiting with me Rebecca. 🙂
We (living in upstate New York in a small city) bought a lemon grass plant at the local farmers market some three or four years ago. It overwintered in our bedroom one year but we really weren’t able to do much with it. Had better luck with ginger, but that’s another story. I’ll love reading the sequel to this.
Oh I’d love to hear about your ginger! I did read that I can try taking the lemon grass into my garage for the winter and it would live…. if I remember to water it that is! 🙂
I’m with you Gwin, I’m always looking for plants in pots that can be split a little. Then as time passes, I take them out of the ground and split them more! Can’t wait until we’ve been in this house long enough for that to happen.
I do love free plants! Thanks for visiting with me Stacey. 🙂
My kinda of gardening 😀 Can’t wait to find out more about using garden produce in different Gwin.
So good to see you again Michelle! xxoo 🙂