Lemongrass planting: Lemongrass is a type of rice plant, grows in dust, very easy to grow, sandy soils, basalts with humus content with a slope of 5-15 degrees to grow lemongrass, particularly clay and laterite is not suitable. The most suitable area for planting lemongrass is the Northern Midlands and Mountains, Central and Highlands, lemongrass can be grown any year of the year, citronella is beneficial. The highest economy is in the extract of citronella oil. Currently lemongrass is planted scattered throughout the provinces across the country, small and medium scale, some households also grow lemongrass to get spices to cook food daily.
The technical process of planting lemongrass is divided into the following steps:
Step 1: Choose the same
Lemongrass to make the seed must be 2 years of age or older, choose hard, fat, fresh, not crushed, no pests, remove old leaves, old roots, peel off old sheath outside, cut off the last sheath about 1-1.5cm, cut the tops so that the width of the citronella range is 20-35cm. After that, using a slurrying method for roots with a mixture of 50% wet mud + 10% super phosphate + 40% decomposed animal manure, the lake is completed to be planted in rows, watered to moisturize after 5-7 days to see roots emerging then planted.
In addition to branching, many places also choose to grow citronella with seeds, lemongrass seeds are sown directly on porous soil, lots of sunlight. However lemongrass incubation is the most common use.
Step 2: Prepare the soil
The citronella growing area should be tall and not flooded. The soil is porous and has a lot of humus that will stimulate the growth of lemongrass better. 1 -.0 -1.5 m, clean the grass
Step 3: Planting techniques
Seasoning: Lemongrass can be grown all year round but northern provinces should plant it from the late winter-early spring (eg planting from January to March), while southern provinces should be planted at the beginning of the rainy season (late). April to early May).
How to plant: Put cuttings with 1-2 branches into the ready holes, place the citronella branch slightly inclined, fill the original soil and then use hands to compress and water to damp enough, planting density is 50 x 50, good soil has Can plant intensive cultivation 40 x 50. After planting if watered enough moisture for about 10-15 days will take root, 50-60 days after the tree grows stably, it is necessary to re-cover the broken trees.
Fertilizing the tree: Lemongrass needs to apply primer, every 1 ha needs 15-20 tons of decaying organic matter and about 200 – 300kg of phosphate, about 20-25 days of planting lemongrass, trees start to grow quickly then apply ending fertilizer about 100 – 150kg of nitrogen fertilizer / 1ha, combined with soil tillage and rooting. After 60 days of second application, the same weight is 100-150kg / 1ha and continue to cultivate the root.
Harvesting: If using slurry for food processing, 3 -4 months can prune large branches and root the new branch, and serve to extract essential oils, then after 10 -12 months is the best time For harvest, citronella trees are now old and the amount of oil collected will be high. Cut both leaves and sheaths leaving 8 -10cm above the ground, then water more, fertilize the plants will continue to sprout, after 5-6 months will be harvested again, and so on will remain intact. material year round to produce.
