It's much easier to start lemongrass from cuttings. If you have an Asian grocery nearby just buy a couple stalks and stick them in a pot of soil or directly in the garden. I've never had one that hasn't rooted as long as it has even a small amont of the base still attached.

You can tie them into a bundle (perhaps with some rosemary sprigs) and add them to a bath - very good for the muscles if you've been digging ditches or running marathons all day. For cooking, it's usually the white part that is used, not the green leaves, although they will give a pleasant flavour, and add some colour to a dish. Why not chop some up (whites and green, or either) and freeze it - much better than drying. You could also add bundles of the leaves to your final rinse water in the laundry, or make a tea of them and use it to wipe over kitchen and bathroom surfaces for a lovely fresh lemon-y aroma that could well be a deterrent for assorted insects.

I'm going to look for the Turkish red pepper paste - I have some Korean chili paste, but I think the Turkish paste will have a different flavor. I also have the "Black Bean Garlic Sauce" (Lee Kum Kee brand) that is very salty and also too lumpy to be a paste, although I sort of use it that way. One of the Japanese pastes that I have is called "Yuzu Koshou", and it has an unusual citrus flavor, I guess from the Yuzu. Now that I know what the Yuzu tastes like, I might buy a Yuzu tree - I do like the flavor, and it is very distinctive and different - about as different as lemons are from oranges. I have another Chinese condiment called "Vegetable champignon" that is a bit thinner than a paste, but otherwise very similar and almost as intense. It has a unique mushroom flavor that enhances wood-ear mushrooms and tastes very good in soups. It's made in Taiwan instead of China. The Lee Kum Kee sauce is from Hong Kong, which is now China. Since I have two garlands of garlic, I will not be buying garlic paste, and I have to say that I prefer tomato powder to tomato paste, even to the Amore brand in the tube. I buy the two pound jars from Harmony House, and I also buy dried vegetables from them, which I find convenient to add to Japanese noodle soups on a whim. Lars Here is a link that might be useful: Harmony House tomato powder

I have lemongrass. If you like, send me email.