7 Tips for Growing Shamrocks

 
                After a good rain, the grass is turning green again and just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. To bring the Irish green indoors, pick up a genuine Shamrock plant at your nearest garden center this week.
 
Oxalis, also known as Wood Sorrel and Shamrock, has large clover shaped green leaves, much bigger than the unrelated clover you see growing in a lawn or hayfield. There are many varieties of Oxalis, but the one most commonly sold as a houseplant has large three-leaf clover leaves and lovely, delicate, star-shape, fragrant white flowers, as shown in our photograph. There is also a variety available with burgundy colored clover leaves and pink flowers.
 
Don’t leave the care of your potted Shamrock to chance. 
​Follow these 7 key growing tips.
 

• Shamrock plants like bright sunlight and can be kept in a sunny room, preferably near a sunny window.
• The Shamrock plant flourishes in a 70° to 75° F daytime environment, but thrive in temperatures ranging from 50° to 80° F.  Night temperatures should be ten degrees cooler.
• Water when the soil is dry. Keep the potted soil damp, but well drained.
• During the growing cycle, fertilize the plant every 2 to 3 weeks with a basic houseplant fertilizer. If you have a fish tank, use the water to fertilize your plant. I use koi pond water to water/fertilize all our houseplants and they flourish.
• Shamrock plants will go into a dormancy period after about 3 months of blooming. The time of dormancy usually occurs in the summer. During the time of dormancy the plant should not be watered or fertilized. It should be moved to a cool and dark place. House your dormant shamrock in a basement closet or cellar.
• Shamrock plants can be divided during the dormant stage and repotted.
• After 2 to 3 months of dormancy, bring the shamrock back out, repot into a larger container, if necessary and resume regular watering.

 
With a little care, your potted Shamrock plant should yield cute clover leaves and lovely petite blooms for years to come.

About the Author: 
Deborah Tukua is the editor of Journey to Natural Living and the author of the healthy fresh from the blender recipe book, Naturally Sweet Blender Treats. She is a freelance writer for the Farmers' Almanac and Chiropractic Economics magazine and author of the book, Marketing Strategies for Chiropractic Success. 

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