Shamrock plants are one unique-looking sprig that contains ample different species in its single category. Some species of this plant grow easily in a pot due to being small specimens.
Dying Shamrock Plant: Your Shamrock plant needs a resting period, so don’t feel as if your plant is dying. Give it some time and let it be in a dormant stage. Skip watering your plant for that period, it can revive itself. Growing from tiny blubs they bloom and they go dormant and again revive back every year.
During the dormant stage that starts in summer (usually after a bloom) they love to rest in a cool dark place. Refrain from watering and adding fertilizers to your shamrock’s pot during this phase. It will take nearly a few weeks to months time, to break the dormant stage and start its cycle.
The leaves and flowers of this plant are pretty sensitive, and grow and fall during fall, winter, or spring consecutively. According to the myth, this plant can bring good luck to your place too.
Well-drained soil with enough full day sunlight (yes it can tolerate shades), water sparingly and let the soil dry before watering next time. Fertilize your shamrock plants once every few months. All these collectively help your little shamrock plant for healthy growth.
If your shamrock plant leaves turn yellow or brown overwatering is considered one of the main reasons.
Shamrock vs clover: Shamrocks have three leaflets while clover has four, also in the Irish the shamrock is called a young clover. Also, shamrocks have religious connections (people related it so) while a four leaves clover is connected to luck.
Most species of shamrock plants are hassle-free to cultivate with moderate caring methods. Here are some imperative facts about shamrock, you should know before growing one in your garden-
How to Care for a Shamrock Plant
Soil and How Often to Water:
Shamrock plants prefer the loamy and sandy type of soil with well-drained quality. Make sure the pH level stays acidic and the soil remains a bit moist all the time.
Water once every 14-16 days to keep the soil moist consistently. Don’t forget to let the soil dry between watering. You can try watering only once a month during heavy winter days.
Sun Exposure and Climate:
This plant needs full sun exposure to thrive best but sometimes can tolerate sun with partial shade. Be certain that you provide the plant with about 7-8 hours of bright light every day through the direct or indirect sun.
Maintain a stable temperature between 60° to 75° F with a moderate humidity level. Do not let the temperature get down to less than 50° F, even during the night. Try to keep your plant safe from cool window drafts and heavy winds.
Will Oxalis / Shamrock plants survive winter? It depends on the species and your hardness zone. If you plant starts yellowing or browsing leaves and winter is harsh, bring your shamrock plants inside and winterize your purple shamrocks.
Fertilization:
Apply only slow-release or liquid fertilizer to feed your growing shamrock plant adequately. Do not skip fertilization during the late spring and early summer seasons. Otherwise, you can try the course once every few months.
Pruning and Repotting:
Trimming will encourage the new shoots to grow faster and healthier. You can prune your shamrock plant once every 4 to 5 months with a fully sterilized pruner.
Once you find the leaves start turning brown, cut them off about 1 inch from the plant base. Repotting should be done once a year with a 2-3 inches gibber pot.
Make sure the pot isn’t much bigger than the root ball of your selected shamrock species. Otherwise, it may have root bound soon. Use an unglazed clay planter for repotting, every time you replant a fully grown shamrock plant.
Treating Pests and Bugs:
Aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, whiteflies, scales, etc. are some common pests and bugs you may face around a growing shamrock plant. Use insecticidal soaps or organic sprays to get rid of this nuisance damage-freely.
How to Propagate a Shamrock Plant
Among the entire list of shamrock species, green and purple shamrock are those categories, you can easily grow in your house. This plant has fragile branches, and thus, propagation through division is much better than regrowing through stem cutting. Let’s see how to do the job flawlessly-
Supplies You Will Need:
- A water sprayer
- A pair of gloves
- Sterilized shovel
- Fresh potting soil
- A new planter or a set of new planters
- And a watering can
Methods:
- Sprinkle some water on the soil of your plant to make the base moist
- This will be easy for you to dig the plant up more quickly
- After digging the entire plant up, clean the soil and grasp a little
- Keep the roots intact and slightly loose from each other during this process
- Now, carefully, pull apart the root ball to make the division
- Wear gloves, if you are doing this process with your hands
- Make as many divisions as you want but make sure each section has an individual root ball
- Replant each section in an individual planter or on separate garden beds carefully
- Always use new and fresh potting mix for replating your plant
- Finally, water them and place the plant in a warm place to thrive naturally.
Indoors or Outdoors: Where Does Shamrock Grow Best?
Shamrock plants can thrive effortlessly in everywhere your garden area with proper care. No matter whether it is an open yard or a restricted indoor area, a shamrock plant always prefers similar types of growing essentials in both cases.
However, it has been seen that the healthy growth of a shamrock plant depends on the variety you choose. This spring perennial warmer climate and a steady light source thrive best.
How Long Do Shamrock Plants Last?
The lifespan of a shamrock plant also depends on the variety, you pick to cultivate. However, it can live around 3 months or a yearlong, reliant on the caring methods along with the species’ quality.
Be attentive to the dormancy period of your plant to let it live a little more period innately. Attempt to keep your plant under the hardiness zone of 8 and in a warmer climate consistently to increase its life.
Why Do Shamrock Leaves Close at Night?
Shamrock plants grow unique clover shape foliage. This kind of triangularis leaves moves in the retort of light levels. They open in high ambient light during the daytime, while closing at dim light levels during the night.
You will be wondering to know that not only the leaves of a shamrock plant but also flower petals react in the same way! This genus of Trifolium grows five-petal flowers in white to pale pink shades. They tend to close their petals during the night similar to the leaves of this plant.
Why My Shamrock Plant is Dying? How to Revive
A shamrock plant, also known as wood sorrel, oxalis, or good luck plant can die before its certain falling period. This could be happened due to improper caring methods and untreated troubleshooting issues.
Some common problems that may lead your shamrock plant towards a fatal outcome, are as follows-
- Fungal or bacterial infestation
- Drooping leaves
- Rootbound
- Root rot
- Wilted or curled foliage
- Brown leaves
- Leaf spot
- Stunt growth
- And dry stems
Causes:
The most common causes of these problems are
- Overwatering
- Improper soil like the poor and clay-based type
- Using infected soil
- Using soil with imbalanced pH
- Unwatering or keeping the soil dry for long
- Skipping fertilization, especially during peak months
- Poor drainage quality of the soil and the planter
- Insufficient light due to placing the plant away from bright sunlight
- Untreated pest attacks
- Keeping your plant unpruned for long
- And staying inattentive to your plant for long
Solutions:
- Place the planter in a spot where it can get good air circulation
- Make sure that your plant is getting enough amount of direct sunlight
- Keep the soil lightly moist and acidic
- Water 2-3 times a month
- Fertilize once a month and water every time after the fertilization
- Prune once in a year with disinfected pruner only
- Keep the plant inside the room away from bright light during the dormancy
- Bring them back to the bright spot again, once the dormancy period is gone
- Be updated about the pests or bugs attacks
- And apply any possible remedy to get rid of those insects as soon as probable, once you detect them on your plant.
Is Shamrock Plant Toxic?
Shamrock plants or any species of this species are toxic to cats, dogs, and even humans too. If any mammal or human ingests a larger amount of shamrock plant, they can suffer from serious health issues. Consequences may be deadly sometimes, without proper medical care.
Why Is This Toxic?
Little tuber, found in this plant contains a higher amount of oxalic acid. Those tubers stay under the soil level though. However, a shamrock plant grows by containing nutrients from those tubers. Consequently, they are toxic too.
What Should Be The Reactions:
- Decreased appetite
- Drooling
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Mouth irritation
How to Deal With This?
- Bring your pet or kid to the nearest medical center
- Encourage the person o the pet to vomit immediately, who ingests it
- Wipe the mouth, tongue, and lip immediately of the swallower
- And take the plant away from their reach as soon as you find the mishap.