By Sheila G. Robertson

March 17th is in the air, and my shamrocks are “restoring” their hardy growth, getting ready for St. Patrick’s Day!

Oxalis, commonly called a shamrock plant, grows a green and purple leaf, both of which produce lovely pink and white blooms. Did you know that this special plant “sleeps at night”? Around dusk time, the leaves begin to close up; and when morning arrives, this plant opens up to start the new day.

Late winter is a prime time to repot or plant the oxalis rhizomes, which are the small roots. If repotting, you should begin by filling clay pots with good soil, and place the tubers under the soil, keeping the soil moist. If potting the shamrocks for display indoors, be sure to place the pots in front of a sunny window. Shamrocks also make lovely additions to the garden as ground covers.

When planting shamrocks in the soil, you should place the oxalis rhizomes horizontally or you can angle them diagonally. Whether planted in pots or planted in the soil, the rhizomes will need normal fertilizing. Apply the fertilizer around the rhizomes, not directly on them. The shamrocks will show their new growth in a few weeks, especially with God’s beautiful sunshine shining on the plant. When the leaves become “droopy,” they should be pinched off or cut off from the lower stem. The “deadheading” only serves to make the shamrocks grow more beautifully.

I hope this plan for your shamrock plants will help them grow all year and delight you and many other gardeners.

My special interest with shamrocks begins with my family background. I am first generation Scotch/Irish. My mother and father were born in Glasgow, Scotland, so the identity is strong. Besides my love for shamrocks, I have a fondness for Scottish heather which grows profusely there. Extending the connection to the next generation, our daughter Susan Heather Robertson Sturdivant was born on St. Patrick’s Day! This is considered -“A modern Irish blessing!”

I always loved this Ancient Irish Blessing, one that reminds me of the beauties of growing shamrocks—the work, the sunshine, the rain, the friendship of sharing, and how happy they make me.

May there always be work for your hands to do

May your purse always hold a coin or two

May the sun always shine on your window pane

May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain

May the hand of a friend always be near you

May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

(Unknown author)

Shamrocks grow profusely, so that enables me to share the plant with neighbors, friends, and family. Once you get started, you’ll be sharing, too. And everyone knows, the best way to enjoy a blessing is to pass it on! So, enjoy the blessings of growing and sharing shamrocks, and

May your hearts feel the joy and love of shamrocks forever.

Sheila G. Robertson, a Master Gardener in the Capital City Master Gardener Association since 2008, lives in Montgomery. For more information on becoming a master gardener, visit our web site, www.capcitymga.org or email capcitymga@gmail.com.