Caring for Potted Clover

Well, it's Saint Patrick's Day and I couldn't let the day pass without sharing a little Irish wisdom. (I'm not at all Irish but the Scottish blood in me makes me somewhat Celtic, so we'll go with that.) I wanted to talk about clover - or the shamrock plant, as it's referred to in Ireland - and how to care for it indoors. As an apartment-dweller, I have to rely on potted houseplants to get my foliage fix. Clover is relatively easy to grow indoors, provided you have good light. You'll want to use a well-draining potting mix and water it often, keeping the soil evenly moist. It's best to use a pot that has a drainage hole and place it on a saucer to catch the draining water. (Make sure to empty that water and never let the plant stand in a puddle, which could cause root rot.) Place the plant in an area that gets good surrounding light, since the stems will tend to reach for the source of light if the plant is placed too far from the window, creating a lop-sided look. Lastly, you'll have to allow the plant some rest during the year, when you basically neglect it and let the leaves turn yellow. Move it to a low-light area and forget about it for a few weeks. Once you notice new buds forming, it is time to cut back the dead or dying tendrils and move the plant back to its original spot and begin regular watering again. Click here for more clover-care instruction. Happy St. Patty's Day!

This is Dutch Clover, one of my favourite varieties because of its two-tone leaves and long stems. I love the dark purple tint. DID YOU KNOW: St. Patrick used a three-leafed shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to pagan Irish, forever linking the shamrock with him and the Irish in the popular imagination. He would tie shamrocks to his robes, which is why the color green is worn on this day.