Wonderful, Marvelous Oxalis

Have you every wished for a pot full of luck? I can't guarantee that you will win the lottery but a pot of your own lucky charms is just as far away as your mailbox. A delightful family of shamrock lookalikes is inexpensive, easy to grow and filled with flowers and pretty leaves.

The Oxalis family is comprised of several red or green leaved plants that are dead ringers for shamrocks except for their considerably larger size. All oxalis grow from small bulbs that are available from growers in the Spring.

My favorite grower, Van Bourgondien Brothers, http://www.dutchbulbs.com/ offers three separate species of Oxalis, as well as an Oxalis growing kit for the butterfingered. Iron Cross Oxalis, has large green leaves with a burgundy pattern in the center of each leaf, somewhat reminiscent of the German Military Award. The plant will be covered profusely with deep rose flowers in late Spring and early Summer.

The scarlet-leaved Oxalis triangularis offers a rich array of pink flowers also in the late Spring and early Summer. Oxalis versicolor sports green leaves and white flowers edged in raspberry swirls from late Spring through Mid-summer.

Oxalis bulbs of any of these three species are quite small. Planting 5 to an 8 inch pot is a good rule of thumb. Use a light, peat moss rich soil suitable for seed starting or growing tropicals. I like Miracle Grow Potting Mix or Cornell Mix for plants like these. These lightweight, high-acid soils combine excellent aeration, drainage and anti-fungal qualities. They are excellent for hanging baskets where weight reduction is crucial.

Plant each bulb about an inch and a half deep and two or three inches apart. These plants can be used as outdoor bedding plants if you choose. Water the plants thoroughly and place in a well-lit window with good indirect light. A Western, Eastern or Southern Exposure is perfect. Provide additional humidity through regular misting or pebble trays if possible.

Water when the soil turns noticeably dry during the active growing season, you will know when it's time because the soil will turn lighter in color and the basket will be more easily hefted. Assume that you will water every 3 to 7 days depending on humidity and light levels. As the season advances you will need to increase frequency of watering as long as the plants are in their active growing cycle.

Sometime in the late Summer, the plants will appear to die. They may be left in flower beds in warmer states or dug out and stored for next year's use up North.

Plants used in hanging baskets may be allowed to dry after their bloom cycle has finished in the late Summer. Begin watering them again in the early months of the Spring

If you like this article, you will also enjoy:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2565273/starting_seeds_using_found_containers.html?cat=32

Here is a link to all of my gardening articles:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/583548/mary_finn.html

Sources:
http://www.dutchbulbs.com/
http://www.easytogrowbulbs.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=40