Question
Dear Mr. Creed;  My name is Shauna Roberts.  I was wondering if you could help me with a problem with a Shamrock plant?  The plant belongs to my mother, who left it in my care while she was away.  The plant was a gift from my father (who is now deceased) many years ago.  I left for a week and my husband overwatered the plant.  When I came home, the plant was sitting in standing water and all the leaves were wilted and yellow.  I repotted the plant into some new potting soil and mixed in a little used potting soil from another pot.  I watered it very sparingly.  I brought the plant into the spot in the house where it does fairly well through the winter.  New sprouts are coming up from the roots, but the soil keeps getting some white fluffy mold on top and some shiny, almost spiderweb type strands on the top of the soil.  The new leaves turn yellow and die as soon as they open up.  Any advice you could offer would be appreciated, as I feel terrible about the poor condition of my mom's favorite plant.  Thank you so much for your help.  Shauna.  [email protected] .

Answer
Hi Shauna,

Your shamrock has a fungus or soil mold infection. It may have been introduced when the soil was kept saturated for a week, but more likely it was introduced with the soil that you used when you repotted. Even many bagged potting soils are often contaminated with mold spores.

The spidery strands are the fungal equivalent of roots and they spread within the soil. Sometimes you can get rid of the fungus by physically removing it each time it appears. But that takes patience and persistence. There are also commercial fungicides that can be mixed with water and used to drench the soil. Finally, you can try replacing the existing soil with a potting mix that is 4 parts peat moss and one part perlite. However, soil replacement carries the risk of damaging the plant's roots.

Select the  option that you feel most comfortable with.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC