Trowel & Error

Nancy Crowe

Master Gardener Nancy Crowe's Garden Spot column also appears in interactive format online.

Secrets of the African violet

Finding the balance that keeps them happy

By Nancy Crowe

Master Gardener Nancy Crowe wants to give her African violets story a happy ending.

Posted Mon, 04/01/2013 - 11:19 am

Gardening on the fly

Make your plot attractive to insects fluttering by

By Nancy Crowe

Loving butterflies is a first step, and Master Gardener Nancy Crowe explains what it takes to provide a garden for them.

Posted Tue, 03/12/2013 - 12:22 pm

Beyond the pineapple

Brighten winter with bromeliads

By Nancy Crowe

Bromeliads look and even sound exotic, but Master Gardener Nancy Crowe understands how to grow them.

Posted Tue, 02/12/2013 - 2:06 pm
(PHOTO BY MARY A. MARKLEY)

From work horse to work of art

Painted, planted wheelbarrows help the community grow

By Nancy Crowe

Welcome to the World on Wheels. Master Gardener Nancy Crowe tells the tale.

Posted Wed, 01/23/2013 - 1:47 pm

A tree with a tropical twist

The Norfolk Island pine brings year-round cheer

By Nancy Crowe

Bring a tropical pine into your home for a truly live Christmas tree. Master Gardener Nancy Crowe tells us how.

Posted Fri, 12/14/2012 - 3:21 pm

The humble geranium

There’s more to this standby than meets the eye

By Nancy Crowe

Geraniums are among the most popular and reliable plants for home gardens. You can find them in any garden shop every spring, and their color will stick around pretty much until frost.

Posted Wed, 11/21/2012 - 1:42 pm

Growing pumpkins?

Think big. Even smaller varieties need room to roam

By Nancy Crowe

Master Gardener Nancy Crowe has heard the siren song of growing a pumpkin patch, too, and she shares lessons learned during her quest.

Posted Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:56 pm

The hydrangea mystique

Know what kind you have and what it needs

By Nancy Crowe

Master Gardener Nancy Crowe guides the way through the mystique of hydrangeas.

Posted Thu, 08/30/2012 - 10:50 am

It’s a jungle out there

Awareness and common sense help you stay safe in the garden

By Nancy Crowe

Master Gardener Nancy Crowe knows it’s dangerous out there, and she recommends sensible gardening safety practices.

Posted Thu, 08/30/2012 - 9:00 am

Going with the flow

Keep your garden hydrated and healthy

By Nancy Crowe

Water restores balance, Master Gardener Nancy Crowe says, and she explains how to water your garden.

Posted Mon, 07/02/2012 - 11:50 am

No bunny's business

Make your garden a less popular dining destination for critters

By Nancy Crowe

Master Gardener Nancy Crowe confronts the cute, furry, garden-destroying power of the bunny rabbit.

Posted Wed, 06/13/2012 - 2:57 pm

Something shady

Hostas flourish where other plants fail

By Nancy Crowe

The secrets of growing hostas, the plant that can succeed where others fail, are revealed by Master Gardener Nancy Crowe.

Posted Wed, 05/23/2012 - 1:40 pm

One potato...

How to succeed in gardening without really trying

By Nancy Crowe

Master Gardener Nancy Crowe has potatoes to prove you can succeed in gardening without really trying.

Posted Wed, 04/25/2012 - 11:59 am

Gifts that keep on living

Plants make beautiful presents

By Nancy Crowe

Valentine's Day is a great time to present a living plant as a loving gift, and Master Gardener Nancy Crowe has some lovely suggestions.

Posted Wed, 04/04/2012 - 1:44 pm

Feline groovy

Easy-to-grow catnip has many uses

By Nancy Crowe

Master Gardener Nancy Crowe has tips for the owners of (occasionally) tipsy cats on how to grow catnip.

Posted Fri, 12/30/2011 - 9:14 am