I have the same concerns as the original poster. I know I've heard that it isn't safe to grow edible crops inside old rubber tires (used as raised beds), so why should it be safe to water edible crops with hoses made from old rubber tires? The flat soaker hose that Veeta linked to above looks like a somewhat better bet, but a) the customer reviews say it works well only when laid in a more-or-less straight line (and I like to loop my soaker hoses around through my garden), and b) it's no longer available anyway. Too bad! It's been only a few years since drinking-water-safe hoses of any kind have been readily available, so maybe if we keep asking for DWS soaker hoses, someone will start providing them -- though spedigrees raises an interesting question, "...drinking water hoses I believe are rated as safe because they contain a liner, and poking holes through it would probably defeat the efficacy of the liner." If that's true, then manufacturing them might not be a simple matter, either.

Kimmsr, Quote: never with landscape fabric which according to an article that appeared in a recent Fine Gardening magazine article is a bad for soil as plastic Reply: Their claim is that weed block stops water and air. So apparently some of the home improvement store type weed blocks must do that. I was very disappointed in that article. They totally missed the boat. They could have compare brands, or if that was a financial problem, they could easily have explained the different types of weed block and what types to avoid, and possible alternatives. But instead they made a only party true blanket statement. Quite misleading. They had the opportunity to do an interesting article there. I think this is another of those things that's going to vary depending on each individuals garden. For me, piled leaves would blow directly south first storm. I also have tough, flat leaves that knit into solid, waterproof layers ( thus my interest in this forum long ago, and still looking for options). For me, a layer of bark/wood chips would not only become a weed meadow, due to weed seeds blowing in and catching on the textured surface,plus the whole thing would become the neighborhood cat liter box. Cats very much prefer a lighter, well drained, thus dryer texture to dig in. Once they make a choice, they return..time after time. ... pee-ewww ... Sigh.. Fine Gardening used to be a great publication. I took time off from gardening and see the magazine is now changed a lot! It seems to be written for a much less experienced readership. Sign of the times I guess.I noticed Horticulture has changed in a similar fashion. That's nice for garden beginners, but we old timers have nothing commonly available anymore. :(

Definitely MULCH! It really helps keep the moisture in the soil in the hot summer months and also will keep the spray from your soaker hose from splashing on your plants. Mulch on top of the soaker hose. You can use straw, pinestraw, hay, grass clippings, chopped up leaves, newspapers, etc. Pretty much anything that keeps the weeds down but lets moisture in, will work. You want to try to make sure that any straw/hay/grass you use doesn't have lots of weed seeds in it, so get it from a reliable source or you'll be growing more weeds than veggies. Susan

Well given your list of things here is what I would do. 1) I don't think you'll have enough of the potting mix to fill all your pots even though they are relatively small and personally I don't care to use compost in containers as it doesn't drain as well. But I guess you'll have to in order to stretch the mix. So mix the MG and the compost together well and fill up to 1" from the top as many of the pots as you can. You may only have enough to fill 4 pots. Wet it well, compress it gently, and add more mix if needed. Mix into each pot 1 cup of the EB Stone SureStart fertilizer. Mix it in well and plant 1 plant in each pot. Plant it deeply. 2) You don't mention the variety names so I don't know if they are indet. or det. varieties so you will just have to add stakes or support for them as needed. For that size pot I hope they are determinate varieties. 3) I don't see a liquid fertilizer - at least none I recognize - on your list except for the fish oil but some is needed so use that. Once a week when you water the plants include a 1/2 strength dose of it. Nutrients leach out of the pot every time you water so they have to be replaced regularly. 4) AVOID OVER-WATERING. Get used to sticking your finger deep into the soil to see if it is cool and damp. If it is don't water. As the plants grow and the weather gets hotter they wlll need increased watering, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day in such small containers, but the tendency is to water too much so take care. 5) Use the Thuricide (BT-K) for any hornworms or caterpillars you see on the plants but only IF you see them. Use the Capt. Jacks per label directions for any other pests. But FIRST make sure they really are a pest. Just because you see a bug on the plant doesn't automatically mean you have to spray something. Watch it, see if it is alone or has friends, is it just passing through or staying to eat, and what is it eating the leaves, the fruit or the bad bugs. :) 6) Use the FungOil and or the Seranade for any fungus diseases IF they develop. At first sign use it regularly as neither works well as a preventative but will slow it down. If you avoid hosing down the plant (water at the soil level only) and make sure it has good air circulation around it you can reduce the odds of getting Early Blight or Septoria the 2 most common. 7) After the plant sets its first fruit do a side dressing using the Master Nursery Tomato/Vegetable Food 5-10-10 or the Tomato Tone. Lay a 2" wide band of it (about 1 cup full) in a circle around the inside rim of the pot and work it gently into the top 3-4" of the soil. Repeat that 6 weeks later. After that the weekly dose of fish oil should be enough. Please know up front that this is far from ideal but based on the info you have provided it should work fairly well IMO. Dave