Dear Punamystike, Thanks for the feedback. Yes, the stains that Home Depot offers are will not be uniform, or at least not the semi-transparent ones. I actually did a little more online research last night, and saw some references to using 'acid stain' to color concrete. This is more likely what I will want, because it involves an actual chemical reaction with the concrete, and hence is more 'permanent' in certain regards (although it will fade under UV light). The siliconized acrylic-based stains that Home Depot offers look as if they will actually peel off, and this is definitely not something I want on a rough-surfaced concrete block (instead of a smooth-finished garage floor). The only issue with these acid-stains is that they are highly caustic. Some of the pictures of what people do with these are amazing . . . the building and floorwork look like marble or other exotic mined-limestone. Here is a link that might be useful: Some Concrete Stain Color Samples

Sorry I should have clarified - on the back it says you can also make a tea with the stuff by adding one cup to a gallon of water and letting it sit 24 hours - then strain the remaining matter and put that around your roots, then use 1-2 cups of the liquid per plant. It also says it can be used full strength as a foliar feed. It's a 5-7-3 ratio plus micorrhizae and microbes. So Dave - then it seems like it would be a good idea this round to use the liquid form yeah based on your last comment? It doesn't say whether this would replace the dry side dressing treatment but I'm guessing it would? So then I would side dress again in August? Sure seems like a long time away.... link to product below. And seysonn that is a deal! The Dr. Earth's has lots of other soil-building goodies in there that I need in my new soil as I try to build it up. Seems like it will have more of a long term effect as far as overall soil health, at least that is my thinking. Here is a link that might be useful: Dr. Earth tomato veggie and herb fertilizer

I have very good luck in the winter greenhouse letting the daytime temperatures climb into the high 90s so that I can heat my passive solar storage, and letting the night time temperatures go down to about 45. There are sunny days when the temperature goes over 100 with no noticable deliterious effects. I water automatically twice a day on a drip system, and grow in mostly 2 or 3 gallon containers. The plants become huge over time because I don't bother pruning suckers or laterals. Plants are spaced about 3' apart in a row, and trellised so that they grow up about 10', and then hang down again. The plants look quite messy and unkempt, but they produce lots of good fruit. Here are some of the current varieties I'm growing. Arbason is a mid-sized tomato with very vigorous growth. It, like almost all the varieties I grow, is resistant to blossom end rot. There are a few heirlooms that get BER even with the regular doses of calcium nitrate I use in the fertilizer. Fruit is still good tasting, just ugly. Verona is a small tomato, larger than a cherry, with good production as a salad addition. Sun Gold is a yellow cherry that visitors often really like. It has a low acid taste, and is quite productive. Yellow pear is probably the favorite tomato of visitors; it produces huge numbers of low acid fruits on a vine that sprawls all over the place. One plant is well over 8' wide, and trellised at several points. This is a tomato that even those who say they don't like tomatoes like. I grow Brandywine, and find the flavor ok in the winter greenhouse, but it can get to be a bit meally, and I don't think it is as tasty in texture as some of the others mentioned. It is a quite large fruit, however. Other heirlooms also tend to get a bit meally during the winter, and I am slowly moving toward growing more of the modern varieties specifically bred for greenhouse production because of the better textures and flavors in the winter. Renais

It sure is nice to see that level of care and effort. It probably didn't cost them too much more to do it right either. Look how much free press they will get. People will take notice and something called business darwininsm will take effect more and more. Other vendors will either have to adapt (reads "raise their game") or not earn our business. I say this with the whole hearted hope that every vendor pushes themselves to provide the best product they can and finds the best way to do business. Because people will notice. "Best" is never a static point...In a competitive environment its always moving ahead.