my seed list was last updated 12/7/14. some seeds have been traded/used since then. but I have not found the magic link to update my list. can email current list to anyone interested.

My dill grew from seed dropped last year too. Early on it grew only in two areas of my beds that didn't have the thick leaf mulch I put on the beds last year. Just so happens tomatoes went in that bed near all the dill. That's interesting that you say tomatoes are not good companions for dill. It made me think. I never found one BST cat on the dill near the tomatoes. There were a few stragler dill here and there and that's where the cats always were. Now I wonder if it's because the BSTs don't like tomatoes or if the dill growing near the tomatoes gave off an "unhealthy" scent or something? Interesting, think I'll ask about this on the butterfly forum. Thanks for the very interesting information!

You may be overfeeding nitrogen, but it is hard to say without knowing how fertile your soil was before you added the amendments. I really go easy on the nitrogen with tomatoes in order to avoid the 'all leaf, no fruit' syndrome. If anything, I might even underfeed them nitrogen. When growing them in the ground, I add Espoma Tomato Tone at planting time, and then topdress every three weeks when I remember to do so. Well, I planted in early April and have topdressed only once, so I guess I am behind on doing that. I avoid pure blood meal because it gives the plants more nitrogen than they need in my well-amended (with homemade compost) clay. I do sometimes add blood meal to containers, but that's completely different because the roots are a captive audience in containers and nutrients leach out with the heavy watering required to keep tomatoes happy in containers in our climate. None of the varieties you planted are especially late to set fruit, so the 4 larger fruited ones (Cherokee Purple, Carbon, Eva Purple Ball and Sioux) all should be flowering and setting fruit at about the same time, all other things being equal. Your plants have been in the ground only about six weeks and that's not a terribly long period of time. At this point, they should be gaining height at the rate of about an inch a day and should be forming flowers. If they are growing but not regularly forming flowers, I wouldn't feed them anything else. You need for them to flower well and set fruit in June before the temperatures get too hot. A dozen or so flowers per plant isn't bad for plants that went into the ground in mid-April. Tomato plants generally will not produce more fruit than they can support, so you wouldn't expect to have 30 or 40 flowers on plants 2 to 3 feet tall. I don't really think you have anything to worry about. They sound like they are on-track for your part of the state. I've grown all the varieties you're growing and they grow fine for me. I usually plant Indian Stripe nowaday instead of Cherokee Purple (they are very similar) because it gives me higher yields and earlier yields. And, look, I didn't say a word about how many tomatoes I may or may not be harvesting. Dawn

Tuna and Dill Tea Sandwiches 1 large can white tuna in water 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 3 tablespoons yogurt 2 tsps. fresh dill, chopped 3-4 chive leaves, chopped 1/4 cup chopped cucumber 1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel Mix together ingredients, and spread on thin bread that has had the crust cut off. Cut into triangles. If you wish a piece of lettuce can be placed on the sandwich also. About the author: Brenda Hyde is editor of Seeds of Knowledge, a freelance writer, cook, gardener and Mom. Growing and using herbs has become one of her favorite things. -------------------------------------- Light Herbed Cheese Dip 1 package (8 ounces) light cream cheese 1/4 cup plain yogurt 2 tablespoons each fresh dill and parsley, chopped 2 small green onions, chopped 1/2 tsp. each minced garlic and salt Put cream cheese and yogurt in food processor and or blender and process 1 to 2 minutes. Add other ingredients and process for just 30 seconds to blend. Serve with raw vegetables. ----------------------------------------------- Cucumber and Sour Cream Dressing 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated (1/2 cup) 1/4 tsp. salt 2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard 1 tablespoon vinegar or fresh lemon juice pepper to taste 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 cup plain yogurt 1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill In a small sieve set over a bowl, toss the cucumber with the salt and let drain for ten minutes. In a blender blend the mustard, vinegar, pepper and salt to taste. Add the sour cream, yogurt and the dill. Blend -------------------------------------------------------- Dill Butter 2/3 cup fresh dill leaves 3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 3/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper Finely chop the herbs, add butter and mix until combined.Add butter while whisking vigorously. Season with salt and cayenne. Makes 1 cup. (Serve a pat of Dill Butter with Grilled Steak.....really good!)