Thanks for all the suggestions. I feel better knowing it's possible. And now I have a lot of new ideas to research, and incorporate into my tomato system. This is what I'm thinking so far... 1) Avoid monocropping. I'm thinking about adding 10-20% more garden space, to allow for interplanting, and maybe some empty space between blocks of plants. I hope that's enough. 2) Consider a cover crop in the fall. I'm already researching this for weed suppression, and adding nutrients back into the soil. Maybe a particular crop will help with specific diseases? I need to research this more, later in the season. 3) Research the particulars for the diseases I'm likely to see here. I had blight towards the end of last year. But according to the MSU extension, it's not supposed to overwinter here. So I may be in luck with that one. Slugs got everything before that, so they're high on my list of things to deal with this year. 4) Research beneficial stuff like marigolds. I already have some queen anne's lace that's growing in my new spot. I originally thought of it as a weed that I'd have to remove. But it's a wild carrot, and it's supposed to be good for tomatoes for some reason. 5) I ran across a site yesterday that talked about grafting tomato plants. Something about cherry tomatoes will grow anywhere, so they make good root stock. I wonder how well a cherokee purple would work with something like Matt's wild cherry? And I wonder if there are any possible root stocks that are resistant to root knot nemotodes? I don't know what rkn's are, but they don't sound good. 6) Scout regularly, and remove diseased plants quickly. Get on the extension's list for forecasted diseases. 7) Start all of my own seeds. Unless I end up killing most of 'em, like I did last year. Be careful with anything I import into the garden, since who knows what might be in it. 8) Research hydrogen peroxide. I could see myself using that on a spot that's had disease issues, since it's one of the few chemicals that don't really scare me. It worked great on my dog, when he got zapped by a skunk:) Although his fur got a little lighter. 9) Expose stuff to the sun when it's possible. I had a lot of deer pass through my new spot over the winter. So I'm going to let the sun work on all the droppings for a while, before I incorporate them into the soil. 10) Be careful not to splash when watering. And try to water at times when the leaves won't stay wet for long. 11) I tried aerated compost tea last year, and I think it did some good. Although I wasn't using it to suppress any diseases. But I read some things on Linda Chalker-Scott's site that have me wondering if it's really worth taking the time to do. I'm sure it's a debate that'll go on for a long time, and both sides probably have some valid points. I'm planning a no till system, so my soil may be healthy enough without it anyway. I attached a link to her site, if anyone's interested. Here is a link that might be useful: site with stuff about compost tea

Mixing and disoilving are two different things. Maybe your fish powder won't disolve in water. However, if it were fine powder it would mix and pass throuigh sprayer nozzle.You have to keep shaking the tank to prevent separation and settlement TRy using less powder next time. But, keep in mind that if it is not water soluable, probably it will not be effective as foliar feeding. Plants can only absorb water and whatever is disolved (NOT MIXED) in it. For example, epson salt disolves in water and therefore it can be foliar fed.

jbann, I don't think the idea of not wetting the leaves needs to be taken quite that far. As far as that goes every single morning my plants are very wet from DEW. So I think people are becoming somewhat paranoid about wetting the leaves --especially when you are talking about an occasional foliar feed such as fish emulsion. Afterall they are getting rained on too so a rare occasional spray of water, whether blasting off bugs or foliar feed seems to me would be OK. I think the more 'general' recommendation would be to spray whatever you are spraying in the early morning so the sun can quickly dry off the leaves. Certainly you are not supposed to constantly water your plants in the evening with a spray from the hose as my husband is apt to do--he says he finds it relaxing. :)

Dave: I was looking at this primarily because a lot of the giant pumpkin growers use these substances on a regular basis and particularly calcium. As you know some of the minerals present in the soil and showing up in soil tests as "being there" are actually bound up and not available to plants even though being present in the soil. I looked at several videos and read several articles about chelated micronutrients either "bundled" with more than one and usually all the micronutrients in one package or individual such as calcium. I was just wondering if these were being commonly used by tomato growers or not and whether they were considered here as being organic as being advertised as such does not necessarily make it so. They are expensive but commercial growers seem to think they are worth it. Noone says anywhere that they make tomatoes either taste better or become toxic. Pumpkin growers apply them as a foliar feed which also has some appealing aspects. They reportedly do not harm the soil. My little garden will never be a financial success. Potatoes and tomatoes and garlic and corn at the local grocery store are fresh and cheaper than I can grow them. What is the value of being able to "pick and eat?"