Thank you both for your input, I'll cut down the weaker looking ones today. I have some bush beans to the right of them that are almost ready to harvest, so once those are done i'll cut them down as well, and that will give me some extra space to the right (only about a foot or so) and to the left there's about a foot and a half of empty space between the current zucchini plants and the tomatoes so hopefully that will be enough space. I definately got excited and overplanted in the space i had available, if things go somewhat well i plan on expanding my growing space next year!

today was first time using one. I don't know anything about the difference between weights and gauges Then could I suggest that rather than just jumping in with foods you first take the time to learn about pressure canning and pressure canners and how they work. Pressure canning isn't like BWB canning, It has a learning curve and takes time and practice and familiarity with the stages of the process before doing it. Otherwise what often happens, as other discussions here show, errors are made and food is either improperly processed and has to be tossed or time and effort are wasted. Start with the link below from NCHFP. Especially note the 10 min wait between removing the weight and removing the lids. Then take the time to learn the parts and names of the various parts of your particular canner and how they work and what the signs of problems are. Read through the various recipe instructions at NCHFP and determine what pressures you will be using most often at your altitude. Then do several practice runs using only jars of water in the canner (you can add food color to the water) until you learn exactly how to bring it up to pressure and maintain that pressure by careful adjustments to the heat and prevent siphoning (clear water in the canner and clear water when finished in the canner). Unlike other brands your canner comes with a gauge and a counterweight. That counter weight needs to be replaced with the 3 piece (5-10-15#) weight set (Part # 50332) that is NOT available from Presto but is available online at amazon and many other sources. There are numerous discussions here about out this and I linked a few. http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/harvest/msg0916184818540.html http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/harvest/msg070835471337.html http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/harvest/msg081947018331.html http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/harvest/msg0817160620197.html If you choose to continue using the gauge then note that it must be tested annually and that it can be off by several pounds. Most importantly, slow down. We all have to learn to swim before we jump into the deep end. :) Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Using Pressure Canners

I am growing in buckets this year, I have used the hanging planters in the past. I have the perfect(my opinion) soil blend for my plants this year, drains great! I have also paid attention to the nutrients aka cow manure, bone meal etc that I use. Miracle grow potting mix is not the best thing to grow your plants in.(my opinion) I think alot of your issues are to do with soil composistion, water retention and shade. Tomatoes need a lot of sun light. Here is a link that might be useful: robs urban farm

Hi Dirty Much success here in Piedmont NC germinating successive plantings of Yellow Crook Neck Squash seeds. Try this: use a bit of fine grit sandpaper (or nail clippers) and remove a small bit of the hard outer coating of the seed. Soak overnight in water and plant the next day (I do 4 seeds per cup and thin to 3 when ready to plant) in seed starting or good potting mix about 1/2 to 3/4 inches deep, water well and give it a few days to sprout. I like to use 8.5 oz styrofoam cups with some holes punched in the bottom for drainage. Once sprouted, put them in a sunny window, keep watered and when they are 5-6 inches tall they are ready to go in a container or the garden. Hope this helps.