HI all,

Ive been shopping in preparation for the upcoming mater season(s) down here, using your forum as an indispensable resource for addressing the seemingly endless issues I have encountered in the past 2 years.

Have resorted to the container method and am about to embark on the earthtainer phase of my ongoing experiment/addiction.

Bought stuff for making a couple of earthtainers (just cant find the recommended wire cages for the top, going to use a trellis system instead), getting started this weekend:)

Anyway, I cannot find any of the recommended fertilizers here anywhere, lowes, HD, Ace, whatever, (everythings in the 15-20 range on all 3 nutrients, miracle grow, dynamite, etc) but I did find Espoma Plant tone. No tomato tone but plant tone, holly tone (we have hollies in sfl? who knew), etc.

So the Plant Tone says its 5-3-3. It says it works great with veggies etc and since its all I could find I bought it. But I was wondering if anyone else had used it with any success with maters or did you amend the soil further with something else to boost the 3s?

I did find some 10-10-10 time release pellet stuff but NOBODY down here offers any 5-10-10 that seems to be the consensus here.

I was also wondering, I have an interminable problem with caterpillars here. We have no winter to speak of so in the summer Im plagued w the inchworm type lopers which seem to seek out baby maters and tunnel right into them and set up shop as well as chew the leaves, I spray, I pick, I daily hunt the little friggin things but they are a PEST! Then in the fall/winter/spring its all hornworms, bit easier to detect cause the destruction is impressive, whole branches denuded overnight, etc.

Seven works pretty well I guess, Gardensafe 3in1 doesnt appear to do a thing (Im still trying it atm to see if it helps w spider mites, speaking of which, ANOTHER sword o damocles hanging over every plant, seems like nothing works on these little joys of nature)

So Im toying with trying to insect screen my grow area (a concrete pad in my backyard that once held a shed, bout 10x10) and was wondering if anyone could direct me to a resource for this. Ive looked but finding mainly small hoop screens intended for averting frost or actual gazebo covers with insect screen sides, but not like what I thinking: a 'greenhouse' but of insect screen.

Also, Daconil, cant find that anywhere either, am using Ortho disease control as I had a black spot problem and it did seem to keep it in check a bit, new growth getting some spots tho, but since everyones so keen on daconil do you think Ortho is as effective?

Thanks for reading, just trying to ensure when I start the Black Krim (delish!) and 3 other heirlooms Im going for this fall I want to be ready:)

Grew some brandywines and black krim over the summer here with predictable low yields but I think Ive worked out most of the other problems I was having earlier(wrong soil for containers, not enough water, inconsistent water, miracle grow tomato fertilizer, etc). But any help w any of the above would be greatly appreciated!