A three gal container is way too small for Big Beef, 5 gal is pushing it. Personally, I wouldn't use less than a 15 gal container for that particular variety. Big Beef plants get enormous. Water plants in morning, not evening, so that foliage and soil surfaces have time to dry out. No need to add sand to potting mix -- actually I'd advise against it. If anything, it will hinder drainage, not help it. Same with the rocks/sand in the bottom of the pot (a common misconception). Plenty of information in the container gardening forum on how to build good container mixes. Right now I'm using a fertilizer that's 30-10-10 Way, way too much nitrogen, especially considering you've already added bat guano and other fertilizers to your potting mix. Also, if your plants are only two weeks old (do you mean from seed or from transplant?) they need little, if any nitrogen at this point. Orthocide (captan) is not really as effective as a fungicide for fungal foliage diseases of tomatoes as Daconil (chlorothalonil) is. As far as continuing to use it as a soil drench past the seedling stage for this soil mold, what do the directions say? Because that's what I'd recommend what you'd follow. I don't think continuing to use it past a seedling or cutting stage as a drench is a labeled use, and you'd also want to research and then consider toxicity. Penncozeb? Works by coating/sealing leaf surfaces, so using it as a soil drench isn't going to be helpful. Also probably shouldn't be mixed with the captan like you're doing (I don't know, but would suggest you check). Again, my concern with using it as you are doing (not a labeled use) is toxicity to you. Did you throughly read the instructions for both of these products before you used them? This is so VERY, VERY important to do. I think the solution to many of your problems is going to be figuring out how you can somehow provide a drier environment for the plants, whether it be growing in a raised tunnel, a greenhouse, etc. Or perhaps even some sort of makeshift structure you rig together. Having rains every other day as a regular feature of a growing season is just not going to be optimal for tomato plants. There have been a number of posts on the main tomato forum discussing the challenges of growing in hot/rainy/humid climates that you might find helpful. Here is a link that might be useful: tomato forum

If you're making pound cakes and such in them, here's the recipe for "pan goop" that I use--also called Pan Release--from the allrecipes website: (You can make half a recipe and it works well, too.) 1/2 cup corn oil or canola oil or vegetable oil 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature (Crisco) 1/2 cup all-purpose flour Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer beat until mixture has increased in volume slightly and resembles marshmallow cream. This is why it's important for the vegetable shortening to be at room temperature--it mixes easier! Place in a container with a lid. I store mine in the fridge. The mixture tends to separate slightly upon sitting so mix before using, and apply with your fingers or whatever you would normally use to grease a pan.

Don't do it barnmom!! I baked it for about 30 minutes and it was very much set. I let it cool a bit and then loosened it and turned the bundt pan over. Alot of it stuck to the bottom of the pan. It was totally undone. I collected all the parts I could and put them on a cookie sheet and baked them another 15 minutes, and it was still seeming raw. And it tastes horrible! Maybe it needs a ring mold without any indentations to not stick?? I wish I could show you the picture of it. I believe its out of a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. The picture looks almost cake-like. That's why I was surprised that there wasn't any flour. I wonder if it was an error on their part?? I would love for you to try it and tell me if I really did something wrong, but I followed the directions.......so I wouldn't want you to waste your time or ingredients. I just might have to enter this in the post about "your worst recipe".......lol! I sure went to alot of trouble for this.......baking the squash, etc.....and I'm not sure its even edible. My husband is very open to trying anything....so I'll make a little of the sauce and we'll give it a try at dinner.....but I can't imagine its going to improve much by then. What a bummer! I think I'll stick to eating my butternut squash with butter and brown sugar. This is a perfect example of why we should never make something for a special occasion without trying it first. I was going to take this to our Thanksgiving get-together. That would have been sad. lol!

Oh phyllis! sounds like something I might do. I've made plain jello in fancy vintage molds before and turned it out too early to get a nice watery mess on the plate. No jiggle, just slosh. But I've had good luck other times too. plllog -Your recipe is alot like one I printed off. But I'll probably go super simple with just the carrot/cabbage.More often than not the recipe I found online also included pineapple but I never saw that before, even celery and onion. Mom said she did add a bit of vinegar to hers. Ok, I'll add veggies after jello sets a bit. I figured that was the best way to go. As far as mayo (or sour cream), I think she used that as a dressing over a serving. I found a simple recipe for that.