Ok, Thanks Nancy. I'll try the FE next time around. I do have some and have used it on other plants. I'm also using Peters AV food, 12-36-14. Maybe thats the problem.

I would start fertilizing at 4-6 weeks or when the cotyledons dry up and fall off. They are what holds enough nutrients to get them through to transplant stage IMO but if you used a potting mix with fertilizer instead of seed starting mix then they should be good to go until planting out. Fish emulsion is normally mixed (depending on brand) @ 2 tbsp per gallon. The conversion for that would be 1-1/2 tsp per gallon for 1/4 strength. Personally I would use something higher in phosphorus for good root development instead of nitrogen for lush foliage. Top growth matters very little until after you get them in the ground or permanent home but with good roots comes good plants that can pretty much support themselves in good soil.

How large are the feces? Hornworms often leave a lot of poop on the ground or leaves as a sign to the gardener that they are there eating your plants. Do you see sign of missing leaves, or branches that end abruptly, or tomatoes (especially cherries) that are partially eaten? Hornworm poop are little pellets and you will often see multiple on a single leaf below where they are currently or have been feeding. They are difficult to spot as they blend in well with the foliage but they are usually near the top of the plant IME.

No matter what level a person converses on, said conversation is bound to be over someone's head. The only people who resent direct questions are those who aren't here for the right reasons and can't answer because they're operating at beyond the limits of their knowledge. What moves me to want to help any individual is their level of enthusiasm and their desire to learn, not necessarily in that order. When people are serious about wanting to learn, they can express both that desire and their enthusiasm by asking questions and/or asking for clarification when something just isn't 'clicking'. When you want to learn, good people see it, and will never make you feel small so they can feel big. If they do, there is usually someone around to let them know that sort of behavior is boorish and uncalled for. Too, whenever I'm answering a question someone asked, I'm always talking to the entire forum, so I might be talking to neophytes and advanced gardeners at the same time. The more advanced don't need to ask for clarification, but I always hope those newer to gardening buck up and ask for clarification when there is ANYTHING they don't understand. I don't think we should be here to see who can be first to post or tally the most posts by the end of the day. I'd rather spend an hour making sure you understand something than leave a dozen poor posts that lack of qualification has rendered meaningless. Why bother? If you say something like, "I don't get it, but I want to", almost everyone that CAN, WILL be more than happy to see that you DO get it - I know I would be. When you think about it, the forum wouldn't be much of a draw if no one asked questions. Have a good weekend, and thanks for the kind words. Mike - I get a LOT of mail from the forum. What's said confirms that how I manage my time here makes a difference and is appreciated by all but a few. It's an unusual day that I don't get at least 15 questions from lurkers or people too embarrassed to ask their question(s) publicly. I answer as many as I can, but I'd rather spend time on the forums so more are exposed to the things I share. I guess what I'm getting at is, given the overwhelmingly positive responses I see daily, it's really difficult for someone to do or say anything negative on the forum that harshes my mellow. Thank you for the kind words, too. Al