It does sound like your garden has gotten depleted of organic matter. I have very coarse sandy soil, and can't produce anything on fertilizer alone. Once I amend it with lots of organic matter, I don't need to use fertilizers of any kind and get very productive healthy plants. Because organics break down very fast in my soil, I have to amend my soil yearly to keep it productive. I mostly add two-three inches of chipped mulch each year, which breaks down by the next spring and is usually adequate. What you are describing sounds like the same problem the commercial food industry has been running into. Depleted soil becoming less productive and requiring more fertilizer. I suggest what others mention above. Add lots of compost and/or manure, and grow less, but healthier plants.

Thanks!! I must say that it was easy. I followed the recipe except I used half whole wheat and half white, I used sucanat rather than regular sugar, I added a touch of lemon extract and on the second set of four tarts I put lemon curd on the bottom then put the filling on top of that. I'll spare you all the second photo because it is so similar to the first...although there are more kiwi bits on the second batch. I loved the responses; made me feel even more successful about trying something new! The house smells so good right now :) Oh, and the pans were so easy. I used the bottoms to cut out the parchment paper and they popped out without even needing to push up from the bottom. So much fun!

These are wonderful. Home Cookin 4.9 Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table ==================== Source: Williams-Somona 8 oz tart pastry dough (or frozen puff pastry) 3 oz spinach or Swiss Chard 1 egg 2/3 cups heavy cream 3/4 cup freshly grated Emmenthaler Cheese 1/4 teasoon freshly grated nutmeg salt and pepper 3 oz Blue Cheese (Roquefort, Gorgonzola,etc.) 2 Tablespoons pine nuts . If using tart pastry, prepare the dough and refrigerator 30 minutes before you are eady to roll it out. If using commercial puff pastry defrost in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Preheat an oven to 425°F. Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil. Plunge the spinach or Swiss Chard into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds. Immediately drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to halt the cooking. Drain again, pressing against the greens to force out as much water as possible; set aside. Break the egg into a bowl. Add the cream, Emmenthaler cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste and beat with a fork until completely blended. Coarsley chop the spinach or chard and add it to the bowl; stir well. On a lightly floured board, roll the dough out as thinkly as possible. Sprinkle the Roquefort or other blue cheese evently over the dough. With a fluted pastry cutter about 1 1/4 inches in diameter, cut out 18 dough rounds. Use the rounds to line 18 individual tartlet pans or wells in tartlet trays or miniature muffin pans. If using the former, arrange the lines pans on a large baking sheet. Fill each lined pan with some of the egg mixture and scatter a few pine nuts on top. Place the tarlets in the oven and bake until the filling sets and the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Serve Warm.

I went to save it, and realized I'd already saved it when it was posted on May 17, 2003!! Shame on me for not making it yet! I am thinking about a little get together with 'the girls', this will definitely be on the menu.