ENTRY # FIFTY TWO.

Good Morning,
In my e-mail this morning I received some real good advice about producing tomatoes. So I want to send it on to you. It is from Rick, and I hope that he will continue to help us in doing a good job at what we love to do. Here is his letter in full. Thanks Rick .

"Sorry to butt in here, you obviously know a lot about tomatos and your links will probably tell your people more than I can impart, but let me give it a shot.All plants require substantial amounts of three essential elements. They are Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash, represented by three consecutive numbers on the commercial fertilizer you buy, in the order given. Green Leafy vegetables require large amounts of Nitrogen. Your Manure is providing plenty of Nitrogen. Flowering and Fruit plants require large amounts of Phosphorus, and Root plants require large amounts of Potash. Your Miracle Grow is providing that, but make sure you are buying the one high in the middle number, as that is the one for Phosphorus, which your tomatos need the most.In other words, buy 15, 30, 15 Miracle Grow, or a similar combination.As for rotating crops, the only issue is one that is also important with your roses, which you also love to grow I am gathering. This has to do with disease, and especially in the case of tomatos, blight. It resides in the soil,if you do not properly clean-up each year and dispose of the old vines in a remote mulch or burn. Once you get blight, you are more susceptible to it in subsequent years. The same is true for Black Spot in Roses."