Hi, John. I use K-1 kerosene heaters for heat. I have a primary and a backup heater. If we have a really cold nights I will use both heaters. I keep a log of my heating costs. I've used about 40 gallons of fuel this winter which costs $3.50 per gallon or about $140. There were maybe 10 nights when I used both heaters. I usually have about 30-40 nights when temps dip below 35 degrees. When I first started using kerosene it was 99 cents a gallon. Heating bill for the fiorst season was about $45. How times have changed. A greenhouse is definitely not a poor man's hobby,

After reading everyone's stories here, I thought my own yellow jacket experience worth sharing. I'd read all the bad things that comes from pouring gas or kerosene into the ground, but after several attacks by our little ground-dwelling monsters, I decided to resort to this particular form of chemical warfare. As the nest I was trying to eradicate was located in a slight depression in the middle of my backyard, it was situated perfectly for "pouring". But then... as a small creek borders my yard, I couldn't help keep away thoughts of benzene-disfigured frogs showing up at my doorstep some rainy night in the future. So... feeling guilty and in desperation, I had a vision... of the hot water heater. I'd heard about the boiling-water-down-the-hole solution, but the stove is a very long way from my backyard. But not the basement door, which is a straight shot of some thirty feet from the nest, and the hot water heater, about ten feet inside the basement door. SO... During a sunny late afternoon, with the little buggers zipping in and out, I carefully made mental note of the nest's entrance. Then, I rigged a ten foot pole (a couple of sturdy branches taped together with too sticky masking tape, the kind you'll never use again but can't throw away), taped the female end of a long garden hose to just inches over the end of the pole, then taped the rest of the hose securely to the pole. Then, I sat on the ground and slooowly crept the pole/hose combo along the grass towards the nestÂs entrance, careful to take many rests along the way, giving time for the little critters to adjust to the newby in the neighborhood. Once the end of the hose was just slightly off center above the hole (so as to not block the all-important flight path), I retreated back into the house to wait until the night. That evening, around nine, I went back to the hole; no guards were in sight, but I didn't lean too far over in case one of them got energetic to attack. I made a mental note of the hose's location, and VERY SLOWLY pulled it away from the hose and away from the depression. I went into the basement, connected the hose to the flush-out valve on the hot water heater, and turned on the water to get the hose heated up for the ultimate event. After a couple of minutes, I shut off the water, and went back to my pole and carefully pushed it back into its original position. I even cheated and used a flashlight to verify that I was in the correct position. And then I turned the water back on and essentially drained the hot water heater until the brass coupling on the hose was only warm. I expected some buzzing at the back door, but nothing happened. I figured I'd failed, but the next afternoon, upon checking out the nest, was amazed to discover that nary a bee buzzed in and out of the ground. Success! Now, if I can only figure out a way to get that masking tape off of the hoseÂ

Take this for what its worth from someone who has little practical experience but has been absorbing everything written about tomatoes for quite awhile now. I could have written your post above word for word. Depending on where in PA you are, we may be neighbors (I'm in Northern Delaware), so similar weather conditions. I have the mysterious wilt that appears out of nowhere and takes down a portion of the plant. I also have those yellow leaves that go from green to pure yellow without EB and other leaves filled with EB. And they aren't exclusive to the bottom portion of the plant. Plus those leaves that hollow out the middle of the plant that ultimately turn brown and crispy with no lesions. Straight up the middle. Wilt that occurs during the heat of the day and they goes away by morning. My thoughts on my garden and perhaps they apply to yours: My tomatoes are planted 3 feet apart in 18 inch diameter 7 foot tall remesh cages. They get 7-9 hours of sunlight. And they've grown between 4-10 feet tall. There's a canopy of greenery when I walk through. Even though there is adequate sun time, I'm not convinced that the plants are getting enough sun due to each other shading the other. I'm guessing that that may be why the centers are yellowing and turning crispy. And possibly why they are stunting and wilting (in some cases) I have explored the different wilts for hours online and in reference books. And my plants just don't fit the profiles. I also can't figure out watering. Seems like such a simple thing. But darn it, I can't figure out if they are thristy, quenched, or drowning. And forget suggesting a water meter--I have 2 of them and I'm still confused. I go back and forth between frustration and thoughts of never doing this again (grin) and total joy last night to discover that my first Black from Tula has a blush! Oh, and my soil was thoroughly enriched in the fall and spring with a dump truck load of mushroom soil/compost and a whole bunch of bunny poop and I'm still seeing the same thing you are. So I don't think it is a nutritional problem. I am planning on spacing my plants out further next year in order to increase air flow and decrease the shading that the plants impart to the others. And again, although it could be bacterial or viral, if your plants are like mine, they don't match up well with the fusarium, verticulum, TMV, or bacterial wilts. I've been using Daconil every 7-10 days and while it is controlling the septoria (I got it on 3 plants) and the EB, I'm still getting the pure yellowing leaves up the center (and outside) and the wilting so then it can't be fungal. So, yes, it is a humungous post, and no I'm not answering your question, but you are not alone. ;o) Christine

Progesterone, and all the other hormone treatments, have a slow gradual effect. Don't expect a sudden change, but wait 2-3 months and see if you can tell any difference. If not, then it may not be the cause of the problems you are having. I can tell the progesterone cream works for me because I get PMS symptoms on a regular basis now. Prior to my using it, I would go for many months without any hormone level symptoms at all. (I don't have periods due to a partial hyst at a young age). I would rather have PMS than no sign of hormone function at all, lol. Mrs H