"Cereoid-UR12-" wrote:

The person was speaking hypothetically and did not specify the size of the
growing area, you obsessive fusspot.

Well actually I wasn't speaking hypothetically and I did mention the
size ("I've kept it small and maintainable") and I did mention I only
had one large container that did not contain a pepper/tomato family.
Common sense would not lead many to believe I had a vast garden,
unless I was a commercial tomato/pepper farmer and...would I even be
here asking such a question?

I would think that due to Solanaceae's popularity many people would
have issues rotaing properly for the home gardeners. I've read you
should skip a plot for two years, which means Solanaceae can only
account for 1/3 of your space. If I had to expand the garden to 3x the
size of my tomatoes, peppers, potatoes & eggplant--it would be
considerable.

Most mature insects are attracted by the scent of the plants (not their
location) to lay their eggs. However, the larvae will emerge from the pupae
in the same location they overwinter.
I also question the "wisdom" of plots next to eachother. If soil
overwinters bacteria and insects, being right next to last year's
sq.ft. of tomatoes seems just as bad as being in the same plot. We all
till and rake the soil around-not to mention what earthworms are
spreading. Like Frogleg, I wonder if being 15' away is really going to
make a difference come next spring for insects. I was actually going
to post a similar conclusion the other day.

Frogleg wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 12 Sep 2003 17:16:37 GMT, "Cereoid-UR12-"
wrote:

It is best not to grow a particular crop in the same plant family in the
same spot the next year so that insect pests and diseases don't get
established.

Better, yes. But many people don't have the space to change planting
patterns each season, or perhaps they only grow tomatoes in their back
yard garden. Of course if there *is* a disease problem, identifying
exactly what it is, getting rid of the diseased plants, and doing
whatever's required to prevent the same thing from happening again,
including rotation and resistant-type plants, is important. As for
insect pests, I doubt a tomato (tobacco) hornworm is going to be
fooled if the tomato plants move 20' away. :-) The situation may be
quite different for industrial/commercial production, or even a small
farm, but for back yard gardens, choices are fewer.


DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email)
Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound
1st Year Gardener