il Mon, 02 May 2005 01:33:47 GMT, "Jim Carlock" wrote:

1) How long can tomato plants live?
2) They seem to like unpacked soil. If the soil gets packed they tend
to get yellow leaves and die. Is that correct or what else might make
leaves start to turn yellow?
3) I've read that tomatoes should not be replanted where tomatoes
have grown before. What should I plant in place of the tomatoes?
4) Is there a plant that might make a great complement to tomatoes,
maybe provide nutrients to the tomatoes and get nutrients that the
tomatoes do not soak up?

And one question about belle peppers...
1) How long can a belle pepper plant live for?
2) If it dies, what should be planted in place of it?
3) The leaves are not growing as big as they used to. Is this a part
of aging? It's going upon 8 or months of age. Or is it lacking in some
other like thing (nitrogen)?
4) The main stem is turning woody. I've noticed that when basil
starts to die, it's stem starts to turn woody. Is anything similar going
to happen with the belle pepper plant?

Thanks much in advance.

Crop rotation is what you're needing info on. Not only does one have
to consider the nutrients sucked up by plants, but also the rooting
depth. Not to mention will tall plants then shade the short ones. I
have yet to work out a successful rotation scheme as too many are
similar. I have an old "Mother Earth manual of organic gardening."
(editor John Bond, 1976, 0 589 000991 5) that goes into it a lot.
But no doubt there are newer books around.


--
Cheers,
Loki [ Brevity is the soul of wit. W.Shakespeare ]