I had a problem with a few of my tomato seedlings this year. The foliage was light green (looked like they had iron chlorosis). I was overwatering and the roots were suffering as a result. I redid the potting mix (added some perlite to lighten it) and stopped watering as much and they've since recovered.

It would be a worthwhile investment to get your soil chemistry analyzed. Sounds like you have some longstanding nutritional problem. Just get in touch with your local ag extension. That is, by all means fertilize, but do it smartly.

If your Tom's are getting 6 feet tall I'd suggest they are getting dark green and you never see it because of light levels. I'd also say they could be sprawling because they don't get enough light, thus they are tall but never get that tomato green that you seek. Could also be nitrogen, but that makes no sense because you say they get 6 feet tall.

Another possibility is that it's a combination of above and your missing the blooming cycle of the plant. When do they bloom? Are they green when they bloom? Are there many flowers or very little? Are there lots of flowers but fruits don't set?

do you use sawdust or wood chips. leeches nitro.

I had not thought of the sawdust idea.. thanks!

" Im just not getting great results from the MiracleGrow powder mix that goes into a 1.5 gal bucket."

Could you clarify this please? What MG Powder goes into a 1.5 gal bucket? MG Water Soluble fertilizer is usually used as a root drench for tomatoes diluted to 1 T per gallon, since overhead spraying encourages so many foliage diseases.

I don't know what the comment about "sawdust leeching nitro" means because it is common knowledge that wood chips and sawdust can bind up, use up nitrogen since they are high carbons and require nitrogen for decomposition. They do not leech it, they suck it up, less so if used as a top soil mulch but especially if mixed in with the soil.

Dave