Today (8/6)  found more mites in all tomato plants when picking curled leaves.  The organic spray is not working so the only thing left for this year is to keep blasting hard water showers at the plants each evening and perhaps during the day.  Perhaps had I known about mites at the beginning of the season I could have used the spray when the plants were smaller with less leaves to worry about.  Now it’s too late.  Compared to last season however the tomatoes still have a fighting chance.  The Big Boys are struggling however.  Also harvested 4 decent sized tomatoes, all Celebrities.

Update 8/9: Temps dropped.  Now 66F here at 5pm.  Only hard showered tomatoes last night (8/8) and skipped watering everything else on main roof.  Harvested four tomatoes yesterday.  Some cracking but no big deal.  No BER.  Harvested only from Celebrities but the Big Boys look like they’ll start giving up red ones.  Flicked giant catepillar off the roof who was eating the top branches off of a Big Boy.  Mites are few so the hard showers seem to be working.  Will get a pic up soon but the Celebrities look like they have recovered from the mites while the Big Boys keep losing branches to my pruning.  Overall it’s 8/9 and although a couple Big Boys might not make it, the buffer system seems to have worked by keeping them isolated.  Morning glories on NW corner veranda level seem weaker compared to last year.  Must investigate possible causes.

Update again 8/9:  Now I went and checked the plants looking on the backside of the leaves where most of the mites hang out after reading these articles.  Pruned heavily.  Mostly Big Boys but some Celebrities.  My overall observation is that the Celebrities seem to have tolerated the mites better although I’m pruning curled leaves mercilessly now.  It’s raining.  I’m debating whether or not to spray the oil.  May as well use up the rest of the bottle.