Hmmm. That bronzing is a symbol of several things, I think. Is it spotty or solid?

I just ordered it. Thank you, Dawn. I was having no luck in a google search. If it isn't one thing, it's another !

Yikes, yikes, yikes!

As the great Gilda Radner always said when in character as Roseanne Roseannadanna "Well, Jane, it just goes to show you, it's always something---if it ain't one thing, it's another". Who knew that the writers of Saturday Night Live were writing our gardening motto around three decades ago? Those of you who don't know what I'm talking about are just too young! (grin)

I don't know for sure if it is Tomato Russet Mites, but it sound like it could be. Without a photo, clearly I'm just guessing, but Take Down Spray is a great product (check the label to see if it cautions against spraying in high temperatures---you may need to spray it early in the morning or late in the evening since it contains oil) that could come in handy for other pests too. I really like it.

Have you seen the way Tomato Russet Mites ruin the fruit? It is awful. They literally look as if they've been bronzed. I'll find and link a photo.

Every time we well-seasoned gardeners think that we've seen it all, along comes something new (well, new to us) to shake us up. I want to know how I've managed to grow tomatoes my entire life (well, in my early years Daddy grew them and I just tagged along with him) and have never seen these before. I'll have to check the plants tomorrow that look the worst, but I'm really thinking the damage I've noticed is worse than standard damage from the two-spotted mites, aka as red spider mites, so logic dictates I'm seeing the same thing. Tim has a magnifying glass on his desk as part of a desk accessory set. I'll borrow it tomorrow and see if I can spot any TRMs.

Tomato Russet Mite bronzing on a tomato fruit

Dawn, I loved Gilda Radner. Those were the days when SNL was funny and I never missed an episode. I still giggle whenever I hear the name "Todd".

I looked at the photos, and I wanted to cry. I haven't seen anything on the fruit yet. Yet! Some of the plants can't even been trimmed because they are too heavily damaged. I'm hoping to get the fruit off before I pull them. It's probably too late to save some of them, or maybe all of them. It seems to be moving fast. The spray should be here tomorrow, and I'll put it on in the evening once the sun is setting.

I picked some more tomatoes this morning, so I have about 30 lbs in the kitchen, and that will at least get me some more salsa. Who knows, maybe I can keep some of the plants going for another week or two.

I hope you can. I'm making salsa today, on an ambitious schedule. Two batches done, a third one in the pot, and 5 more to follow. I'm just trying to get caught up and the heat made it easy to choose to stay inside and not even go out and look at the garden today. This heat is crazy and I am so tired of it.

Several years ago someone on this forum has Tomato Russet Mites and I identified it correctly based on their photo or description of their fruit. While we might confuse normal spider mite foliar damage with TRM foliar damage, I don't think that anything else that affects tomato plants gives the fruit that bronzed appearance. I've been waiting and watching for TRM ever since, figuring that if they were in OK, and clearly they were, then they'd find me sooner or later. Maybe this is the year we learn more about them (but only because we have to, not because we want to).

I LOLed - I love Gilda Radner!

Gilda Radner and SNL when it was good. Yes!

I have such fond memories of those days. We never missed SNL back then. It is not at all the same today. I also loved Mr. Bill.....can you imagine if they'd had "Mr. Bill in the Garden" with (of course) Mr. Sluggo. I wish they had that now. Good writers who understand gardening could have us rolling on the floor laughing. We need something to laugh about at this time of the year.

I remember those days of SNL a bit...but my generation was the David Spade/Chris Farley/Adam Sandler days. It's funny that each generations thinks "their" SNL was the best. Haha.

...and something fun (not) to think about--Russet Mites.

SNL.

Pat. Too funny