Re: [nafex] fruit bags for organic production

I'll give it a try. I am in a hot humid very wet place (Houston 9b+/10a-) and possibly our sun and humidity would make the fruit either cooked or boiled in plastic, but again maybe not.

"Share What You Grow and What You Know!"

Bob Randall, Ph.D.
YearRoundGardening@comcast.net
http://yearroundgardening.me
home/office: 713-661-9737
cell 832-317-8983

> On Apr 25, 2016, at 11:55 PM, sherwin <sherwindu@att.net> wrote:
>
> On 4/25/2016 3:59 PM, Bob Randall wrote:
>> I have been using bags on high value fruit where there aren't more than 30 or so for many years.
>>
>> Generally I use wooden clothespins to fix them.
>>
>> What I use is fiberglass window screening cut with scissors into double layer pockets and stapled with office stapler on 3 sides. These are very durable, easy to make, very cheap, and last a very long time. If birds are an issue, you need to get them on before color changes. Fiberglass window screening is about $6 or so for 50 ft by 4 ft. Maybe 16 double layer pockets. You can use a hacksaw on the roles of screening.
>>
>> This year I am also trying something new— dark "knee-high" women's short stockings also pinned with clothespins. These also are very cheap—$5 or so for around 50. Don't know how long they will last, but should keep off everything and they dry very quickly and very light weight.
>>
>> Bob Randall
>>
>>
>> "Share What You Grow and What You Know!"
>>
>> Bob Randall, Ph.D.
>> YearRoundGardening@comcast.net
>> http://yearroundgardening.me
>> home/office: 713-661-9737
>> cell 832-317-8983
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Apr 1, 2016, at 1:23 AM, sherwin <sherwindu@att.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> On 3/31/2016 10:53 PM, Ginda Fisher wrote:
>>>> On Mar 31, 2016, at 11:41 AM, Jono Neiger wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi
>>>>> Im wondering what people think of bagging individual fruit as in using
>>>>> "fruit bags" or "Japanese fruit bags"
>>>>>
>>>>> Ive thought of trying it but havent gotten around to it. And I have several
>>>>> clients looking for them. Any sources?
>>>>>
>>>>> (sorry if this is a repeat topic- I didnt search the archives)
>>>>>
>>>>> thanks
>>>>>
>>>>> Jono
>>>> I also used zip-lock baggies to protect apples for a couple of years. I cut off a corner of each bag, so they wouldn't fill with water. This did a good job of keeping out insects. More importantly, it did a surprisingly good job of keep out cedar apple rust. I have more problems with rust than with insects, due to my location and there not being many domestic apples around.
>>>>
>>>> But, the local critters learned that bags meant yummy food, and they selectively ate all the bagged fruit (but didn't notice all the unbagged fruit.) So I gave up.
>>>>
>>>> Mostly it was squirrels, which just chewed through the bags to get at the apples. But the funniest was when I found a an apple that had been 1/3 eaten, and then carefully re-sealed into the bag. I assume that was a raccoon. (The teeth marks were the right size for a raccoon, as well as the odd behavior.)
>>>>
>>>> Ginda Fisher
>>>> eastern MA, zone 6
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>>> Ginda,
>>>
>>> I found just cutting slits in the bottom of the zip-locks allowed for drainage and perhaps provided less of an entry point
>>> for the insects. The problem with zip-locks is at the fruit stem where bugs like aphids would enter. I didn't want to put
>>> in the effort, but some people add a twist tie to complete that seal at the fruit stem.
>>>
>>> Your critters seem more aggressive than mine. Mine mainly went for the fruit on the ground. The bags did slow them down
>>> a bit. My solution for the critters was to trap and remove them. A big job, at first, but then the population seemed to
>>> subside with subsequent seasons.
>>>
>>> Some of my semi-dwarfs produced a huge amount of fruit (over 200 fruits after thinning), so putting on these bags became
>>> a chore. My solution is to go for smaller trees like on M27 as I don't need huge crops. I also find that sticky traps are very
>>> effective, even without lures. I will use the bags this year, but only on my prized fruits. I may also do an occasional spray
>>> if time and opportunity present itself.
>>>
>>> Sherwin
>>>
>>> ---
>>>
> The nylon approach has been tried and not been too successful. The nylon breaks down in the sun.
>
> I'm not sure if the mesh bags sold were fiberglass, or not. However, I found the more aggressive insects
> like Apple Maggot would go through those. Something to consider. I like the ziplock bags with slits cut
> at the bottom for rain drainage. They do need a fastener at the fruit stem to do a complete seal.
>
> Sherwin
>
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