- Just insects
- Not with pome fruits in northern climates, at least
- Haven’t noticed this at all
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I’ve been watching this thread for awhile. noticed that there isn’t much they don’t chew through. has anyone tried making bags out of metal screen? could cut them out of a roll to the size you need, staple the edges closed then thread some thin wire through the top for a tie. seems to me that would be the best material to hold up. just line them with a nylon bag inside. we don’t have the problems like you guys do with your fruits but around here if you want to keep squirrels out of your sheds and camps you install metal screen.
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University of Kentucky has article on bagging that has a chart from a bagging study. The chart shows signifcant reductions in apple defects from insects, cork spot, fly speck and sooty botch. The link is attached below.
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Metal screen bags are best but they cost more to make and take longer time to put them on fruit by stapling.
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Bagging apples with paper bags are not as common here as using plastic zip lock sandwich bags.
Those paper bags need some skills to put them on.
The biggest issue people here have is bagging against squirrels. Paper or plastic bags offer no protection against squirrels. Metal screen mesh seems to be the best.
Ah, I was replying to BG1977 about his questions on how effective bagging is for fungus and stink bugs. The University of Kentucky study used Japanese paper bags which are used in commercial orchards in Japan. That’s the only study I am familiar with that measured the actual effectiveness of bagging. I don’t think the results of the study would have been much different if they had used plastic bags.
Yes, I noticed the thread has drifted towards using bagging for squirrels since a fair number of people have problems with them.
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I used surround at least 4 times last year and did not have a problem with insects on either peaches or apples. My nectarines were terrible, however, and I only was able to eat one! I would like to try bagging them this year. The surround just does not want to adhere like it did to peaches
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I have a problem with ants ruining my figs. I would think that the holes in the bags would let ants in.
I use organza bags on figs. No hole. Plastic zip lock bags would have ventilation holes.
Truthfully, ants could easily bite through organza bags if they want to.
You may want to consider wrapping a trunk of your fig tree with plastic wrap and smear Tangled Foot in it. That would be more effective., I think.
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I have used tanglefoot. It really works, but go armed with disposable gloves or a good hand cleaner. I also use a disposable brush. I saw someone suggest rather than applying it to plastic red apples, consider getting an inexpensive bag of red delicious to sacrifice, adding scent as a lure, as well as color.
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Thanks mroot, for the link
Are you talking about Tangled Foot on a plastic red apple hanging on a branch to trap apple maggot flies? Tangled Foot can be used for that.
When it’s used to trapped ants, it’s smeared on a plastic sheet that is tightly wrapped around a trunk. Different approaches with different targeted pests.
@Vlad ants get into my figs too. Ants can only get there by climbing the trunk. What I do, works perfectly for me:
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wrap a band off plastic around the trunk. I usually use bread bag or plastic grocery bag.
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Smear on a layer of Tanglefoot, all the way around.
The ants cant get past the Tanglefoot.
I take it off when the figs are done.
The plastic protects the trunk from the tanglefoot.
Much easier than bags but does not help with preventing bird or yellow jacket problems.
Yes for maggot flies. A non sequitur I guess
This picture is heartbreaking. I have four asians pears. None have fruited yet, but I hold high hopes.
Another bagging fruit article, supporting the same process as the previous one. Albeit a lot of labor, it almost seems to good to be true.
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If you hang around here long enough, you will realize that there are a bunch of us who have used various kinds of bagging for various fruit.
Tho ones come to mind are @tonyOmahaz5, @patrick, @mrsg47, @Auburn, to name a few.
We are not considered “normal” by normal people and we have earned it.:
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I have bagged my apples since they have been bearing fruit and i do not see myself stopping any time soon.
It is very time consuming and every one u bag does not guarantee tha it wont abort or fall off the tree but to me it is relaxing to be out in the orchard. In my location it is well worth the time and effort. I might not think this way forever though because my orchard is getting very large.
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My neighbor asked me to stop. Every morning each squirrel in the neighborhood would pick up a bag and take it to join the picnic in his yard. After a hundred or so bags appeared in his yard he went looking for their origin.
Maybe I should leave the fruit alone and bag the squirrels?
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I used to be an animal lover. That has changed since those animals started taking my fruit. Be it squirrels, chipmunks, birds, deer, etc.
(I don’t count raccoons, groundhog or opossums cute).
If you don’t try to stop them, you may as well stop growing fruit for your own consumption. I am talking about backyard growers, not growers who have acres and can afford to share their harvest with those animals.
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