Good day Fruit Growers. My first post ever! I was wondering if any has tried using a fine mesh screen to build a protective cage or a-frame structure over brambles or other fruit after pollination to prevent SWD? If yes, how did it work? What kind of screen was used? I’ve been thinking about this since seeing MrClint’s screen pouches.
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Welcome, Anne!
I’ve thought about using something like that or organza on raspberries, but decided that since there are continuously new buds and blooms forming on them once they start bearing, I might be losing the possibility of more berries than I saved. When mine were in full bearing mode this year while the sun was higher and shined longer, they would develop and ripen very rapidly. The ones ripening this time of year have been taking considerably more time, but there haven’t been any SWD around now to worry about.
Welcome again.
Thank you for the welcome. Our Ohio state extension recommends screening as one of the deterrents, but they didn’t give any specifics. Since I really am new to fruit growing, I haven’t planted any but have all catalogs out and am planning.
Hello Anne and welcome! I thought about cages over my brambles, but stopped that thought. I just continue to net them every year which allows them to grow, re-flower and re-fruit. My brambles grow so tall, the cage would have to be at least seven feet tall. Nice idea though.
Thanks for the welcome. I found a pdf from Nourse Farms showing two screening diagrams for blueberries. I was trying to apply them to brambles also. It just seems like these pests are attacking more kinds of fruit all the time.
Welcome, Anne!
Some problems with netting are making the coverage complete, no gaps all the way to the ground, and having enough room for growth under the net. It ends up being a lot of work to do properly. Note you can also use weak shade cloth, like 20% shade, instead of fine netting - it may be cheaper. Poles can be used to prop the net up at corners so the berries have room to grow.
Im sorry i have no actual experience with swd since we do not have them yet. Every year I see spiders build webs in front of juicey clusters of berries. That concept with your idea of a screen give me many ideas. My mind envisions phermone or fruit smell emitting bug zappers and or sticky traps prior to the crop ripening. SWD may be a new destructive strong pest but it has a weakness and I like the screen idea. Maybe a screen with sticky brushed on it similar to the spiders web. The common garden spiders feast on the berries many pests. I think SWD must have an undiscovered adversary we could use to erradicste or decimate its numbers and lesson its impact on crops.
Scott, thanks for the welcome and this forum. I’ve enjoyed lurking about, learning how much I don’t know and the helpfulness of the experts. I have been thinking about the coverage problem. The Nourse article says that panels may need to be sewn together. Yikes. I know there are large panels available because I’ve seen screens that allow home owners to screen in open garage doors areas for parties etc. But I think cost may become prohibitive and the thorny varieties would make it extremely difficult. I’ll keep thinking about a way since I’ve only ordered two varieties to start my berry collection.
Clarkinks, I’m glad you don’t have experience with swd. I like the idea of a natural predator and sticky traps. Thanks for the ideas.
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Anne. The screen over your brambles is an interesting idea that might work. I have considered doing something similar over my plum trees to eliminate insect damage. The two concerns I have are the cost and if the reduced light reduction would damage the plants. Bill
Bill, I saw photos of entire orchards being covered. The covering was at 14’ so that it would not touch the trees and become entangled. I can not imagine the cost. Also, wouldn’t that type of covering need removed if the area had snow? I was also wondering about the light reduction.
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If you are in an arid climate this is said to work but it increases fruit rot in humid ones because of the interference with air movement. I’ve read of using the material that is used as a veil with wedding outfits because it can be had for a relatively inexpensive price, but I think if you are going to all this effort it might make more sense to use a frame and nylon screen so it would last for years. The frame would need to be strong to withstand snow storms or the top would need to be easily removable.
If you saw photos of covered orchards maybe there is a relatively inexpensive material available now that was not a few years ago.
No natural predator exists for the SWD in the US at this time, but the USDA is spending millions of dollars looking for a way to control this insect. From what I understand several predators keep SWD under control in its native area in Asia. When SWD was imported, we did not get the predator as well so with no natural predators SWD is out of control in the US.
You might try some type of high tunnel over your blackberry. I have not seem any research on this topic, but people who grow vegetables report less insect pressure inside the tunnel than in the field, so it might keep them out.
Monitoring insect counts with a trap and waiting to spray for SWD after they show up in the trap will not work. By the time the SWD are present in the trap, they have invaded the fruit also.
It’s called tulle, Alan. (also mosquito netting can be used) I love the stuff for some uses, but it blocks pollinators too. Can’t have any openings or insects find their way in but not out of course (fortunately for them there is plenty to eat and lay eggs on once trapped inside)… While it is tough it will develop abrasion holes over time.
Can find it for sale at the tulleshop, eBay and Amazon in 108" wide (9 feet) by 50 ft. bolts occasionally on sale with free shipping for $30. Various colors, though white and ivory are usually cheaper. Good with a sewing machine can create some interesting covers.
Probably provides some shade, but I know it is not enough to protect plants in harsh solar environments.
Thanks Alan. Yes it’s humid here for a few months every year. I agree on the frame. And the material would need to be strong enough to keep out birds, light weight enough to move with a fine mesh to keep out insects. I was looking for metal screening material but have only found narrow rolls.
Thanks for the info Rick. I am diligently trying to remove the wild brambles here. Some of them are huge and climbing to the tops of shorter (to be removed) trees. Next its determining what to plant where and prepping planting areas. Any suggestions and info on protecting fruits are greatly appreciated.
Here’s an interesting paper that includes some information about exclusion using floating row cover. But it is for blueberries which don’t rot very much compared to raspberries.
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Alan, is there a link? I can’t see one. Thanks
I think my strategy for SWD this next year is to nip off the tips of each cane to delay blooming and fruiting. My later blooming (red rasp) canes are free of SWD. It will be guess work of course on timing. But plan B is to rip out all the berry bushes and put pear and paw paw trees there
I’m going in the opposite direction with my blackberries. I will be removing my late cropping TC and replacing them with earlier ripening varieties. The earlier blackberries escape two issues in my location, heat and SWD. Bill