I use a long kitchen apron that I cinch the front with one hand, alternatively you can tuck the corners in if the tie string can be doubled over and use both hands. For small fruits I like the disposable plastic lettuce mix containers.
For blueberries and plums I just drill a couple of holes on top of a 2 gallon light planting pot, tie on a strap, duct tape the holes closed and it works fine- for plums a 5 gallon pot. Ripe plums aren’t something I load up on each other. If peaches are soft I will use the same.
For apples and firm, ripe peaches I use a Wells and Wade commercial picking bag. Not because I researched out the best possible bag but because I knew it was popular with commercial growers.
The one in the picture is silly long- the movement of your knees could bruise fruit and it would be very awkward on a ladder or even on the ground. You want the load higher.
For blueberries a plain old tupperware container about 3-4 inches deep and 8-9 inches diameter. Put the container in one hand under the bunch being picked to catch the strays. Pick with the other hand mostly just funneling the berries into the container.
For other fruits I pick into plastic grocery store bags recycled for fruit. That goes into fridge until farmers market day.
Great question Murky. Kind of surprised and delighted at the home made responses. I was thinking of buying the same thing as my fruit yields are still low due to young trees kept small; but next year will clearly be a different story.
Currently I fill a 5 gal. bucket with 2 gal. of ice water and toss in a few cubes. Then fill it up in the early morning with fruit. Take it inside and let the fruit dry off before eating, refrigerating or processing. Experimenting really. Definitely won’t be doing this with big fruit loads.
Fruitnut, you must not spend as much time picking BB’s as I do. When you are picking gallons of the tiny spheres you need to have both hands free to do it efficiently. Wear the container the BB’s go into and you pick much faster. Fall winter and well into spring I eat frozen blueberries almost every morning along with whatever other fruit goes into the freezer. I only have about half your harvest season.
Alan your plants must be taller than mine. I’d have to lay down to wear the container. And I grow them as tall as possible but many fruit are 2ft off the ground.
