This is a journal of my vegetable gardens. Skippy was my first dog and he thought the garden was his, even though I did all the work. Now Suzie and Charley follow in his footsteps. We're located near Boston (USDA zone 6A). I have a community plot, a backyard vegetable garden, fruit trees, berry bushes, chickens, and bees. I use sustainable organic methods and do my best to grow all of my family's vegetables myself.
peas planted!
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Wednesday, June 23, 2010
baby apple
There are only a couple baby apples on my little Fugi apple tree this year. I need to remember to cover them very soon. Last year I didn't cover them and the they got eaten my bugs. They are deliciously crisp apples and I'd like to eat them myself!
Do you use the apple maggot barriers? We're trying those for the first time this year. So far so good on the maggots. Unfortunately they don't work against the squirrels.
Hi, Also wondering how you cover them.. read a lot about apples recently.. some people cover individual apples with paper bags, others with plastic... is this also the right time to do it - when the apple has formed ? I'm in southern NH and would love any thoughts you have on keeping apples edible of the tree without spraying. thanks
I cover the individual apples with a knee hi stocking. Odd, I know, but it works well. If you click on the "apples" link below the post, you'll see my results from the past two years.
Two years ago I covered all 5(!) of my apples with stockings and they ripened great. Last year I got lazy and wondered if covering them was necessary. Answer - yes - reason - apple maggots (I hate to even write the word - yuck).
So now is the time to cover the apples. They are still blemish free. And its too warm to wear those stockings anyway.
I drove by a very happy apple tree the other day not much bigger than mine but with hundreds of apples. I don't know what to recommend if you have that many apples. I'm just hoping when I go out to cover my apples I may find a third or a fourth.
(I have also seen people using paper bags, but I prefer the stockings. Probably depends on what you have access to.)
Yay for you!! I love apples. My 50+ year old apple tree didn't even bloom this year :( We had such a weird winter/spring here in Wyoming.
ReplyDeleteYeah! An apple tree with baby apples!! I can only imagine the anticipation.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading your blog and looking at your pictures.
Cover them? Do you cover the individual apples?
ReplyDeleteDo you use the apple maggot barriers? We're trying those for the first time this year. So far so good on the maggots. Unfortunately they don't work against the squirrels.
ReplyDeleteThis happens every year with our pears. Our apples are always left untouched. How do you cover them?
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteAlso wondering how you cover them.. read a lot about apples recently.. some people cover individual apples with paper bags, others with plastic... is this also the right time to do it - when the apple has formed ? I'm in southern NH and would love any thoughts you have on keeping apples edible of the tree without spraying. thanks
I cover the individual apples with a knee hi stocking. Odd, I know, but it works well. If you click on the "apples" link below the post, you'll see my results from the past two years.
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago I covered all 5(!) of my apples with stockings and they ripened great. Last year I got lazy and wondered if covering them was necessary. Answer - yes - reason - apple maggots (I hate to even write the word - yuck).
So now is the time to cover the apples. They are still blemish free. And its too warm to wear those stockings anyway.
I drove by a very happy apple tree the other day not much bigger than mine but with hundreds of apples. I don't know what to recommend if you have that many apples. I'm just hoping when I go out to cover my apples I may find a third or a fourth.
(I have also seen people using paper bags, but I prefer the stockings. Probably depends on what you have access to.)
Oh, and I have also found that the stockings keep the squirrels away from my apples - so far....
ReplyDeleteThanks. I am going to try that next year just as soon as the fruit starts to form.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I am going to try that next year just as soon as the fruit starts to form.
ReplyDelete