Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Ben on July 14, 2023, 04:01:10 PM
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Does anyone have experience with tree fruit protection bags or netting?
For five years now, some kind of fruit wasp has decimated my apricot tree. This year, the tree is full of really nice fruit that's just ripening, and I just now saw that wasps are beginning to bore into the fruit. I've ordered some next day delivery netting from Amazon to try tomorrow, but am wondering if anyone has superior recommendations?
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It sounds like paper wasps. While your are at it you may as well inspect the trunk for borers also. Fot the wasps build a trap out of a 2l soda bottle or two and hang them in your tree. You can find out how to do that online. Also spraying with BT earlier in the season may help. That's all I've got.
bob
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I don't think they're paper wasps, as those are my mortal enemy and these look a little different and smaller, and have landed on me without stinging me. I've never had a paper wasp pass on the opportunity to sting me. I'll check into that soda bottle trick.
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You're probably going to have to resort to some kind of spray.
All sorts of "organic" stuff you can try first.
For organic my first try would be a Spinosad spray and work up from there.
Also, check with your local extension and see if they have any recommendations.
https://www.epicgardening.com/spinosad-spray/
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I actually tried spray last year with no results. Most likely I didn't know what I was doing regarding timing. I'm also way late dealing with this. I should have been figuring it out months ago. Once the fruit starts to ripen (now) these damn things have holes in all of it within days.
If nothing else, I'll at least get a few branches well wrapped so I can get some unmolested fruit off. They seem to not go for individual fruit until the color changes, and right now only about half are turning orange. I'll concentrate on wrapping the green ones.