If you’re trying to grow food organically, this post is for you!
Last fall, I talked about the The pest that’s ruined our apple crop six years in a row: the apple maggot. In my experience, apple maggot renders your apples pretty much inedible. And in spite of dedicated application of a pest eliminator for organic gardens—beneficial nematodes—the problem just got worse.
The nematodes were costing about $45, to apply twice a year. The application and extra watering needed also took many hours.
In October, after yet another disappointing harvest, my husband John and I came up with a new plan to see if we could actually grow yummy apples again.
Now, we’ve had our ups and downs with homesteady-type strategizing…it seems like this or that family issue or health setback or higher priority project will always knock our best-laid plans off track. But John and I were really determined to turn our apple crop around.
I posted our very Simple apple maggot elimination plan…
And I’m happy to say that for once, we stuck to our plan! Here’s what we did:
*A thorough apple tree pruning in late winter and early spring.
*Skipped the nematode plan entirely.
*Thinned our apples on time, in June.
And gritting our teeth, we employed the extra plastic and…
*Got out the Ziplocs!
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| Apples zipped up in Ziplocs |
Now, each apple is (hopefully) safely enclosed in a bag.
Nature also gave us an unplanned assist, one good, one definitely not…
Our unplanted areas (I won’t call it a lawn, it’s just weeds!) have been filling with clover! I understand clover attracts the kind of tiny wasps that prey on apple maggot. So, it’s a wonderful development!
Now, the not-good: The bear I mentioned last month did his share of apple thinning on our Williams Pride tree. The lucky thing is, he didn’t hit the other trees.
Our Akane apples, our first tree to harvest, will be ready around the first of September. I’ll give you a report then!
If you have any strategies for managing orchard pests sustainably, I hope you’ll share…just visit me on my Web site !
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