View Full Version : Protecting my pomegranates
botulismo
05-28-2009, 02:44 AM
So this year I've got about 150 pomegranate blooms that are starting to make their way towards fruit. Last year I had about 30 or 40 and I only managed to harvest 2 because birds and insects had dug into the rest.
I really don't want to repeat this again. I've been trying to think of ways to protect them and I'd like to know anyone's experience with protecting fruit from bugs.
I read on a blog a while ago someone said they rubber banded on plastic grocery bags. I also read in that article that there is some kind of wrap you can buy for fruits but I've been completely unsuccessful in finding anything like that online (and if I can't find it online, I doubt I could find it at a store.) Maybe I'm just not able to figure out what to call it. Anyone have an idea about that?
I'm willing to consider spraying them with something as long as it's relatively safe, but I'd rather try a physical barrier method if anyone has had success with that and can give me some advice.
It's a little windy where I live, I live right off of a wash (dried riverbed.)
turtile
05-28-2009, 07:12 AM
Try using cheese cloth. It allows air exchange unlike plastic.
harveyc
05-28-2009, 11:27 AM
I'm fortunate that the only insect problems I have in my young pomegranate orchard (125 trees) are aphids. Weeds are another matter. What sort of insects are you having problems with?
I started a pomegranate discussion group and one of our members posted a comment about the loosely closed calyx being a problem because of insects on the Eversweet variety and he reported success at just cutting it off. You can read his comments at Yahoo! Groups (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/PomWorldwide/message/736)
The Japanese also often use paper bags to protect fruits from damage and those should be easy to find in a size that works well.
Good luck,
Harvey
LilRaverBoi
05-28-2009, 10:42 PM
Well, I'm not sure how effective this would be against insects, but they make a mesh to cover the entire upper portion of plants to protect against birds and such. Here's a link to one site:
Garden Netting | Garden Animal Controls from Gurney's Seed and Nursery (http://gurneys.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_12838)
harveyc
05-29-2009, 12:28 AM
I've seen Joe Real use something like this on some apples and I think it might work okay for pomegranates also: Protect fruit from apple maggots and codling moths - OregonLive.com (http://www.oregonlive.com/hg/index.ssf/2009/05/protect_your_fruit_from_apple.html)
You can also search for the term "maggot barrier" to see if you find other sources, but this seems the easiest I could find and should last you a few years.
botulismo
06-07-2009, 05:34 AM
Sorry about my long time in replying. The cheesecloth idea might be a good one if I can find it at the grocery store (it's awfully hard to find, I've looked for it for cheesemaking in the past and I've had to mail order it.) If I can't find it, I'll try bags, because I know I can find those.
The problem is I've never caught the bugs in the act! It's possible that it could be birds, also, thinking about it, but I know that fruit don't sit on the tree and get half eaten by nothing, so I guess addressing it as birds might also be an idea.
Harveyc, the footie idea is also a good one, but I can't seem to find where on the site that it's linked to here (http://www.homeorchardsociety.org/) that they are and I can't seem to find footies at that price anywhere else. It's probably right and front of me and I'm just missing it.
Anyway, thansk guys. I've got a few ideas that might work from you guys. I'll let you know how it goes.
harveyc
06-07-2009, 08:48 AM
On the page you linked, they're listed on the left green menu, bottom "fruit footies", which takes you to Fruit Footies - Organic prevention of Apple Maggot and Coddling Moth damage! (http://www.homeorchardsociety.org/footies/)
Maybe you should get some footies and try them and also bag some to see if you see any difference in damage. The footies might not deter birds as much as insects, but they might work for both.
If you get them, please let us know how they work!
Harvey
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