North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[sherwindu <sherwindu@comcast.net>]

I have not figured out how to reply to forum messages, since I have opted to 
not

have them automatically delivered to my machine.  So, this is not a new topic,
but
a comment on the previous posting about footsies.

I tried using footsies this year for the first time.  I feel they offer 
limited
protection for
fruit (I used them mainly on apples).  The codling moths and apple maggots 
went
right through the nylon and entered the apples.  I had much better protection
from
zip lock sandwich bags.  Much fewer of these insects were able to penetrate 
the
plastic covers, although a few sneaked in  at the stem, where there was not a
complete
closure.  I now believe that I cannot depend entirely on anyh of these covers 
to

shield the apples, so I will have to do some limited spraying, even after the
fruit is
covered.

I believe in leaving fruit on the tree as long as possible, especially apples
and peaches.
Much of the sugars enter the fruit at the end of their growth cycle.  They 
will
not
sweeten in your house, only become less acidic with the ripening.  There is a
possibility
that this can be overdone, and some fruit will spoil on the tree.  I find this
to be continuously variable with the weather conditions.  I am leaving my
William's
Pride apples on the tree until they fall and I think they are getting the
maximum
flavor.  With peaches, I wait until they are soft to the touch.  Picking them
hard
results in a 'supermarket' peach.

The zip lock bags give better protection than footsies to fallen fruit.  They
are less
likely to be eaten by squirrels and rabbits.  Overall, I think I will stick 
with
zip lock
bags, in the future.

                                Sherwin Dubren