North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[sherwin <sherwindu@att.net>]

On 8/26/2012 4:43 PM, Ginda Fisher wrote:
> I have a Jonathan apple tree with about 2 dozen large apples hanging from it. 
> This is a very unusual occurrence, as squirrels have removed all the fruit by 
> mid-August in every recent year.
>
> How can I tell when to pick them? Probably I should pick some now, even if 
> they aren't fully ripe, just to get some apples. You never know what critter 
> will take an interest in the tree tomorrow, after all.
>
> Thanks,
> Ginda
> eastern MA, zone 6
    Ginda,

    No guarantees, but putting ziplock bags around the apples may slow 
down or stop the critters.  It
    works somewhat, for me.  If I have some fruits of special value, I 
will wind some additional cheap
    bird netting around them.

     If you are having such big squirrel problems, I would go for an 
elimination program.  Active trapping
     is the key here.  This season, I have gone from two removals per 
day down to one every two or three
     days.  Yes, some others will move back in, but you can keep the 
numbers down

                                           Sherwin Dubren