North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[david liezen <chandos49@hotmail.com>]

Ginda,

Two things will determine ripeness in absence of a spectrameter (I got one 
used for $35; easy to test with): 
1) Pick one, cut it horizontally and check seeds. If they are all brown it is 
ripe. 
2) Taste it (seems obvious, but I've been surprised).
If childhood memory serves, Jonathan is typically somewhat early in the apple 
season. Perhaps this is your first chance to get 'em really ripe, in which 
case they might be ready in a week or two.

Squirrels get about a third of my Liberty apples in past years, but so far 
this year seem to leave it alone. Perhaps the road crew tearing up the street 
and sewer have put them off their stride. 
Next year, a Kania trap.

Dave Liezen, E. WA, z6, where the streak of 90s finally broke Aug. 21


----------------------------------------
> Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2012 17:38:01 -0500
> From: sherwindu@att.net
> To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: Re: [nafex] how to tell if apples are ripe?
>
> 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
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