When and how to bag fruit

Having pampered our fruit trees all year long, we are eager to taste their delicious fruits and it is disappointing to see that the fruits have not ripened well , that they have been pecked by birds, small insects such as wasps, they took the liberty of eating them before we did, etc.

But what can we do to get a good harvest of healthy fruits? It is very clear, the packaging of the fruit.

Index

  • 1 How does fruit bagging work?
  • 2 Bagging and its advantages
  • 3 In which fruit trees can bagging be carried out?
  • 4 What bags can be used?
  • 5 When to bag the fruit?
  • 6 How to bag the fruits?

How does fruit bagging work?

Bagging and its advantagesThis is a very old technique, from the late 1880’s and although this technique is sometimes blamed for its lack of aesthetics, many gardeners have been doing it year after year. In fact, fruit growers are more interested in the harvest than in the decoration.

Bagging and its advantages

Bagging is a simple gesture that consists of wrapping the fruit that is still on the tree inside a bag, being a technique that has several advantages.

The fruits are protected from inclement weather , heavy rains and especially hail, which is the main cause of fruit loss.

They are also protected against stinging insects , such as wasps or parasites, and especially against moths.

Birds cannot suck the juice from the fruit.

Diseases, especially scabies , spread less easily.

Bagged fruits are generally larger than others and their skin is thinner.

The fruit reacts a bit like us, and as they are weaned from light during the bagging process , they absorb the slightest ray of sunlight.

His skin shines this way easier, being much more colorful.

In which fruit trees can bagging be carried out?

This technique is reserved for trees that bear large fruits such as peaches, pears and apples , even bunches of grapes that are not very small can be bagged.

An example of this is very close to us, since many people will know or have heard of Calanda peaches , but what many of them do not know is that these peaches are bagged throughout the summer.

What bags can be used?

Traditionally, bagging is done with Kraft and small paper bags .

A few years ago, many of the early fruit growers were ecologically inclined to abandon plastic bags in favor of paper bags , this type of technique being very easy to do.

As a tip, we will tell you to make some small holes in the bottom of the bag to allow rainwater to drain.

Micro -perforated paper ‘fruit bags’ are also available at garden centres , which are handy and ready to use and allow air and water to circulate well.

When to bag the fruit?

When to bag the fruitIn the case of large fruits, bagging is generally done throughout the month of June , and it is necessary to wait until the fruit is thinned, whether natural or not.

The grapes should be wrapped when they reach the size of a small pea.

How to bag the fruits?

The first great precaution to take is to bag when it is not raining . It should also not be done too early in the morning, as the fruit should be very dry and therefore not covered in dew, so avoid damaging the fruit as much as possible.

Place the paper bag over the fruit, securing it with the elastic band or staples , this second option being the fastest and cheapest.

Remember that after months and when you have to remove the paper bags , it is necessary to act delicately, because the fruits are extremely fragile, so you simply have to tear the bags on one side, but making sure that the elastic band does not damage the fruit .

The bags are removed about two weeks before harvest . It is during this period that the fruits will capture the light and the sun’s rays to finish ripening.

When and how to bag fruit

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