apple socks

Turns out I wasn't too late to sock my apples.  I took a look at the Seattle Tree Fruit Society website on maggot barriers and found out that quarter size is the upper end, but still within reasonable, for protecting one's fruit. 

I thought I was pretty smart buying pantyhose to do the job but when I opened the package I realized that they weren't going to look like I had seen in the picture at the STFS website (see figure 4.)

My nylons were way too loose.  Still short on time I decided to work with what I had (no time to either make a legitimate order of maggot barriers or to snag some peds from a department store shoe department.) 

I decided to just knot the pantyhose on -- until I tried it.  There was no way I was going to make a good knot without knocking off the fruit.  And then I realized there is something I am good at (as a parent of young girls): ponytails. 

So into the house for rubberbands it was.  The resulting socks are not pretty but hopefully they will be effective.  Would hate to lose any of the four fruits we have.... 

 

And before next season (and hopefully a bigger harvest of fruit), I am going to head out to a STFS meeting and pick up barriers and some fruit growing knowlege.