Larry Zilliox, Extension Educator
Douglas County Extension Service
(320) 762-3890
July 1, 2008
In the Garden with Extension Educator Larry Zilliox
July 1st
How can it be that we are approaching July 1st already? The extended cool spring ate up many days on the calendar to the point we now are approaching July and still don't have warm nights. Mind you, I have enjoyed the cool nights when it came to sleeping. Some nights I had to get up and close the window because it was a bit to cool, especially if the wind was coming from the direction of the open window. I think it has also kept down the number of mosquitoes but certainly not the wood ticks. I have had some every evening that I have been outside.
With July first come the apple maggot fly and its problem for apple growers. If you have apple trees and are plagued by this nuisance insect, start thinking about controlling the damage now. The Apple Maggot fly emerges from the soil starting around July 1st. They continue emerging throughout the summer, especially if we get one half inch of rain or more. The rain softens the soil so that they can wiggle out easier. It usually takes seven to ten days for the fly to sexually mature and start laying eggs in the apple. Knowing these facts you can focus your control around a week after a one half inch or more rain has fallen. Applying a spray at that time would correspond to the time the Apple Maggot Fly would be about to start laying eggs in the apple. Of course something always comes up each year so that you miss a spray or two and have the problem anyway.
As I have preached over the years you can solve the problem simply by placing a plastic sandwich bag over the apple in late June. Remember to cut the bottom corners off so any moisture collected in the bag will drain out. This system has worked very successfully and I get many testimonials each year of how successful it has been and in some case it is the first edible apples off the tree. Remember you do not have to bag every apple but only enough that you will use in the fall.
The system is used in the Orient where they bag apples, pears, peaches and grapes. When I was in the Caribbean Islands they bagged banana bunches and a colleague was vacationing in Florida and saw some Guava fruit bagged. I remember when we were doing the initial research on bagging of talking with a World War II veteran who indicated he saw fruit bagged in Japan while he was stationed there. So when your neighbor questions your sanity you have a defense to say it has been practiced world wide for many years. Then sit back enjoy the summer as your fruit grows worm free. After eating a few worm free apples you could offer your neighbor one of the wormy apples or maybe one of the bagged ones if he hasn't hassled you too often during the summer.
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