Re: [gardeners] Apricot thieves!
margaret lauterbach (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 19 Jun 2000 09:19:52 -0600
At 07:41 AM 6/19/2000 -0700, you wrote:
>Help! This is the first year we have had any signifucant number of
>apricots on our tree, and all of a sudden, as they ripen, predators
>strike at the crack of dawn. They may be birds, although I rather
>suspect they are squirrels, since some of the pits are gnawed a bit, and
>there are no real peck marks on the interior of the fruits.
>
>Any suggestions?
>
>I am about to go out with my fruit picking pole to harvest whatever I
>can, to let the fruit ripen in the house.
>
>Ron
>
Ron, I don't think the apricots will ripen, once picked. Throw some old
wigs into the tree (if you don't have any, go to a thrift store and buy
some cheapos), or get an inflatable bird scarer or pseudo snake. Or get one
of the water-blasting scarecrows that react to movement. We have the same
squirrel assault, but we do have a dog. Squirrels unfortunately have
discoverd they can get to the apricot tree entirely by off-ground
transport, jumping from limb to limb. I hope we'll have enough when they
ripen. Margaret L