We planted a Cortland with our daughter about 10 years ago and have watched this tree grow and in the past 2 years produce fruit. Last year we neglected to spray and decided not to eat the wormy fruit. This year I was determined to take good care of the fruit. The apples were getting red and I checked in with a local orchard on when to expect them to ripen. We've been out every few days to sample the apples. We were planning to harvest perhaps next weekend. Well wouldn't you know it! Saturday I noticed that something had been eating the fruit. Yesterday I went back out and the damage was so much worse I picked every apple, ripe or not. Most of the fruit had "bites" taken out of them. As I was hanging out my laundry I noticed a Blue Jay hanging around the back yard. I guess they thought the apples were ripe enough. Today I'll be making applesauce.

-- Nancy in Maine (paintme61@yahoo.com), September 17, 2001

Answers

Get some bird netting from a garden supply house. Plastic, with squares about 1 inch by 1 inch. Drap it over the tree before the fruit ripens. The culprits won't bother it because they think they can get tangled in the netting. Works for us. Rickstir

-- Rickstir (rpowell@email.ccis.edu), September 17, 2001.

We had a nice little orchard in Texas, and also had trouble with birds, and even more so, with squirrels. Those silly squirrels would take one bite out of a peach, leave it on the ground, and take a bite out of another, on and on. Once I had a squirrel gather a whole bunch of green figs before I realized what it was doing!..Wouldn't it be hard to get that netting over a good sized tree? How do you go about it?

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), September 17, 2001.

I suspect you are unfairly condemning the blue jays! We are bird watchers/feeders, and have 10 semi-dwarf apple trees. I have NEVER found the bluejays to be a problem. But then, we put out peanuts, in the shell, every morning, and these are devoured by the bluejays, and in season, grackles. E-mail direct if you wish. We SHALL figure this out! Brad, in Buxton, Maine. Where are you, Nancy?

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), September 17, 2001.

I live in Passadumkeag, about 30 miles north of Bangor. My husband has an aunt who lives in West Buxton. Hello, neighbor!

-- Nancy in Maine (paintme61@yahoo.com), September 17, 2001.

We've had trouble with blue jays and red birds. The netting is a partial cure, but the jays quickly learned to go under it. I've tried hanging old CDs hoping the flashing would chase them away - it did not work. I've learned to cope and try to get to the fruit before they do. A thought did cross my mind. They could be looking for water because it is usually hot about the time my peaches ripen. How about we try a water fountain nearby the trees? A little late this year, but it would be worth the try, I think.

-- Dennis Hill (peprhill@aol.com), December 09, 2001.