There’s nothing wrong with my apples
September 8, 2009
Okay, I know they LOOK like something is wrong with them. Like maybe they have a bad case of the powdered mildews or something. But really, they are SUPPOSED to look this way – because they have been treated with a new, inovative, natural bug spray.
It’s called Surround, a powdered kaolin clay that is mixed with water and sprayed onto the apple trees to repel apple pests such as plum curculio, apple maggot, and codling moth. Once the spray has dried, a fine layer of clay residue remains on the apples; when the pests come to lay their eggs they are deterred by the clay residue which sticks to all parts of their body. Then they leave to find a better place to make more pests.
This is the first year we are trying it, and so far it seems to have controlled the pests extremely well. The clay residue easily wipes or washes off of the apples. We are so excited to have a bounty of chemical free apples this year!
What natural treatment have you used to control apple pests?
33 Barefoot Lane 
November 13, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I just found your blog and I love it! Thank you for taking the time to share it. We have had an apple tree for years, but have never really enjoyed any apples because they would get so buggy. This year someone told us to secure “baggies” around each apple. It was a bit time consuming and hard to get those baggies on sometimes, but the apples we got were beautiful, blemish and chemical free, and were the best tasting apples I have ever had! Maybe we will try your spray next year.
November 13, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Carrie,
I have heard of the bagging technique, and that is wonderful that you tried it and it worked! Isn’t it nice to know that you aren’t ingesting toxic sprays along with the apples you eat?
Cheryl