Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
puglvr1

Wrapping Mangoes Worked...Thanks Trini!!

puglvr1
12 years ago

Hi Trini, I hope you see this post...I wanted to say Thanks for the great idea!. So far I've picked about 5 ripe mangoes and NOT one single mango had been chewed, gnawed or attacked by any squirrel or (varmints) in my yard...as a matter of fact as you can see from this picture below, The string I used actually keeps the ripe fruit from falling on the ground keeping the mango from getting damaged or bruised. I'm very happy with the results so far and hope it continues to work. Last year I lost 90% of my mangoes to those pesky varmints...

Not sure if it will work for everyone...but it might be worth a try at the very least if you've had the same issues as I have.

Thanks again,

Nancy

Comments (25)

  • invar69
    12 years ago

    What a great looking mango! Didn't expect the color to develop with the wrapping. Is it tasty?

  • jfernandez
    12 years ago

    Hi Nancy

    Where did you get those bads?

    JF

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Hi Invar...YES, it was delicious...sweet, creamy and NO fiber!

    JF, I made those bags myself from a roll of Aluminum Window Screening...I first stapled the edges on the first one I made, then realized sewing the edges with a sewing machine was so much easier and faster.

    I have the original link below...

    Here is a link that might be useful: Wrapping Mango thread...

  • invar69
    12 years ago

    I'm gonna have to get myself a Cogshall one day. Its a Cogshall right?

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Yes, its a Cogshall Invar.

    Here's a pciture of the whole tree...
    {{gwi:567512}}

  • mangodog
    12 years ago

    super happy it worked for you, Pugsy, and that cogshall looks dreamy and you said tastes delish! Uber-Cool....

    Congrats and keep the helpful tips coming.....

    mangodingo

  • ch3rri
    12 years ago

    Nancy,

    Where did you buy the roll of Aluminum Window Screening and how much? I'm planning to get some to protect my grapes and figs...and I can use it for other fruits later on. We have squirrels, groundhog and birds here. Wish I can kill them all but not sure how...so the only way is to protect the fruit.

    Your mango tree look amazing. Love the height of the tree. Really makes me want to get another mango tree.

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks MD and Cherri!

    I bought the roll of Fiberglass screening at Walmart...its 36" wide and 84" long...My HD and Lowe's didn't sell individual rolls, they sold them by the feet.

    The roll was around $6-$7 at WM.

    Here's what the roll looks like...

  • sun_worshiper
    12 years ago

    That is awesome! Thanks for sharing!

  • ch3rri
    12 years ago

    Thanks Nancy. I just got a roll from Walmart for $5.98. This will be better than using net to wrap the whole tree. :)

  • trini1trini
    12 years ago

    Hi Pugs,
    Sorry I haven't been online so I missed this. I am sooo happy it worked for you. I had good success this year too with the ones I bagged. And boy, the squrls have multiplied like rabbits this year. Never seen so many of the critters as I have this year. But they didn't bother the bagged fruits. I used the bags mostly on my Julie because the fruits were so low like yours. If anyone has problems with fruit flies, these bags are great for those too.

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Hi Sun and Cherri...It really is a very economical way to protect the fruits, I just hope the squirrels and the other varmints out there doesn't get wise to it,lol...

    Hi Trini, glad you saw the post. I totally hear you on the squirrel over population...not sure what's going on, why there are SO many of them this year! They're out of control.

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Just to update...this wrapping technique worked 100% for me. I've NOT lost a single mango to an animal attack! Here's what I've picked so far...only two left on the tree...those should be ready to pick in a day or two. Mango season will be over for me for this year. Time to do some light pruning and tipping for next winter protection.

    I did notice that most of my Cogshall had a "soft" area on the bottom, not a big deal since I just cut that small piece off...anyone else noticed this on their Cogshall or other mangoes? Know what might cause this?

    3" lemon for size comparison

    Overall a good mango year for me...considering I only had two small trees produce this year.

  • sleep
    12 years ago

    My Cogshall's also had the "soft nose". Some individuals were worse than others, but none were really profound.

  • zands
    12 years ago

    puglvr1
    "Necessity is the mother of invention"
    Your mangoes look at the peak of ripeness

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Hi Sleep...Good to know my Cogshall wasn't the only ones with the "soft nose". I wish I knew what might have caused it?

    You are SO right Zands! They were very good indeed!!

  • Bambi Hodges
    8 years ago

    I've been wrapping my higher mango for years but am still losing all the lower ones to the Key deer. I need something like a trampoline to keep the deer out and save the fruit if they fall. Please help, I finally have a bumper crop on the tree.


  • zinfl
    8 years ago

    Critters may be intimidated for a while, but might learn they can chew through plastic too. Stucco lath can be bent and wired into a basket they can't chew. May need some padding to protect the fruit (mesh potato bags?)
    From Dr. Lin at Tropical Fruit Society, Sarasota.


  • Amaryllis H
    8 years ago

    I've been doing the plastic clamshell thing for several years. I find that it thwarts the squirrels pretty much but the raccoons have learned to pry them open enough to get a paw in--unless I tape (and I mean shipping tape) them shut.

    Last year a raccoon simply bit through one to get at a Fuji apple. There were no shards on the ground: it ATE the plastic, then it ate the apple. And then it never touched any clamshell again. This after breaking the top 2/3 of a baby peach tree right off trying (unsuccessfully) to get at its single peach. Taped. Nuts.

    I have an Alphonso mango, meantime, that I planted after a friend from India swooned over the memories of his childhood tree and said there was no other mango that came close.

    As it turned out, we put it in the ground the day before the coldest day in a year--24F outside here in northern California. We had it decked out in old-style warm Christmas lights with a frost cover over it and it was fine. It amazed me that it grew in wintertime, but it did. When it flowered--the scent! Such a perfume!

    One single mango that didn't make it past pea size, but then I really didn't expect to get fruit in the first six months.

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Those Raccoons are insane!!! I wrapped up my Lychee fruits this year with the plastic Clamshells... the birds and squirrels were out in full force eating them even though they weren't quite ripe yet...UGH!!!

  • Amaryllis H
    8 years ago

    To keep the birds away, and my mom was told this by the owner of Catoctin Mountain Orchards in Maryland, a pick-your-own farm we went to when I was growing up: unsweetened grape Koolaid, and only the grape flavor, diluted in water sprayed on your fruit keeps the birds away. Wikipedia confirms this and four packets per gallon is supposed to be the right amount. It actually irritates their lungs, so I try not to overdo.

  • puglvr1
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Thanks for the tip Amaryllis...do you know how often you have to spray the tree?

  • Amaryllis H
    8 years ago

    Well, we had a rare day of rain in May here (northern CA) and the birds took it as a chance to grab at my cherries while they were cleaned off. So, after every time it rains, I guess.

Sponsored
Schlabach Woodworks
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars16 Reviews
Franklin County's Reclaimed Wood Professionals