Even Healthy Trees Wear Hairnets
Net your Trees, Save Seattle’s Apples
There are tens of thousands of apples and pears growing in orchards and yards across Seattle but, last year, many of them were inedible due to pests.
Every time a piece of fruit is thrown away because of pest damage, it is a missed opportunity to enjoy, cook, share, or donate it – which means, we are missing out on tens of thousands of opportunities to enjoy this city’s fruit to its fullest.
Several years ago, City Fruit launched Save Seattle’s Apples to protect this fruit. Since then, we have netted more than 50 apple and Asian pear trees in public orchards; distributed large nets and tens of thousands of baggies; and worked with tree owners all over the city to ensure that they know how best to protect their trees.
You may have seen the large nets covering trees while biking along the Burke Gilman; playing in Meridian Park; or driving on I-5, beneath the Jose Rizal Orchard – some folks call them hairnets, others call them fairy nets. Those nets don’t mean the tree is sick, in fact, they mean the tree is being care for. The nets and baggies are effective, chemical-free, and simple protection against the onslaught of apple maggot and coddling moths.
“Apple trees are a vibrant part of Seattle’s history, and a valuable resource. Coming together as an entire community in the care of our apple trees could have an enormous impact on our local food system and really make a difference in the lives of the food insecure in our community”, said Morgan Larsen, City Fruit’s board member.
How can you help Save Seattle’s Apples?
Volunteer at one of our pest prevention events, by preparing pest prevention bags or helping to net trees in public orchards (May opportunities coming soon!)
Bag your fruit: You can register on our website to receive a pest prevention pack! Or, from late April through June, City Fruit will provide free pest barriers to Seattle tree owners through our retail partners: Swanson’s, Greenwood Hardware, West Seattle Garden Nursery, and ……
Net your trees: Prefer to net the whole tree? City Fruit is not selling nets this year but Swanson’s Nursery and Urban Feed and Garden is! We also have some on-line options we recommend.
Come Celebrate with us! City Fruit is hosting three Harvest Kick-off Parties in May & June at local breweries. Stay tuned for details and come celebrate the upcoming harvest with the City Fruit community and pick up your pest prevention pack – we’ll raise a toast together to this city’s fruit!