After one of the most beautiful autumns I remember in a long time, snow and cold is on its way. But, with that said, I’m grateful to finally have harvested my first Fireside apples… even if the birds took a bite out of them first!

Anticipating the first Fireside apples

When Grant put up the fence this spring, part of the Fireside apple tree grew over the top protecting a branch within the garden. Although we still struggle with fireblight, the apple tree thrived and I was thrilled as a couple of apples matured. The rest were deer food. 

The birds took a bite first

Fireside is a large, sweet, crisp apple, yet most years it never ripens because it matures in October. In the land of September snows, this is definitely a problem. So I watched the two apples with anticipation; until I noticed an abnormality in one. When I checked, I discovered the birds pecked at it! You can imagine my disappointment. The other one was pecked, as well, but not to the same extent. So I picked it. Even though I had to cut around the pieces taken out of it, I still savored every bite. 

This wasn’t the first time birds took bites from my apples, but it was the most disappointing. I love the birds in the garden since they eat many of the bugs. Yet, we’re going to battle over the apples. 

How to prevent birds from ruining the apples

I got an idea from my friend Chris who sewed 50 mesh bags to put over her clusters of delicious grapes to keep them away from the yellowjackets. Since it would take me an hour to make one little bag, I’m opting for the disposable try-on footies. They are inexpensive, plus can be used for more than one season. Another option is using paper bags, like lunch bags. But I think they would not last as long with our wind. Plus, a strong rain would make a mess of them. (Although, I think they would do a better job protecting the apples from hail damage.) 

The key will be protecting the apples after pollination, but before they are too big. The few times I noticed birds on them was in August after the apple reached a decent size. This is also going to require the use of the ladder for me, too, since some of the fruit is far taller than I can reach. 

To use the footies, I’ll wait until the apples are at least the size of a silver dollar, then pull the footie over, tying it on one side at the base of the fruit. To use the bags, you would want to fold over the end and staple it to keep it in place. At the end of the season, I will store them together in a bag to use them first the following season. 

Solutions for wormy apples

While taking the time to do this is something I’d rather not do, I believe it’s going to be worth it. Besides dissuading birds, the barrier should also prevent a certain amount of bug damage, particularly from codling moths. And I’m curious to learn whether the deer will leave them alone. I figure if Chris can put this much effort into her grapes, I can do the same with the apples I love so much. Growing decent apples in Montana has been my quest since moving from Ohio 30 years ago, and this might be the ticket.