Tuesday 26 June 2012

Pampered Fruit

What are those bags doing under that vine? It is a grape vine and the bags protect the growing grapes from flying predators such as birds and insects. I have seen school children on TV helping grape farmers by dipping immature grape bunches into a hand held cup of growth hormone. Cherry orchards are entirely enclosed in reverse bird cage. Netting is used to protect blue berry orchards from our avian "friends".
Orchards are usually pruned to expedite the handling and harvesting of the fruit. This frequently means that the trees are not allowed to grow more than about two meters in height and branches are splayed horizontally to permit easy access to the fruit.
We have eaten fresh cherries recently, but I shudder when I hear how expensive they are. Cherries are sometimes packed as though they are chocolates.

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