Agfabric 20'x50' Garden Netting - Insect & Bird Barrier for Vegetables, Fruit Trees, Plants | White Protective Mesh for Outdoor Gardening & Crop Protection

- I had had a bad apple maggot problem on my Honey Crisp tree ever since we moved to the Seattle area eight years ago and always used the "footies" to put over the individual apples. This was very time consuming and not always effective.- After seeing the use of netting on fruit trees in the Calif. orchards, I did some research and found Agfabric on Amazon. I ordered the biggest piece I could, 20 ft x 50 feet and I paid $78 for it. Then, I cut it up and sewed it together so I had a square that approximated 30 x 30. It sewed very easily on my old Elna. Note: I actually had WAY too much fabric for my 7' tree and wound up cutting it off by about 3 feet at the bottom. The netting fabric is clear, very strong and made from polyester and the holes are very small (.03" x .03"). So, sunlight can get through but insects can't.- In early spring this year (after all the flower petals fell from my apple tree) I put the netting on the tree in the hopes that it would prevent the apple maggot fly from laying her eggs on the emerging apples. I put wooden stakes around the tree to keep the netting off the branches and cinched the netting under the canopy, using bungee cords to prevent the flies from getting in. I really didn't need to access the apples under the netting all season and only one fell into the netting during that time, along with the small ones that naturally happen. I checked the tree periodically to see if any insects were flying around or evidence of critters (i.e. rats) who tried to munch through the netting (there never were).- I am happy to report that I just picked my Honeycrisp apples (in early Sept.) and I had a 99% success rate! I gathered almost two bushels of apples from my small tree. No evidence of apple maggots or dimpling at all! I'm attaching a couple of pictures to show you. The apples are extremely crisp and beautiful!- The good news is that the netting came through the season very well and after shaking it out, I was able to fold it up and will store it for next year. It should last many years to come.