The best time and method for bagging apples explained in detail

Many fruits are now bagged during cultivation, and apples are no exception. Bagging can improve the micro-environment of the fruit, improve fruit quality, and also prevent pests and diseases and avoid contact with pesticides, reducing pesticide residue in the fruit. So when is the time to bag apples? How should bagging be done? Let's take a look.

1. Bagging time

The bagging time depends on the variety. Except for varieties prone to fruit russeting, for generally early- and mid-maturing varieties, bagging is carried out one month after petal fall; for mid- to late-maturing varieties, it is generally carried out 35-45 days after petal fall. If bagging is done too early, the apple skin will be smoother, but the fruit stalk will be thinner, and later, if the fruit is heavy or windy weather occurs, it can cause fruit drop; if bagging is done too late, the fruit skin will be rougher, affecting the marketable rate.

2. Bagging preparation

Since the specifications and quality of bags produced by various manufacturers are not the same, and the bags have not been treated with chemicals, some fruit growers have found that rotten fruit and other diseases often occur after bagging. Therefore, before bagging, the bags should be disinfected and sterilized to remove carried pathogens, and a fungicide and insecticide should also be sprayed once on the fruit surface. In addition, after bagging and picking, apples are highly prone to black spot disease and pox spot disease, which affect fruit quality and storage performance, so before bagging, calcium fertilizer should be sprayed once or twice to avoid this phenomenon.

3. Bagging method

For bagging, paper bags are generally chosen because of their lower cost, making them suitable for the vast number of growers. When bagging, inflate the bag to make the paper bag expand, then put the young fruit into the bag, taking care not to let the paper bag stick close to the fruit surface, so as to avoid sunburn caused by sunlight. After bagging, tie the bag opening tightly, leaving the leaves outside the paper bag. Double-layer bagging can also be done for a better effect, but note that the wire should not be tied to the fruit stalk, so as to avoid fruit drop.

4. Regular inspection

After bagging, regular inspections should be carried out. If bags become loose, hang down, or leak, they should be handled and corrected promptly. Also, after spraying, to prevent the bags from sticking close to the fruit surface after getting wet, which affects ventilation inside the bag, it is also easy to cause sunburn.

5. Management after bagging

After bagging, orchard management should be strengthened. First, after rainy weather, the soil should be deeply plowed in time to increase soil permeability and expand the distribution range of the root system; deep plowing of 80-100 cm is appropriate. At the same time, fertilization should also be carried out reasonably. The amount of fertilizer applied to apples after bagging should be greater than before bagging, especially the application of trace elements. After bagging, watering should be done in time to prevent sunburn. Pest and disease control should not be neglected either. The focus should be on controlling leaf drop disease and insect pests, and attention should also be paid to special pests and diseases caused by bagging.

The above is all the content on apple bagging time and method. We hope it can help you. To learn more about apple cultivation knowledge, please follow us.