I wanted to save this fig from being attacked by figs, since its the only black fig ripening at this time I thought birds can be attracted to it. So I am using a sack that is usually used for wedding favors.
It's is also used in Japan to keep bugs from apples, it's just another alternative to spraying certain fruit trees.

Hi Bass,  Do you put a repellent in the bag or is the bag a repellent?

Thats a good idea...thanks Bass.

some use news paper, clear plastic box for berries, and brown bag. i wonder how much they will really protect. if the bird decide to peck on it anyway.. it's will damage the fig. and usually it won't prevent tree rats from doing their best to got to the figs. i think best bet is to have as many fig trees as possible to out compete the vermin.

I can't imagine doing this for every fig, but just doing it as a test for the first fig that was about to ripen. There's no repellent inside of it. I will be trying this with a few fruit trees besides figs.

I tried this method on the few trees I had last year after someone here (was it JoAnn?) suggested them . I bought mine on Ebay and used the 4"x6" size . It worked really well. the birds did not bother the figs once encased and they fully ripened in the bag . I did not have that many figs or trees at that point - hopefully this year the fruit will increase as my trees have .

That looks like a cheese cloth.

I remember when I visited Professor Michael Bostoff in Vancouver, BC at his house ( sorry for misspelling your name professor ).
He was using the folding type of deli containers. Just like the ones they use for sandwiches or fruits. They were vented throughout and seemed to work for him. He was using them for his grapes though.

Thanks for sharing Bass

They are still selling on ebay - # 150507783995.  50 of them are $8.00. The larger size was easier to get over some of the larger figs.

I've used a small piece of bird netting, just enough to go around the ripening fig, or a small group of the figs. I hold the bird netting with a clothes pin(s).

come to think of it, i might try it for Genovese Nero, Col de Dame Noir, and RdB.

I tried some last season and the fig and the sack both disappeared.

Coincindently, I was considering purchasing a LSU Purple and came across this older thread, that has some beautiful pictures, BTW:

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/LSU-Purple-5533881

In the post, he references this method of protecting figs using a coffee filter, although, I understand it doesn't hold up well in heavy rains:

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/HighTech-Gadgetry-5410496?highlight=coffee

Oh... And, I did order that LSU Purple! :)

@ Pattee...that ebay product number is just what I was looking for...thank you...I will be trying the bags only on the figs that are very close to ripening...the ones that the birds have been looking at...    :)  :)

someone has to design an iron fig cage

barry, iron fig cage would be too heavy.. how about ultra light titanium alloy cage with LED mount to scare the birds away? :)))

Vince , you're welcome .
Pete , cool idea !! :)

@ BLB.....Barry, back during the winter I was surfing the web and came across a fig video that showed a fig grower attaching light weight plastic cages on each individual fig...I have been trying for the last month to locate that video, but to no avail...also been searching the internet to purchase that product, but for the life of me, I can't find it anywhere.   :(     

It was berry containers he had as leftovers.

Bob...the baskets that I'm refering to actualy had a pear shaped design same as the figs and were just a little larger than a fully ripe large fig....wasn't sure if you were were just kidding me or not with your post, so I figured I would respond with the above...have a great season Bob...   :)  :)

I think squirrels will get used to plastic cages and eventually start chewing through them. I like Pete's suggestion, guess it would be a bit costly though lol

Fortunately I don't have a problem with squirrels where I live, my main enemy is the birds...so for now I'm going to try the mesh bags(organza bags), but I'm still going to be looking for those protective fig baskets just in case.

I use aluminum soda cans cut in half lengthwise with a little hole at each end for the branch and a trap door in the middle so I can check the fig. Cut in the can sealed back together with duct tape. Effective for birds and squirrels. After one fig is ripe, move to the next ripening fig. Also very attractive.

Scott

Pattee,  Is the netting as fine as it looks on Bass' favor bag?

Bass, I've been thinking of using something like this to keep out the bugs on figs with larger eyes.  I can picture a fig tree with little bags all over it and if they come in colors, wouldn't that be pretty?

noss

I've used nylon foot stockings [the kind provided in womens'
 shoe stores for trying on shoes] for my apples. They are cheap [4 cents each] when purchased from a store supplies company
.
http://www.storesupply.com/c-592-sewn-bottom-footlet-footies.aspx

Noss...from looking at the organza material that those bags are made from, they look to be a tighter weave than the mesh bags, yet still breatheable, which could be good for keeping out insects...I sent for an order of 50, so I'll find out for sure in a few days.

@noss...I just received those organza bags in the mail today...they are just the right size to fit over a large ripe fig...as far as the mesh, they are the tightest weave I have ever seen on a gift bag...they will probably only delay a squirrel for a brief time, but if it's insects that your concerned about, I don't think there is an insect small enough to fit through this weave...as I said in the above post, my biggest enemy is the birds...these bags may even give them a run for their money.

[QUOTE=noss]Pattee,  Is the netting as fine as it looks on Bass' favor bag?

Bass, I've been thinking of using something like this to keep out the bugs on figs with larger eyes.  I can picture a fig tree with little bags all over it and if they come in colors, wouldn't that be pretty?

noss[/QUOTE]

Yes Vivian (Noss) , the netting is tiny  but sheer and also yes , they do have colors ! :)

Just bought some of those wedding favor baggies from amazon.  Hopefully they'll protect the 3 or 4 brebas that haven't fallen off yet.

I just picked up 100 Red ones from a seller on eBay.

Better to pick up the ones with shiny designs on them and in a color that doesn't attract bugs like green , blue , white , gold.

Hi Vince and Pattee,

Thanks for the information.  I ordered 4" x 6" sized bags in peach color.  They were out of white.  I hope they will be as fine as yours.  I was going to buy some yardage at the fabric store to make bags, but ready made bags were something I never thought of.  They can be washed and reused.  My luck, the birds and squirrels will think they're peaches and mess with the bags anyway.  :)

Yes, I am thinking more about a bug screen more so than a bird/squirrel deterrent.  This is a good thread.  Thanks, Bass.

Usually, I use spot netting with the regular bird netting and it works very well with clothespins holding them on.  What I do is use a large enough piece of netting that I can sort of make a ball of it around the fig, or figs so that the fig is surrounded by the netting and nothing can get to it.  It works well and doesn't weigh the tree down like it does when you put a large net around the tree.  Looks funny, but I get good figs, but just let me not get the fig buried in the netting deeply enough and the birds will eat the fig, or peck it through the netting.

It's really hard to confound those mockers, though.  They are scary-smart.  And I rescued a baby mocker on our carport last week.  It was so scared and I think the storm knocked the babies out of their nest in the Japanese Yew next door.  I heard a baby on the carport and the parents were trying to feed it, but didn't want to show me where the baby was.  I looked all over and the baby hid very well, but Mike put a bag of poo-yie down near it and flushed it out.  Wasn't even a fledgling yet, so I caught it to take it back to its nest.  The parents were upset and I thought for sure I'd get dive-bombed, but one of the parents was sitting on the board fence looking at me and I told it it was all right, that I was going to put their baby back in the nest and the birds just sat there and watched me put the baby back, then went and fed it.  This is a pair that loves my neighbor.  They will follow her all over her yard and sit nearby singing to her.  Very gentle-natured mockers.  Amazing birds.  The baby was so cute with its little yellow beak sticking up into the air, then it opened it's mouth to beg me to feed it.  Such a fragile little life.  I suppose it will hang around to eat my figs with its parents, but I couldn't ever hurt them.  Not these birds.  I gave my neighbor a fig tree, so maybe they will eat her figs and leave mine alone, then I could give Nita some of my figs to eat.  LOL!  The birds can have the Celestes if there are any, this year.

noss

Vince, I hadn't heard of those.  There is someone who uses berry containers.  If you find the pear shaped ones let me know!

I picked this fig a couple days ago and was fully ripe, with excellent flavour.

That's great Bass. Wish my figs were near ripe.  I had good luck with those bags last year. At the end of the season , I gave them all a wash and they're good to go for this year
I wondered if the bags build up a bit of heat to hurry the ripening ?

@ rcantor...Bob I've been searching all over the web for that fig video where I first saw those fig cages...so far no luck, but I will definately let you know if I find them.

I just wanted to see how you guys are making out with these bags?  Any problems with birds picking at the bags?

Nick

Vince , 
Are these something like what you referred to in post #19 ?

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Blossom-Tree-Fruit-Protector/339812169362502

I purchased some of the bags like Bass is using too....I've been laughing...picturing the people that sell these bags...wondering why they have became so popular and selling so many...lol

Diane , even funnier was my neighbor watching me "bag"  figs with pretty little baggies !! 

I use brown coffee filters and a clothes pin.

I'm spying lots of tiny figs on my trees just today . Sooo happy ! If there's more figs than I have baggies , I'll use the coffee filters also - have those handy.

I just ordered 100 silver on ebay. Thanks for sharing the idea. BTW Frank, my Carini's are going nuts, thank you again.

I just picked my first ripe Atreano using my bags... worked very well, no more bird problems. We'll see if they wise up. It also kept the ants and other insects out... I tried cutting some small holes in a plastic bag, but ants got in that one.

[IMG]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n105/johnnyq627/Figs/2013Jun24/2013-06-24_20-46-21_999.jpg[/IMG]

LOVE that color bag, I'll have to look at some of those to go with my silver ones.
Really exciting to see them work, thanks for the update.

Turns out that whatever color I get, the sun bleaches them to white within a couple months. Metallic decorations on the bag seem like a good idea to deter the birds and they don't fade. These bags are great. I will try the aluminum soda cans too. That's a great idea Scott.

I've used the bags with my blueberries... They were great. On figs it has kept the birds out... I can't imagine how much work bagging every single fig, but at least the first ripe ones or the one that you really want to save.

There has got be an easier way to protect our figs. What if we have thousands of figs to cover? I read something about hanging pie pans that creat reflection from the sun. And heard orchards use noise makers that make sounds like an owe or hawk. I'm also wondering if it is safe to use a dust for insects?

I put the smaller bags on some of my figs when they are getting closer to ripe....seems the birds don't get interested in them until they are larger or closer to riping.  I also ordered larger bags and put them on my grapes after they got bigger....it has turned out to be the best thing I have tried for the grapes. 
I tried the pie pans last year....and like many of things I've tried, it worked a little while but then the birds ignore them and move in.

Okay, so no need in trying that one. I can hear the birds now, boy they must think we are dumb. I thought about the net idea, but im thinking it may be costly, hard to maintain, and an eye sore. Aside for great figs, I love how beautiful a full grown fig tree is.

I was looking to get some of these disposable Foot Sox for my peaches this year, I can't see why they wouldn't work for figs as well as Organza bags.

http://www.amazon.com/Foot-Sox-Original-Sanitary-Disposable/dp/B008NCHM9Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1396033203&sr=1-1

They stretch a lot, so if put on when figlets start forming, all season protection. Might be easier to put on than drawstring bags, can't say for sure though.

PS: Not the best for apples/pears, codling moth gets through it. Use ziploc bags for those.