Using Organza Bags for Organic Fruit Tree Pest Control
Learn how organza bags can protect your orchard fruit from pests without chemicals. Easy, affordable, and effective!
Tired of Picking Wormy Fruit in Your Backyard Orchard?
If you’ve ever tried growing your own orchard fruit only to have pests spoil your harvest, you’re not alone! From moths to wasps and birds, protecting fruit trees from pests can feel like a never-ending battle. But what if the solution was as simple as a sheer fabric bag? 🤔
I present to you: organza bags — an inexpensive, chemical-free, and effective way to protect your fruit until it's ripe. Whether you’re growing apples, peaches, pears, plums or apricots (it works for grapes as well) this method is perfect for backyard gardeners and orchardists looking for a natural pest control alternative.
Why Organza Bags Work
Organza bags are made from a fine, breathable mesh that allows air and sunlight in—but keeps most pests out. They:
Shield fruit from insects like codling moths, wasps and fruit flies
Reduce bird pecking and squirrel nibbling
Allow you to monitor fruit growth without removing the bag
Are reusable, affordable, and eco-friendly
This method aligns with organic gardening principles and can reduce your dependence on sprays or sticky traps. However, it’s not a bad idea to use organza bags along with a dormant oil spray routine when going into and out of the dormant season (and I’ve never found the traps to be hugely successful).
What You’ll Need
Organza drawstring bags can be purchased online in a variety of sizes and colors. I prefer green because they blend in a bit better but you can still see through them. 100 bags shouldn’t cost you very much — and remember that they can be reused.
4”x6” (can be a bit small for larger apples) or 6”x9” bags work well for most fruit, but you’ll need a larger size if you’re going to bag grapes.
Secateurs / hand pruners (for thinning fruit and trimming branches, as needed).
A ladder (if you’re working with tall trees).
Note: We have 16 fruit trees and attempting to bag every fruit would be too much. So, we bag 200-300 of them and know that by harvest time we’ll have a bunch of primo fruit. We may increase this number to maybe 500…but that takes some time. The point is that you may not need a ladder for this if you choose to bag the fruit only on the lower branches you can reach from the ground.
Step-by-Step: How and When to Bag Fruit — Timing is Key
Wait for the Right Time: Apply the bags after the fruit sets but before pests typically emerge—usually when fruit is the size of a marble to the size of the end of your thumb. If the fruit is really small and the stem is too delicate, the weight of the bag in a high wind can snap the stem. So, you’re really walking a fine line between getting the bags on before pests arrive and when stems that are strong enough to support the bags in high winds.
Thin the Fruit (as needed): Remove excess fruit so each bag protects a single piece. Thinning your fruit is a good seasonal practice anyway. If you’re using for apricots, you may be able to bag clusters depending on your spacing along the branches.
Apply the Bag: Gently slide the organza bag over the fruit, then tighten the drawstring. Ensure there's room inside for the fruit to grow and don’t cinch down the drawstring so tight you snap the stem.
Check Periodically: Monitor the bags every 1-2 weeks. Make sure they're still secure and not constricting growth. Replace any damaged ones.
Pros and Cons of Using Organza Bags
✅ Pros: Organic, cheap, easy to use, can reduce pesticide use to zero
❌ Cons: Can be time-consuming for large orchards (depending on how many bags you want to put on), high winds can snap a few stems
Results in Our Backyard Orchard
The first season out of the gate when trying organza bags was a happy success. And each subsequent season has seen the same success. As long as I’m careful when inspecting and selecting the fruits before bagging, every fruit is typically worm free and left alone by the birds and the wasps. The first season there were a few really large apples that were difficult to get out of the bags so I sized up the next season just to give some extra room.
Here’s a short video from our orchard
Ready to protect your harvest?
Buy some organza bags and get started! If you’re a bit behind schedule for the optimal time, give it a try anyway. Just closely inspect the fruits before you bag. I hope this approach to protecting your own backyard fruit is a success and benefit for you each season to come.
