Apples are very prone to be damaged by worms unless they are sprayed throughout the season, but some growers avoid spraying by tieing a small paper bag over each apple. Now fruit expert Ted Swensen, president of the Home Orchard Society, reports that nylon 'footies' (used by shoe stores when barefoot customers are trying on shoes) are just as effective as paper bags but much easier to apply.

He reports that he is getting 100 percent protection from apple maggots and 98 percent against codling moths. The footies must be applied early, before the pest insects emerge.

He does not have plum curculio, another apple pest, where he lives, but he (and I) would welcome reports from growers in the eastern U.S. regarding how footies prevent curculio damage. You can contact Swensen at tlswensen@earthlink.net.

For a good book about pest life cycles and growing apples organically, I recommend The Apple Grower, by Michael Phillips (see below to order.)

Swensen's recommendation appears in the Winter 2007 issue of Pome News, the newsletter of the Home Orchard Society. If you're into growing fruit, this group is an excellent resource; membership is just $25 ($5 discount for students and seniors).

Footies for worm-free apples - what a clever, terrific idea that should spread like wildfire among organic apple growers. You can order a box of 144 footies for $4.95 plus shipping from the Store Supply Warehouse

If you have other tips to share about growing applies without spraying, please share them in the Comments section below.