I have an orange tree that produces decent oranges. Every year, I have
a battle getting the oranges from any but the lowest branches.

Two years ago, I bought one of those pickers with the wire basket,
like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Picker-W...6?ie=UTF8&s=hi

It works more or less, but there are problems. The claws can be
difficult to use, especially if the fruit is close to a branch or
another orange. On my tree, the oranges tend to cluster. It doesn't
really grab the fruit so I have to pull down pretty hard in order to
be able to apply any twisting motion at all. Sometimes I end up
tearing off part of the branch. This shakes the tree and causes other
oranges to fall and get bruised.

I just did another search and the only thing I came up with is this
one:

http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Picker-t...28da1 7020204

It looks like it might work better.

Has anyone used it? Care to share experiences? It gets good reiews on
Amazon.

Does anyone have a better idea or pointer?

--

Hold a ladder while your spouse or child does the picking!

Dick

On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 22:21:48 -0800, LurfysMa
wrote:

I have an orange tree that produces decent oranges. Every year, I have
a battle getting the oranges from any but the lowest branches.

Two years ago, I bought one of those pickers with the wire basket,
like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Picker-W...6?ie=UTF8&s=hi

It works more or less, but there are problems. The claws can be
difficult to use, especially if the fruit is close to a branch or
another orange. On my tree, the oranges tend to cluster. It doesn't
really grab the fruit so I have to pull down pretty hard in order to
be able to apply any twisting motion at all. Sometimes I end up
tearing off part of the branch. This shakes the tree and causes other
oranges to fall and get bruised.

I just did another search and the only thing I came up with is this
one:

http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Picker-t...28da1 7020204

It looks like it might work better.

Has anyone used it? Care to share experiences? It gets good reiews on
Amazon.

Does anyone have a better idea or pointer?


The real fruit pickers use ladders.

"Dick Adams" wrote in message
...
Hold a ladder while your spouse or child does the picking!

Dick

better still pay the lad down the road a pittance to do it for you.

rob

On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:04:21 +1300, "George.com"
wrote:


"Dick Adams" wrote in message
...
Hold a ladder while your spouse or child does the picking!

Dick

better still pay the lad down the road a pittance to do it for you.

I don't want to pick the while tree -- just 6-8 at a time. I picked
the whole tree one year and I couldn't eat them fast enough. Most went
bad. They stay on the tree nicely for at least a month, probably
closer to two. I don't want top haul the ladder out every 2-3 days.
The wire basket picker works more or less. I was hoping to get some
idea if the grabber variety or something else worked better.

--

"LurfysMa" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:04:21 +1300, "George.com"
wrote:


"Dick Adams" wrote in message
...
Hold a ladder while your spouse or child does the picking!

Dick

better still pay the lad down the road a pittance to do it for you.

I don't want to pick the while tree -- just 6-8 at a time. I picked
the whole tree one year and I couldn't eat them fast enough. Most went
bad. They stay on the tree nicely for at least a month, probably
closer to two. I don't want top haul the ladder out every 2-3 days.
The wire basket picker works more or less. I was hoping to get some
idea if the grabber variety or something else worked better.

when i season I am up our plum tree every second day. I am dumb enough to
clamber along branchs with plastic bag in hand.

rob

On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 23:36:32 +1300, "George.com"
wrote:


"LurfysMa" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:04:21 +1300, "George.com"
wrote:


"Dick Adams" wrote in message
...
Hold a ladder while your spouse or child does the picking!

Dick

better still pay the lad down the road a pittance to do it for you.

I don't want to pick the while tree -- just 6-8 at a time. I picked
the whole tree one year and I couldn't eat them fast enough. Most went
bad. They stay on the tree nicely for at least a month, probably
closer to two. I don't want top haul the ladder out every 2-3 days.
The wire basket picker works more or less. I was hoping to get some
idea if the grabber variety or something else worked better.

when i season I am up our plum tree every second day. I am dumb enough to
clamber along branchs with plastic bag in hand.

Maybe 30 years and 30 pounds ago...

--

Years ago I saw one of these advertised and it looked simple so I made
my own - was not that useful.
I would suggest two things: first a step ladder - I have an eight
footer which is great for outside work; and, one of those grippers to
extend your reach in picking up things. I used my wife's kitchen
gripper for the first time this year in picking up chestnuts and it
saved my back.

Frank

In article ,
LurfysMa wrote:

I have an orange tree that produces decent oranges. Every year, I have
a battle getting the oranges from any but the lowest branches.

Two years ago, I bought one of those pickers with the wire basket,
like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Picker-W...LDI/sr=1-5/qid
=1169494769/ref=sr_1_5/105-9100559-5530826?ie=UTF8&s=hi

It works more or less, but there are problems. The claws can be
difficult to use, especially if the fruit is close to a branch or
another orange. On my tree, the oranges tend to cluster. It doesn't
really grab the fruit so I have to pull down pretty hard in order to
be able to apply any twisting motion at all. Sometimes I end up
tearing off part of the branch. This shakes the tree and causes other
oranges to fall and get bruised.

I just did another search and the only thing I came up with is this
one:

http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Picker-t...1-1/qid=116949
4769/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1_s9_rk/105-9100559-5530826?ie=UTF8&s=hi&s9r=8a1080b60d117c
11010d28da17020204

It looks like it might work better.

Has anyone used it? Care to share experiences? It gets good reiews on
Amazon.

Does anyone have a better idea or pointer?

--

Weird question here...

What's wrong with using a ladder???

:-o
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

In article ,
LurfysMa wrote:

On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:04:21 +1300, "George.com"
wrote:


"Dick Adams" wrote in message
...
Hold a ladder while your spouse or child does the picking!

Dick

better still pay the lad down the road a pittance to do it for you.

I don't want to pick the while tree -- just 6-8 at a time. I picked
the whole tree one year and I couldn't eat them fast enough. Most went
bad. They stay on the tree nicely for at least a month, probably
closer to two. I don't want top haul the ladder out every 2-3 days.
The wire basket picker works more or less. I was hoping to get some
idea if the grabber variety or something else worked better.

--

Refrigerated Oranges last weeks for me.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

Ladders can be difficult to maneuver close enough to the tree, get the front
feet through the branches, etc. In commercial orchards all the trees are
pruned with accessibility for harvest in mind; not always true at home.
Orchard ladders are far easier and safer than stepladders, but they are
expensive.

That twister picker looks great, but I have never tried it.

--

Visit insectgraphics.com for all your insect gift needs
"Omelet" wrote in message
news
In article ,
LurfysMa wrote:

I have an orange tree that produces decent oranges. Every year, I have
a battle getting the oranges from any but the lowest branches.

Two years ago, I bought one of those pickers with the wire basket,
like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Picker-W...LDI/sr=1-5/qid
=1169494769/ref=sr_1_5/105-9100559-5530826?ie=UTF8&s=hi

It works more or less, but there are problems. The claws can be
difficult to use, especially if the fruit is close to a branch or
another orange. On my tree, the oranges tend to cluster. It doesn't
really grab the fruit so I have to pull down pretty hard in order to
be able to apply any twisting motion at all. Sometimes I end up
tearing off part of the branch. This shakes the tree and causes other
oranges to fall and get bruised.

I just did another search and the only thing I came up with is this
one:

http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Picker-t...1-1/qid=116949
4769/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1_s9_rk/105-9100559-5530826?ie=UTF8&s=hi&s9r=8a1080b60d117c
11010d28da17020204

It looks like it might work better.

Has anyone used it? Care to share experiences? It gets good reiews on
Amazon.

Does anyone have a better idea or pointer?

--

Weird question here...

What's wrong with using a ladder???

:-o
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack
Nicholson

Although I haven't tried either tool you identified, you may consider
using a pruning tool along with your basket tool. This assumes you may
be able to extend the basket below the fruit that you clip off with the
pruner. Pruners come with poles of a variety of lengths.

Another thought is to build up some semi-permanent benches or ladders
that can be kept in the same place throughout the season.

Enjoy your oranges. Oranges will be in short supply this year on the
market because of the frost in California. You may be able to sell
some of them for a little extra spending cash.

Careful with the ladders!


LurfysMa wrote:
I have an orange tree that produces decent oranges. Every year, I have
a battle getting the oranges from any but the lowest branches.

Two years ago, I bought one of those pickers with the wire basket,
like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Picker-W...6?ie=UTF8&s=hi

It works more or less, but there are problems. The claws can be
difficult to use, especially if the fruit is close to a branch or
another orange. On my tree, the oranges tend to cluster. It doesn't
really grab the fruit so I have to pull down pretty hard in order to
be able to apply any twisting motion at all. Sometimes I end up
tearing off part of the branch. This shakes the tree and causes other
oranges to fall and get bruised.

I just did another search and the only thing I came up with is this
one:

http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Picker-t...28da1 7020204

It looks like it might work better.

Has anyone used it? Care to share experiences? It gets good reiews on
Amazon.

Does anyone have a better idea or pointer?

--

In article ,
"tuckermor" wrote:

Ladders can be difficult to maneuver close enough to the tree, get the front
feet through the branches, etc. In commercial orchards all the trees are
pruned with accessibility for harvest in mind; not always true at home.
Orchard ladders are far easier and safer than stepladders, but they are
expensive.

That twister picker looks great, but I have never tried it.

Well, we used to pick cherries at a local orchard using ladders. :-)
They just put up about 6 per tree, and moved them as needed.

They never had more than a dozen or so people in the orchard at any one
time.

U-pic cherries.

Gods that holds some good memories! sigh

Bing and Royal Anne's.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 09:43:20 -0600, Omelet
wrote:

In article ,
LurfysMa wrote:

On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:04:21 +1300, "George.com"
wrote:


"Dick Adams" wrote in message
...
Hold a ladder while your spouse or child does the picking!

Dick

better still pay the lad down the road a pittance to do it for you.

I don't want to pick the while tree -- just 6-8 at a time. I picked
the whole tree one year and I couldn't eat them fast enough. Most went
bad. They stay on the tree nicely for at least a month, probably
closer to two. I don't want top haul the ladder out every 2-3 days.
The wire basket picker works more or less. I was hoping to get some
idea if the grabber variety or something else worked better.

--

Refrigerated Oranges last weeks for me.

(sigh) Yes, that will work up to however much space you want to
dedicate to that. So I can pick maybe 15-20 at a time.

Doesn't solve the problem and I'd rather have them fresh picked.

--

What works best for me is a lightweight aluminum 3 legged ladder. That lets you
get
in really close to the tree. I bought an 8 footer in South Haven Michigan, and
it wasn't that expensive.

Sherwin D.

LurfysMa wrote:

On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 09:43:20 -0600, Omelet
wrote:

In article ,
LurfysMa wrote:

On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:04:21 +1300, "George.com"
wrote:


"Dick Adams" wrote in message
...
Hold a ladder while your spouse or child does the picking!

Dick

better still pay the lad down the road a pittance to do it for you.

I don't want to pick the while tree -- just 6-8 at a time. I picked
the whole tree one year and I couldn't eat them fast enough. Most went
bad. They stay on the tree nicely for at least a month, probably
closer to two. I don't want top haul the ladder out every 2-3 days.
The wire basket picker works more or less. I was hoping to get some
idea if the grabber variety or something else worked better.

--

Refrigerated Oranges last weeks for me.

(sigh) Yes, that will work up to however much space you want to
dedicate to that. So I can pick maybe 15-20 at a time.

Doesn't solve the problem and I'd rather have them fresh picked.

--