Clam Shell Guards

If you grow fruit, or try to grow fruit, you know it can be challenging to get to the ripe fruit before the birds and squirrels. There are a variety of items on the market to help, from netting to fencing if deer are an issue.

Since I can’t get netting over my trees or get fencing into my limestone hillside, I needed to find another alternative. That’s where clam shells came in.

Small clam shell protecting more growing Bing cherries. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Clam shells are those clear plastic containers that hold grocery store fruit and vegetables. They come in a variety of sizes and can be reused, which i do as guards to my growing fruit.

Reusable clam shells are those with lids that pinch together, right. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Since I buy fruit in small clam shells, I can collect a ready supply to use when fruit is growing on my dwarf fruit trees.

This year, I had my first Bing cherries ripening. One was red and consumed so I gently added clam shells around the rest of the growing cherries. I make sure not to damage leaves when I get the clam shell secured.

Clam shells now protecting some of my growing Bartlett pears. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

For the past few years, I have used clam shell guards to protect my growing Bartlett pears from resident squirrels. The clam shells worked well so now I am expanding their use on other dwarf fruit trees.

The clear clam shells allow sun to continue to ripen the fruit and protect at least a few fruits for your enjoyment.

Charlotte