We have several large citrus trees on the property. Unlike
(e.g.) apple/pear/etc trees, you can't really climb up into
the tree to harvest the fruit at the top -- or "in" from
the outer perimeter.

In the past, we've used a "picking basket" to yank the fruit
off the tree. Something like:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/True-Temper-10-ft-Aluminum-Handle-Fruit-Picker-2324500/100466198

But, this really only works well if the fruit are very ripe -- ready
to "fall off". At times, we may have to pick a tree "early" when
this isn't the case (e.g., in preparation for an early freeze -- esp
the topmost portions of the tree). In those cases, the basket approach
usually results in a fair bit of damage to the tree -- it tears off the
small branches on which the fruit hang!

I stumbled on this device:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Twister-Fruit-Picker/dp/B000BBCUD8
details at:
http://www.twisterfruitpicker.com/how-it-works/
that looks like it could be gentler on the trees (twisting the
fruit on their stems usually results in a cleaner removal with
less risk to damaging the tree, tearing off branches, etc).

But, it doesn't look like it will be able to handle our larger fruit
(our oranges are usually the size of store-bought grapefruit, if
not larger!). And, looks to be made out of cheap plastic so I
suspect it won't hold up to much abuse (years of use).

But, I suspect I could fabricate something similar out of heavy gauge
aluminum sheet stock? I.e., cut a lollipop shape and "twist" the
top of the lollipop so that it is at right angles to the "arm"
(which must then fit on a pivot). Coating the portion that
would grab the fruit with a rubber compound (a can of "dip"??)
would protect the fruit from any sharp edges.

Can anyone suggest a simpler fabrication method? Or, something
that I could repurpose to the task at hand? I've also thought
of modifying something like:
http://www.amazon.com/Carex-Inch-Grabber-Reaching-Aid/dp/B000AEGCW6
to extend the reach and put larger "cups" on the ends. I could
probably get by with a 6 ft arm to reach from the outer perimeter
(standing on a ladder) into the center of the tree.

Annoying that everyone insists on making cheap crap instead of
something more durable!

On 10/23/2015 1:26 PM, Don Y wrote:
We have several large citrus trees on the property. Unlike
(e.g.) apple/pear/etc trees, you can't really climb up into
the tree to harvest the fruit at the top -- or "in" from
the outer perimeter.

In the past, we've used a "picking basket" to yank the fruit
off the tree. Something like:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/True-Temper-10-ft-Aluminum-Handle-Fruit-Picker-2324500/100466198


But, this really only works well if the fruit are very ripe -- ready
to "fall off". At times, we may have to pick a tree "early" when
this isn't the case (e.g., in preparation for an early freeze -- esp
the topmost portions of the tree). In those cases, the basket approach
usually results in a fair bit of damage to the tree -- it tears off the
small branches on which the fruit hang!

I stumbled on this device:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Twister-Fruit-Picker/dp/B000BBCUD8
details at:
http://www.twisterfruitpicker.com/how-it-works/
that looks like it could be gentler on the trees (twisting the
fruit on their stems usually results in a cleaner removal with
less risk to damaging the tree, tearing off branches, etc).

But, it doesn't look like it will be able to handle our larger fruit
(our oranges are usually the size of store-bought grapefruit, if
not larger!). And, looks to be made out of cheap plastic so I
suspect it won't hold up to much abuse (years of use).

But, I suspect I could fabricate something similar out of heavy gauge
aluminum sheet stock? I.e., cut a lollipop shape and "twist" the
top of the lollipop so that it is at right angles to the "arm"
(which must then fit on a pivot). Coating the portion that
would grab the fruit with a rubber compound (a can of "dip"??)
would protect the fruit from any sharp edges.

Can anyone suggest a simpler fabrication method? Or, something
that I could repurpose to the task at hand? I've also thought
of modifying something like:
http://www.amazon.com/Carex-Inch-Grabber-Reaching-Aid/dp/B000AEGCW6
to extend the reach and put larger "cups" on the ends. I could
probably get by with a 6 ft arm to reach from the outer perimeter
(standing on a ladder) into the center of the tree.

Annoying that everyone insists on making cheap crap instead of
something more durable!

This looks interesting:

http://satyamtool.com/garden_tools/SSG12_l.jpg

main page: http://satyamtool.com/gardentools_pg02.htm

--
Maggie

On 10/23/2015 11:35 AM, Muggles wrote:

This looks interesting:

http://satyamtool.com/garden_tools/SSG12_l.jpg

main page: http://satyamtool.com/gardentools_pg02.htm

I'm not sure I understand how it is intended to work. It looks like
you *cut* the fruit off the tree and it catches the fruit in the
sack? If so, positioning the "cutter" to just snip the stem of
the fruit seems like it would be difficult. I'd imagine you'd
end up resorting to just snipping the end of the branch, instead?

The basket approach *tugged* on the fruit. The "twister"
product seems to have the correct approach (grab the fruit
firmly and twist it off). I'm just concerned as to how
long such a device would hold up and whether it would be
able to handle our larger fruit (the basket would accommodate
up to 6-8" diameter fruit; ours are frequently in the 5" range)

[Consider it is not uncommon to have several hundred fruit on
a single tree. So, a single picking season is several thousand
"actuations"]

On Fri, 23 Oct 2015 11:26:01 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

We have several large citrus trees on the property. Unlike
(e.g.) apple/pear/etc trees, you can't really climb up into
the tree to harvest the fruit at the top -- or "in" from
the outer perimeter.

In the past, we've used a "picking basket" to yank the fruit
off the tree. Something like:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/True-Temper-10-ft-Aluminum-Handle-Fruit-Picker-2324500/100466198

But, this really only works well if the fruit are very ripe -- ready
to "fall off". At times, we may have to pick a tree "early" when
this isn't the case (e.g., in preparation for an early freeze -- esp
the topmost portions of the tree). In those cases, the basket approach
usually results in a fair bit of damage to the tree -- it tears off the
small branches on which the fruit hang!

I stumbled on this device:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Twister-Fruit-Picker/dp/B000BBCUD8
details at:
http://www.twisterfruitpicker.com/how-it-works/
that looks like it could be gentler on the trees (twisting the
fruit on their stems usually results in a cleaner removal with
less risk to damaging the tree, tearing off branches, etc).

But, it doesn't look like it will be able to handle our larger fruit
(our oranges are usually the size of store-bought grapefruit, if
not larger!). And, looks to be made out of cheap plastic so I
suspect it won't hold up to much abuse (years of use).

But, I suspect I could fabricate something similar out of heavy gauge
aluminum sheet stock? I.e., cut a lollipop shape and "twist" the
top of the lollipop so that it is at right angles to the "arm"
(which must then fit on a pivot). Coating the portion that
would grab the fruit with a rubber compound (a can of "dip"??)
would protect the fruit from any sharp edges.

Can anyone suggest a simpler fabrication method? Or, something
that I could repurpose to the task at hand? I've also thought
of modifying something like:
http://www.amazon.com/Carex-Inch-Grabber-Reaching-Aid/dp/B000AEGCW6
to extend the reach and put larger "cups" on the ends. I could
probably get by with a 6 ft arm to reach from the outer perimeter
(standing on a ladder) into the center of the tree.

Annoying that everyone insists on making cheap crap instead of
something more durable!

Check into poles that harvest avocados. On the end is a bag, the loop
has two blades -- place the bag under the fruit, gently pull on the
stem and fruits falls into the bag with minimum damage to tree
branches

One sample: (pic)

http://www.spyderman.com/Agriculture.html

On 10/23/2015 11:58 AM, Oren wrote:

Check into poles that harvest avocados. On the end is a bag, the loop
has two blades -- place the bag under the fruit, gently pull on the
stem and fruits falls into the bag with minimum damage to tree
branches

One sample: (pic)

http://www.spyderman.com/Agriculture.html

This seems similar to what Muggles posted. I don't know how avocados
grow but I can't see how I could isolate a *single* orange *and* gain
access to it's stem with such a tool.

I'm also not sure how willingly avocados jump off the tree. Picking
citrus "early" usually results in a fair bit of "wrestling" with the
fruit to get it to let go of the tree.

Picking them when they are ripe is never a problem as they will
almost *fall* off. Indeed, leave them on the tree too long and
you can "harvest" them off the ground -- that's how we handle
the pineapple guava (which you never want to harvest early as they
are too damn tart! Let the tree tell you when it thinks they are
ready : )

On Fri, 23 Oct 2015 12:04:17 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

On 10/23/2015 11:58 AM, Oren wrote:

Check into poles that harvest avocados. On the end is a bag, the loop
has two blades -- place the bag under the fruit, gently pull on the
stem and fruits falls into the bag with minimum damage to tree
branches

One sample: (pic)

http://www.spyderman.com/Agriculture.html

This seems similar to what Muggles posted. I don't know how avocados
grow but I can't see how I could isolate a *single* orange *and* gain
access to it's stem with such a tool.

I'm also not sure how willingly avocados jump off the tree. Picking
citrus "early" usually results in a fair bit of "wrestling" with the
fruit to get it to let go of the tree.

Picking them when they are ripe is never a problem as they will
almost *fall* off. Indeed, leave them on the tree too long and
you can "harvest" them off the ground -- that's how we handle
the pineapple guava (which you never want to harvest early as they
are too damn tart! Let the tree tell you when it thinks they are
ready : )

Avocado grow on trees With a larger stem, though, yet they
eventually fall off like any other fruit & citrus tree. Back in the
'70's, avocados were harvest using a pole with a bag and cutting
blades. Simple place the bag under them a "tug". The blade cut the
stem off closely to the fruit.

My bet is you could adapt a tree trimming pruner by adding a bag. Take
the saw blade off -- it already has a rope and cutting blade.

On 10/23/2015 1:55 PM, Don Y wrote:
On 10/23/2015 11:35 AM, Muggles wrote:

This looks interesting:

http://satyamtool.com/garden_tools/SSG12_l.jpg

main page: http://satyamtool.com/gardentools_pg02.htm

I'm not sure I understand how it is intended to work. It looks like
you *cut* the fruit off the tree and it catches the fruit in the
sack? If so, positioning the "cutter" to just snip the stem of
the fruit seems like it would be difficult. I'd imagine you'd
end up resorting to just snipping the end of the branch, instead?

I guess that's pretty much it.

The basket approach *tugged* on the fruit. The "twister"
product seems to have the correct approach (grab the fruit
firmly and twist it off). I'm just concerned as to how
long such a device would hold up and whether it would be
able to handle our larger fruit (the basket would accommodate
up to 6-8" diameter fruit; ours are frequently in the 5" range)

I like the idea of it having a snipper to cut the fruit off at the stem
and a bag to catch it in. I was thinking you might be able to use the
idea and incorporate all the pros into whatever you decide to design
yourself.

[Consider it is not uncommon to have several hundred fruit on
a single tree. So, a single picking season is several thousand
"actuations"]

How tall are the trees?

--
Maggie

On 10/23/2015 12:42 PM, Muggles wrote:
The basket approach *tugged* on the fruit. The "twister"
product seems to have the correct approach (grab the fruit
firmly and twist it off). I'm just concerned as to how
long such a device would hold up and whether it would be
able to handle our larger fruit (the basket would accommodate
up to 6-8" diameter fruit; ours are frequently in the 5" range)

I like the idea of it having a snipper to cut the fruit off at the stem
and a bag to catch it in. I was thinking you might be able to use the
idea and incorporate all the pros into whatever you decide to design
yourself.

There's not much of a "stem" on the fruit. And, they're "balls" so
you'd need wide jaws to any cutter if it was to avoid catching the
flesh of the fruit.

[Consider it is not uncommon to have several hundred fruit on
a single tree. So, a single picking season is several thousand
"actuations"]

How tall are the trees?

Probably about 15 feet. But, just as wide. So, when picking the
top of the tree on a ladder, you have to lean in 6 ft or more
to get the fruit at the top of the tree. Those *inside* are
even more tedious (many citrus have nasty thorns -- like
Christ's "crown of thorns"... not tiny little rose bush thorns!)

The trees extend almost to the ground (imagine a 15 ft diameter
ball of green with orange or yellow specks on/in it). So, when
trying to pick it clean, I have to resort to crawling *under* the
lowest branches, then thread my body up through the branches
and stand on my toes to reach any of the "internal" fruit.
SWMBO stands outside the perimeter and I hand individual fruit
to her which she places in a sack.

It would be much preferable to just reach in with a pole and
isolate individual fruit. The "twist picker" looks ideal
save for the size and wear issues. I'm not sure how it would
work for the pomegranates, though.

Pleasance and me gets some Mexicans to pick our fruit.

Also, there are some fruits up the lane that I don't want no part of.

Don,

The local Ag Ext agent may know and recommend various tools. I looked and
couldn't find a warranty. I'd guess 3-5 yrs as a lifetime for the twister.
It's a nice idea

Dave M..

Per Don Y:
In the past, we've used a "picking basket" to yank the fruit
off the tree. Something like:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/True-Temper-10-ft-Aluminum-Handle-Fruit-Picker-2324500/100466198

I stumbled on this device:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Twister-Fruit-Picker/dp/B000BBCUD8
details at:
http://www.twisterfruitpicker.com/how-it-works/
that looks like it could be gentler on the trees (twisting the
fruit on their stems usually results in a cleaner removal with
less risk to damaging the tree, tearing off branches, etc).

I made a few of these for my apples:
http://www.instructables.com/id/PVC-FRUIT-PICKER/

Broken windsurfer masts made nice light poles.

Box cutter blades instead of the razor blades shown - plus a Dremel tool
to take the points off the ends of the blades (don't ask how I
discovered the necessity for that.... ).

Not too bad once you get the feel for aligning the razor blade just so
before pulling. Blades should be replaced each season for best effect.

OTOH, we only use them once a year on less than a dozen trees.
--
Pete Cresswell

Hi Dave,

On 10/23/2015 4:03 PM, David L. Martel wrote:
The local Ag Ext agent may know and recommend various tools.

We've been disgusted with the local office. Ask them things
that *should* be appropriate questions for this part of the
country (hey, it's not like I'm trying to grow MacCoun apples!)
and they look at you like someone in Boston would if you asked
him how to grow a palm tree! :

I looked and
couldn't find a warranty. I'd guess 3-5 yrs as a lifetime for the twister. It's
a nice idea

It's the *perfect* solution (conceptually). You can tug on the
fruit until the branches snap (further up) and it will still cling
tenaciously to its mount. But, a bit of a twist and it just falls
into your hand!

Even if it *had* a warranty, it's one of those things that *must*
work WHEN YOU NEED IT! It's not like I can say "Oh, I'll wait until
NEXT harvest to use it as the replacement product won't be here
before the freeze, tonight..."

It *looks* like the sort of thing you'd expect to see advertised
on TV -- with the tagline: "But, wait! There's more! Act now and
we'll send you -- not ONE but -- TWO (just pay separate shipping and
handling)..."

If I knew someone who could sand-cast an aluminum knock-off, I'd buy
one and use it as a model (for the casting).

I may try the local Bed/Bath/Beyond or other similar stores to see
what I can repurpose. Maybe some BBQ tools? The thing isn't
rocket science...

On 10/23/2015 12:27 PM, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 23 Oct 2015 12:04:17 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

On 10/23/2015 11:58 AM, Oren wrote:

Check into poles that harvest avocados. On the end is a bag, the loop
has two blades -- place the bag under the fruit, gently pull on the
stem and fruits falls into the bag with minimum damage to tree
branches

One sample: (pic)

http://www.spyderman.com/Agriculture.html

This seems similar to what Muggles posted. I don't know how avocados
grow but I can't see how I could isolate a *single* orange *and* gain
access to it's stem with such a tool.

I'm also not sure how willingly avocados jump off the tree. Picking
citrus "early" usually results in a fair bit of "wrestling" with the
fruit to get it to let go of the tree.

Picking them when they are ripe is never a problem as they will
almost *fall* off. Indeed, leave them on the tree too long and
you can "harvest" them off the ground -- that's how we handle
the pineapple guava (which you never want to harvest early as they
are too damn tart! Let the tree tell you when it thinks they are
ready : )

Avocado grow on trees With a larger stem, though, yet they
eventually fall off like any other fruit & citrus tree. Back in the

But how long are the stems and how tightly packed are the fruit?
The oranges don't really have stems in the same sense that cherries,
apples, etc. do. Instead, they seem to grow on the tip of a small branch.
You can carefully follow the branch with your eye and (imagine -- it
is hiding behind a leaf!) it flowing directly into the orange:
http://www.mediafire.com/view/0ma98zn5u55b88a/Stems_%28Small%29.JPG
http://www.mediafire.com/view/6iqmudqbi5yxja9/BranchEnd_%28Small%29.JPG

And, they are packed pretty closely together:
http://www.mediafire.com/view/cfnfxjjy9rsncc0/Clusters_%28Small%29.JPG

Blood OJ, FYI:
http://www.mediafire.com/view/tu4kg0wbdlivab6/OJ_%28Small%29.JPG
No need to adjust the color on your monitors! :

They also get pretty large (last year's Navels):
http://www.mediafire.com/view/9338arwq1d8d49f/Ruler_%28Small%29.JPG

'70's, avocados were harvest using a pole with a bag and cutting
blades. Simple place the bag under them a "tug". The blade cut the
stem off closely to the fruit.

My bet is you could adapt a tree trimming pruner by adding a bag. Take
the saw blade off -- it already has a rope and cutting blade.

I don't see how I would be able to sneak it in between the fruit to
isolate an individual one (?). And, surely no place for a basket/bag!

On 10/23/2015 6:28 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Don Y:
In the past, we've used a "picking basket" to yank the fruit
off the tree. Something like:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/True-Temper-10-ft-Aluminum-Handle-Fruit-Picker-2324500/100466198

I stumbled on this device:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Twister-Fruit-Picker/dp/B000BBCUD8
details at:
http://www.twisterfruitpicker.com/how-it-works/
that looks like it could be gentler on the trees (twisting the
fruit on their stems usually results in a cleaner removal with
less risk to damaging the tree, tearing off branches, etc).

I made a few of these for my apples:
http://www.instructables.com/id/PVC-FRUIT-PICKER/

OK, I see how it is intended to work. I'm not sure it would
(physically) "fit" here -- see photos posted up-thread.

Broken windsurfer masts made nice light poles.

Box cutter blades instead of the razor blades shown - plus a Dremel tool
to take the points off the ends of the blades (don't ask how I
discovered the necessity for that.... ).

I think the real solution is the "twist off" approach. The lower branches
get picked by hand, like that, and it's quick and easy. Never "damage"
anything in the process.

By contrast, when we used the "basket" we ended up with a fair number
of broken branches. Branches take longer to grow back than fruit!

Not too bad once you get the feel for aligning the razor blade just so
before pulling. Blades should be replaced each season for best effect.

OTOH, we only use them once a year on less than a dozen trees.

It takes us a few hours to pick each tree. We try to leave the navels on
the tree as long as possible and just pick them as we eat them. Every
extra day lets the sugars develop further. The lemons, limes and
valencias get picked clean and juiced (though they all come ready
at different times of the year).

Taking out the trash after one of these "juicing days" is always tedious;
the juiced hulks weigh a sh*tload!

On 10/23/2015 4:20 PM, Don Y wrote:
On 10/23/2015 12:42 PM, Muggles wrote:
The basket approach *tugged* on the fruit. The "twister"
product seems to have the correct approach (grab the fruit
firmly and twist it off). I'm just concerned as to how
long such a device would hold up and whether it would be
able to handle our larger fruit (the basket would accommodate
up to 6-8" diameter fruit; ours are frequently in the 5" range)

I like the idea of it having a snipper to cut the fruit off at the stem
and a bag to catch it in. I was thinking you might be able to use the
idea and incorporate all the pros into whatever you decide to design
yourself.

There's not much of a "stem" on the fruit. And, they're "balls" so
you'd need wide jaws to any cutter if it was to avoid catching the
flesh of the fruit.

[Consider it is not uncommon to have several hundred fruit on
a single tree. So, a single picking season is several thousand
"actuations"]

How tall are the trees?

Probably about 15 feet. But, just as wide. So, when picking the
top of the tree on a ladder, you have to lean in 6 ft or more
to get the fruit at the top of the tree. Those *inside* are
even more tedious (many citrus have nasty thorns -- like
Christ's "crown of thorns"... not tiny little rose bush thorns!)

The trees extend almost to the ground (imagine a 15 ft diameter
ball of green with orange or yellow specks on/in it). So, when
trying to pick it clean, I have to resort to crawling *under* the
lowest branches, then thread my body up through the branches
and stand on my toes to reach any of the "internal" fruit.
SWMBO stands outside the perimeter and I hand individual fruit
to her which she places in a sack.

It would be much preferable to just reach in with a pole and
isolate individual fruit. The "twist picker" looks ideal
save for the size and wear issues. I'm not sure how it would
work for the pomegranates, though.

Well, you could always invent what you really want.

--
Maggie

On 10/23/2015 9:23 PM, Don Y wrote:
On 10/23/2015 12:27 PM, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 23 Oct 2015 12:04:17 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

On 10/23/2015 11:58 AM, Oren wrote:

Check into poles that harvest avocados. On the end is a bag, the loop
has two blades -- place the bag under the fruit, gently pull on the
stem and fruits falls into the bag with minimum damage to tree
branches

One sample: (pic)

http://www.spyderman.com/Agriculture.html

This seems similar to what Muggles posted. I don't know how avocados
grow but I can't see how I could isolate a *single* orange *and* gain
access to it's stem with such a tool.

I'm also not sure how willingly avocados jump off the tree. Picking
citrus "early" usually results in a fair bit of "wrestling" with the
fruit to get it to let go of the tree.

Picking them when they are ripe is never a problem as they will
almost *fall* off. Indeed, leave them on the tree too long and
you can "harvest" them off the ground -- that's how we handle
the pineapple guava (which you never want to harvest early as they
are too damn tart! Let the tree tell you when it thinks they are
ready : )

Avocado grow on trees With a larger stem, though, yet they
eventually fall off like any other fruit & citrus tree. Back in the

But how long are the stems and how tightly packed are the fruit?
The oranges don't really have stems in the same sense that cherries,
apples, etc. do. Instead, they seem to grow on the tip of a small branch.
You can carefully follow the branch with your eye and (imagine -- it
is hiding behind a leaf!) it flowing directly into the orange:
http://www.mediafire.com/view/0ma98zn5u55b88a/Stems_%28Small%29.JPG
http://www.mediafire.com/view/6iqmudqbi5yxja9/BranchEnd_%28Small%29.JPG

And, they are packed pretty closely together:
http://www.mediafire.com/view/cfnfxjjy9rsncc0/Clusters_%28Small%29.JPG

Blood OJ, FYI:
http://www.mediafire.com/view/tu4kg0wbdlivab6/OJ_%28Small%29.JPG
No need to adjust the color on your monitors! :

They also get pretty large (last year's Navels):
http://www.mediafire.com/view/9338arwq1d8d49f/Ruler_%28Small%29.JPG

'70's, avocados were harvest using a pole with a bag and cutting
blades. Simple place the bag under them a "tug". The blade cut the
stem off closely to the fruit.

My bet is you could adapt a tree trimming pruner by adding a bag. Take
the saw blade off -- it already has a rope and cutting blade.

I don't see how I would be able to sneak it in between the fruit to
isolate an individual one (?). And, surely no place for a basket/bag!

hmmm You should invent something that does what you want. If you can't
pull them off without breaking a branch, then maybe you'd need to figure
out a way to snag the fruit in a bag and snip the cluster of fruit at
the nearest branch segment. Don't fruit trees need pruning anyway?

--
Maggie

On 10/23/2015 9:52 PM, Don Y wrote:
On 10/23/2015 6:28 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Don Y:
In the past, we've used a "picking basket" to yank the fruit
off the tree. Something like:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/True-Temper-10-ft-Aluminum-Handle-Fruit-Picker-2324500/100466198


I stumbled on this device:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Twister-Fruit-Picker/dp/B000BBCUD8
details at:
http://www.twisterfruitpicker.com/how-it-works/
that looks like it could be gentler on the trees (twisting the
fruit on their stems usually results in a cleaner removal with
less risk to damaging the tree, tearing off branches, etc).

I made a few of these for my apples:
http://www.instructables.com/id/PVC-FRUIT-PICKER/

OK, I see how it is intended to work. I'm not sure it would
(physically) "fit" here -- see photos posted up-thread.

Broken windsurfer masts made nice light poles.

Box cutter blades instead of the razor blades shown - plus a Dremel tool
to take the points off the ends of the blades (don't ask how I
discovered the necessity for that.... ).

I think the real solution is the "twist off" approach. The lower branches
get picked by hand, like that, and it's quick and easy. Never "damage"
anything in the process.

By contrast, when we used the "basket" we ended up with a fair number
of broken branches. Branches take longer to grow back than fruit!

Not too bad once you get the feel for aligning the razor blade just so
before pulling. Blades should be replaced each season for best effect.

OTOH, we only use them once a year on less than a dozen trees.

It takes us a few hours to pick each tree. We try to leave the navels on
the tree as long as possible and just pick them as we eat them. Every
extra day lets the sugars develop further. The lemons, limes and
valencias get picked clean and juiced (though they all come ready
at different times of the year).

Taking out the trash after one of these "juicing days" is always tedious;
the juiced hulks weigh a sh*tload!

Now I was some fresh juice. {makes note on grocery list}

--
Maggie

On 10/23/2015 11:17 PM, Muggles wrote:
On 10/23/2015 9:52 PM, Don Y wrote:
On 10/23/2015 6:28 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Don Y:
In the past, we've used a "picking basket" to yank the fruit
off the tree. Something like:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/True-Temper-10-ft-Aluminum-Handle-Fruit-Picker-2324500/100466198


I stumbled on this device:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Twister-Fruit-Picker/dp/B000BBCUD8
details at:
http://www.twisterfruitpicker.com/how-it-works/
that looks like it could be gentler on the trees (twisting the
fruit on their stems usually results in a cleaner removal with
less risk to damaging the tree, tearing off branches, etc).

I made a few of these for my apples:
http://www.instructables.com/id/PVC-FRUIT-PICKER/

OK, I see how it is intended to work. I'm not sure it would
(physically) "fit" here -- see photos posted up-thread.

Broken windsurfer masts made nice light poles.

Box cutter blades instead of the razor blades shown - plus a Dremel tool
to take the points off the ends of the blades (don't ask how I
discovered the necessity for that.... ).

I think the real solution is the "twist off" approach. The lower branches
get picked by hand, like that, and it's quick and easy. Never "damage"
anything in the process.

By contrast, when we used the "basket" we ended up with a fair number
of broken branches. Branches take longer to grow back than fruit!

Not too bad once you get the feel for aligning the razor blade just so
before pulling. Blades should be replaced each season for best effect.

OTOH, we only use them once a year on less than a dozen trees.

It takes us a few hours to pick each tree. We try to leave the navels on
the tree as long as possible and just pick them as we eat them. Every
extra day lets the sugars develop further. The lemons, limes and
valencias get picked clean and juiced (though they all come ready
at different times of the year).

Taking out the trash after one of these "juicing days" is always tedious;
the juiced hulks weigh a sh*tload!

Now I was some fresh juice. {makes note on grocery list}


typo: Now I WANT some fresh juice!

--
Maggie

On 10/23/2015 9:13 PM, Muggles wrote:
I don't see how I would be able to sneak it in between the fruit to
isolate an individual one (?). And, surely no place for a basket/bag!

hmmm You should invent something that does what you want. If you can't
pull them off without breaking a branch, then maybe you'd need to figure
out a way to snag the fruit in a bag and snip the cluster of fruit at
the nearest branch segment. Don't fruit trees need pruning anyway?

A "grabber" would do the job quite well. But, most are designed
to be as long as the distance from a person's dangling *hand* to the
ground -- i.e., so the user can pick up items without "bending".

I need something considerably longer.

I've found similar devices used to pull *logs* out of/into
fires. But, they are still only about 4+ ft long.

Ideally, I would like ot be able to stand on the ground (instead
of climbing onto a ladder) and reach *up* and *in* to grasp the
fruit, give a little twist and then maintain that grip on the
fruit while extracting the "picker" from the tree (to recover the
fruit from its grasp).

I think a picker/twister should be nominally closed (with just enough
force to maintain a good grip on the largest/heaviest fruit it is
expected to encounter) and that can be *opened* when positioned
by the target. In that way, once "snagged", you can concentrate on
extracting the picker from the tree WITHOUT having to worry about
continuing to maintain tension on the "jaws" (so you don't drop
the fruit!)

On Friday, October 23, 2015 at 1:25:47 PM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:
We have several large citrus trees on the property. Unlike
(e.g.) apple/pear/etc trees, you can't really climb up into
the tree to harvest the fruit at the top -- or "in" from
the outer perimeter.

In the past, we've used a "picking basket" to yank the fruit
off the tree. Something like:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/True-Temper-10-ft-Aluminum-Handle-Fruit-Picker-2324500/100466198

But, this really only works well if the fruit are very ripe -- ready
to "fall off". At times, we may have to pick a tree "early" when
this isn't the case (e.g., in preparation for an early freeze -- esp
the topmost portions of the tree). In those cases, the basket approach
usually results in a fair bit of damage to the tree -- it tears off the
small branches on which the fruit hang!

I stumbled on this device:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Twister-Fruit-Picker/dp/B000BBCUD8
details at:
http://www.twisterfruitpicker.com/how-it-works/
that looks like it could be gentler on the trees (twisting the
fruit on their stems usually results in a cleaner removal with
less risk to damaging the tree, tearing off branches, etc).

But, it doesn't look like it will be able to handle our larger fruit
(our oranges are usually the size of store-bought grapefruit, if
not larger!). And, looks to be made out of cheap plastic so I
suspect it won't hold up to much abuse (years of use).

But, I suspect I could fabricate something similar out of heavy gauge
aluminum sheet stock? I.e., cut a lollipop shape and "twist" the
top of the lollipop so that it is at right angles to the "arm"
(which must then fit on a pivot). Coating the portion that
would grab the fruit with a rubber compound (a can of "dip"??)
would protect the fruit from any sharp edges.

Can anyone suggest a simpler fabrication method? Or, something
that I could repurpose to the task at hand? I've also thought
of modifying something like:
http://www.amazon.com/Carex-Inch-Grabber-Reaching-Aid/dp/B000AEGCW6
to extend the reach and put larger "cups" on the ends. I could
probably get by with a 6 ft arm to reach from the outer perimeter
(standing on a ladder) into the center of the tree.

Annoying that everyone insists on making cheap crap instead of
something more durable!

I've got it! With a little bit of training you can get these guys to pick fruit for you until they start demanding $15 per hour. ^_^

http://tinyurl.com/qbk24uc

[8~{} Uncle Fruity Monster

On Fri, 23 Oct 2015 19:23:19 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

(snip)

The oranges don't really have stems in the same sense that cherries,
apples, etc. do. Instead, they seem to grow on the tip of a small branch.
You can carefully follow the branch with your eye and (imagine -- it
is hiding behind a leaf!) it flowing directly into the orange:
http://www.mediafire.com/view/0ma98zn5u55b88a/Stems_%28Small%29.JPG
http://www.mediafire.com/view/6iqmudqbi5yxja9/BranchEnd_%28Small%29.JPG

And, they are packed pretty closely together:
http://www.mediafire.com/view/cfnfxjjy9rsncc0/Clusters_%28Small%29.JPG

Blood OJ, FYI:
http://www.mediafire.com/view/tu4kg0wbdlivab6/OJ_%28Small%29.JPG
No need to adjust the color on your monitors! :

They also get pretty large (last year's Navels):
http://www.mediafire.com/view/9338arwq1d8d49f/Ruler_%28Small%29.JPG


Beautiful.

(snip)

I don't see how I would be able to sneak it in between the fruit to
isolate an individual one (?). And, surely no place for a basket/bag!

I got to thinking about golf ball retrievers. Curious if you could
fabricate something similar to this model (visit a golf shop)? The
end opens like a clam ... but it would need to be larger for the
citrus fruit. The idea is interesting and it is collapsible. ( 45
inches retracted - 12 foot Reach )

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Knight-Professional-Retriever-Telescoping/dp/B00MXCJ9I2/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1445698481&sr=8-13&keywords=Golf+Ball+Retrievers

or

https://tinyurl.com/pyelgtv

On 10/24/2015 8:12 AM, Oren wrote:

I got to thinking about golf ball retrievers.

I don't golf so the idea of *something* to retrieve a golf ball
seems anathema to me -- just bend over and pick it up!

But, after thinking for a while, I guess there are probably places
where doing so wouldn't be easy (e.g., a water trap).

Curious if you could
fabricate something similar to this model (visit a golf shop)? The
end opens like a clam ... but it would need to be larger for the
citrus fruit. The idea is interesting and it is collapsible. ( 45
inches retracted - 12 foot Reach )

I'll have to play touchy-feely. Would this sort of thing be common
enough to be stocked at a "sporting goods" store? Or, do I need
to visit a "pro shop"?

On Fri, 23 Oct 2015 21:28:55 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote:

I made a few of these for my apples:
http://www.instructables.com/id/PVC-FRUIT-PICKER/


Nice.

Uncle Monster posted for all of us...


I've got it! With a little bit of training you can get these guys to pick fruit
for you until they start demanding $15 per hour. ^_^

http://tinyurl.com/qbk24uc

[8~{} Uncle Fruity Monster

But you need someone to accompany them with an accordion...

--
Tekkie

On 10/24/2015 12:15 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 10/23/2015 9:13 PM, Muggles wrote:
I don't see how I would be able to sneak it in between the fruit to
isolate an individual one (?). And, surely no place for a basket/bag!

hmmm You should invent something that does what you want. If you can't
pull them off without breaking a branch, then maybe you'd need to figure
out a way to snag the fruit in a bag and snip the cluster of fruit at
the nearest branch segment. Don't fruit trees need pruning anyway?

A "grabber" would do the job quite well. But, most are designed
to be as long as the distance from a person's dangling *hand* to the
ground -- i.e., so the user can pick up items without "bending".

I need something considerably longer.

I've found similar devices used to pull *logs* out of/into
fires. But, they are still only about 4+ ft long.

Ideally, I would like ot be able to stand on the ground (instead
of climbing onto a ladder) and reach *up* and *in* to grasp the
fruit, give a little twist and then maintain that grip on the
fruit while extracting the "picker" from the tree (to recover the
fruit from its grasp).

I think a picker/twister should be nominally closed (with just enough
force to maintain a good grip on the largest/heaviest fruit it is
expected to encounter) and that can be *opened* when positioned
by the target. In that way, once "snagged", you can concentrate on
extracting the picker from the tree WITHOUT having to worry about
continuing to maintain tension on the "jaws" (so you don't drop
the fruit!)

Well, hope you find what you need. Post a photo of it when you do.

--
Maggie