Apple storage - rodents

[Andy Backinsell]

I am looking for a solution for storing apples short ish term  - I help run a community orchard and want to be able to store apples ready for pressing either at the orchard in a shed, or in another location, both places have a good few West Country rodents who like a nibble.  Can anyone suggest crates or boxes that are 'rat proof' (notwithstanding the issue that perhaps very little is actually rat proof!) at least enough that we can store for a few days before a pressing?  Second hand or upcycled ideal! 

NB This would be later variety apples, probably cider or cross purpose like Winston - any thoughts about longer term setups and storage experiences would be greatly appriciated.

[jitd...@aol.com]

I don't worry about a bit of rat niblage on cider apples, after all cider is just apple juice that has gone bad, but I do resent it when they have a go at my dessert and cooking apples.  I live in Dorset, and this year the rats are as big as rabbits, refuse to be intimidated, and are too clever to get caught in my traps.  A couple of years ago I made a rat-proof cage out of shuttering for the back, top and shelves with a frame of stud wood and side panels filled in with plasterer's mesh.  It worked!  

JD

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[Paul]

To cure rats, get comfy outside and a good air rifle with sights!!!

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From: jitdavies via Cider Workshop <cider-w...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: 21 May 2020 18:33
To: cider-w...@googlegroups.com <cider-w...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Cider Workshop] Apple storage - rodents

 

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[dave pert]

I suspect It's better to rat-proof the shed (or create a rat-proof enclosure as suggested) than use rat-proof crates which would probably be solid plastic. Apples plus plastic can quickly become mush, apples seem to prefer cardboard for storage. Obviously a vented plastic crate would stop the mush issue, but would provide an open invitation to the rodents.

[Andrew Lea]

This page from my book shows what i used to do. I had no indoor storage. There were Weldmesh panels above and below the crates. Kept the rats and the birds away. (And because I kept chickens, I inevitably had rats. Rat droppings on cider apples are not nice).

Andrew

[jitd...@aol.com]

Half the problem is knowing what the gubbins is called "in the trade".  I spent some instructive time with an octogenarian  plasterer a couple or more years back.  He introduced me to rolls of galvanised expanded steel mesh called in the trade "galvanised lath".   Useful stuff when re-plastering unstable stone walls on eighteenth century farmhouses, but also doubles as quite modestly priced rat-proofing.  Knock up a timber framed storage facility.  Fill in the blanks with galvanised lath.  The bit I found tricky was arranging access ports.  The magic word you are looking for here is "cleats".  Unable to find anything helpful in the Screwfix catalogue I improvised my own with lengths of  steel strap and wooden off-cuts.  Works though.  I'd send a photy but I don't got the technology and my wife would be embarrassed by my showing all the other junk in the shed.  .  

JD

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From: Andrew Lea <ci...@cider.org.uk>
To: Cider Workshop <cider-w...@googlegroups.com>

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[Claude Jolicoeur]

Here is my own apple storage "shed". Works nicely. I can put quite a bit of apples in there (like 300 kgs).

[nath...@wildingorchards.com]

Last year I took two wood apple bins (20 bushel size-or about 380 kg of apples) and lined them with metal window screening. Not a good solution if you have a lot of bins but easy if you are only protecting a few.

On May 22, 2020, at 3:08 PM, Claude Jolicoeur <cjol...@gmail.com> wrote:



Here is my own apple storage "shed". Works nicely. I can put quite a bit of apples in there (like 300 kgs).

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Le mercredi 20 mai 2020 17:03:52 UTC-4, Andy Backinsell a écrit :

I am looking for a solution for storing apples short ish term  - I help run a community orchard and want to be able to store apples ready for pressing either at the orchard in a shed, or in another location, both places have a good few West Country rodents who like a nibble.  Can anyone suggest crates or boxes that are 'rat proof' (notwithstanding the issue that perhaps very little is actually rat proof!) at least enough that we can store for a few days before a pressing?  Second hand or upcycled ideal! 

NB This would be later variety apples, probably cider or cross purpose like Winston - any thoughts about longer term setups and storage experiences would be greatly appriciated.

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<180717_1_lr.jpg>

[Andy Backinsell]

Great! Thanks all - I am formulating a plan! We have a large wooden box of unknown origin - that lined with the rendering screed mentioned might suit one location with a crate / box combo off the floor for immediate on site storage. Thanks again!

[Andy Backinsell]

Thanks for the tips.  Finally put some finishing touches to the box (link opens in Facebook) and we are pretty happy, some Discoveries and Red Windsor matured nicely over a few weeks after falling early.  Just need to work out how to the keep the woodlice out now, never realised what a pest they were until growing apples!