re-useable produce bags - no more plastic
Blog friend Mary has spoken about bugs eating her tomatoes as they ripen on her vines. Several commenters offered solutions and I recalled the re-useable produce bags I had bought several years ago which I now use to buy fruit and veg instead of the plastic bags available in stores. I mentioned such things could be used to loosely wrap the trusses of tomatoes to keep off the bugs.
This is what I'm talking about:
mesh bags
drawstring closure
the mesh is fine enough that moths and butterflies can't lay eggs on the plants, so hatching grubs can't eat the fruits
made from recycled plastic drink bottles (okay plastic, but re-useable for years) and available online
I think they come in assorted sizes and are packed into this little drawstring bag with a carabiner clip to hang off your shopping trolley or handbag so you always have them handy.
I bought mine quite some time ago, and haven't checked to see if they are still available, I'll leave that up to anyone who is interested in this handy alternative.
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I agree. It is easy to replace plastic with recyclable produce bags for most uses in the kitchen, shopping and, as you note, gardening. Mesh is a material I never thought of, but I have large cotton bags for carrying, covering and storing foods etc.
ReplyDeleteI must ask if the children and grandchildren learned the same values.
We have, and use, those same bags. They are also much easier to open than the plastic bags they replaced. I hadn't thought to use them in the garden though. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteGood idea you use them in the garden too R.
ReplyDeletehels; I have several large cotton bags too as well as the insulated zipped bags for getting cold and frozen things home. At the twins house groceries get brought home in paper bags with handles that are then re-used as rubbish bags.
ReplyDeleteEC; I have no trouble opening those pastic bags and will sometimes use one if packaged meat is a bit leaky. Those get re-used when scooping the litter tray.
Margaret D; not anymore. I don't grow fruits and veg here, not enough space and the soil is very poor.
Useful tips. It's a constant battle against the bugs.
ReplyDeleteThis is a grand use of those bags. I bring my own (fabric or reuse) shopping bags and "ice bags" for dairy and frozen stuff. But much of our fruit and veggie is sold after weight, and those bags - instead of totally flimsy plasic ones - would make me pay more every time I went shopping. Add to this that most supermarkeds do not encourage use of alternative bags for this - to put it mildly - that's why I so far never bought any of those fine mesh bags ... now I might do to keep the bug away :D
ReplyDeleteFunny, just yesterday when shopping at a Woolworths, I noticed that on the fruit and vegetable tear off plastic bag holder, there were some reusable bags, as you describe. I was too focused on other things but I thought to myself, I must have a closer look at these and see how much the cost. They will also solve my problem in cold weather in underheated stores where are can't get the plastic bags opened up. I wouldn't dare doing it at the height of Covid, but I just licked my finger and got one apart. Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I'll bet it works like a charm, too.
ReplyDeleteI was looking at these recently and didn't have time to check them out but I will if they work.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
jabblog; they do work well in the garden, but need to be in place before the moths and butterflies start hanging around.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte; fabric bags do add weight, but these mesh bags weigh nothing just like the plastic ones. It's a shame your stores discourage them, but you can still use them, unless they are actually illegal, and maybe more people will copy.
Andrew; they would be worth the cost as you use and reuse them for all sorts of things and they are washable. I rarely have trouble opening those plastic bags, you can put the top section between both hands and rub vigorously, or you can look along the side to see where the "fold" is and rub there between thumb and fingers to loosen it.
Jenn Jilks; try it :)
messymimi; it worked for me with things like tomatoes where you can cover the whole truss with one bag. It was more time consuming to cover individual fruits like peaches and nectarines, I only had dwarf trees, which made it somewhat easier. For a full size tree the bags would be impossible. A few metres/yards of mosquito netting thrown over and tied around the trunk is better for that.
WWW; they work well for buying loose fruit and veggies, with each bag holding about 2-3 pounds, and they fit nicely over trusses of growing tomatoes and things like capsicums (bell peppers) or even smallish bunches of grapes.
We.Live.Behind.A.Rock. Here in Germany.
ReplyDeleteYou are allowed to use nothing - or the plastic provided.
I always chose "nothing".
You are not allowed to bring your own for fruit, veggies, nuts etc but in stores for the rich. Where I certainly can not and don´t want to go.
Hilarious.
To top that: you can still buy plastic bags at the checkout - and young people do that!
Since decades we have our backpacks!
But then, kids these days also have the money to buy at the bakery for lunch - times have changed (I talk of from 7 years+!!!!)
The "snacks" come in a mix of paper and plastic, it´s sad.
It could be so easy to help Mother Nature...
Iris; one day Germany will catch up, hopefully sooner than later.
ReplyDeleteAnd maybe one day Blogger stops throwing fits ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe've been using recyclable grocery and veggie bags for several years now.
ReplyDeleteIt really is easier and better.
Bob; it is easy enough and I don't understand people who complain it is too hard to constantly remember to bring their own bags.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea. - I make my own grocery totes and just keep them in the car so I've always got them.
ReplyDelete