What is an apple puller and how to use it correctly

Throughout the warm season, a lot of efforts are made to obtain a generous harvest. An incredible grief seizes every gardener at the sight of fruits that have fallen from a tree.

The carrion loses not only its presentation, the storage duration is significantly reduced. Climbing trees in order to collect ripe specimens is also not an option for many. An apple puller will help solve the problem of picking ripe fruits from the highest branches.

What is an apple puller and why is it needed

The picker is a long-handled structure with controllable hooks or a cup at one end. The thing is very useful for any farm where fruit trees are grown. The main advantage of this device is the ability to remove the fruit without damage, which is often formed when shaking the tree or mechanical impact on apples stick for knocking down the crop from high-lying branches.

Principle of operation

The mechanism of operation of the garden device consists in catching the fruit with a bowl of the structure and fixing it (the petiole must fall between the petals of the nozzle), after several turns of the handle, the stalk is separated. The harvested apples are left to be put in a basket or bucket one by one.

The fruit picker is quite simple, it will not be difficult to understand the principle of operation of any type.

Reference! The use of a puller makes harvesting easier and faster.

What are the pickers

In garden-garden stores, you can find designs of different types, each of which has a number of advantages. Before buying, you should familiarize yourself with their features so that the operation process is as comfortable as possible.

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• Plastic tulip

The long handle is a tall glass with slits. The product is made of dense plastic. Outwardly, the bowl resembles an opening tulip bud, hence the name. The design is simple and easy to operate. When picking apples, nuances arise only with unripe fruits and strong stalks, which are poorly separated from the branch.

• Collet

These devices are among the most popular. Most of the models are available with a telescopic handle. This allows apples to be picked from high branches. The design tip is made of metal or plastic. Some pullers are equipped with a stalk cutter. The principle of operation is similar to the "tulip" design. In the presence of a bag, fruit collection is carried out without interruption from the main process.

• Wire

The rod of this design is made of metal, polymer or wood. A nozzle made of wire in the form of a small basket is used as a bowl. In the process of turning the handle, the stalk clings to the wire, after which it separates from the branch.

Reference! To prevent damage to fruit from touching metal, the wire is often insulated under a polymer coating.

• With capture

The principle of operation of this type is practically no different from other pullers. A special feature of the gripper model is the improved bowl. It is a three-finger mechanism that fixes the fetus by tightening the rope. This option is universal, with its help it is possible to remove not only apples, but also small fruits.

Among the models of this type there are designs with a line that grips the stalk, ensuring the separation of the stalk. Simple and telescopic handles made of different materials are used.

• With telescopic handle

Telescopic handle models are popular among gardeners for their ability to pick fruits from different tree heights. The rod is made of metal, resin and wood. Equipping the model with a bag makes the design irreplaceable and easy to use. Such devices are used for apples, grapes, pears, plums and other single-fruited fruits.

How to choose

Taking into account the parameters of the apple and the strength of the stalk, it is recommended to choose a "tulip" -type construction for its removal. This option is not suitable for capturing smaller fruits. Attachments with a cutting element and a telescopic handle, a fruit picker with a grip are also suitable. The perfect addition is the bag, into which the plucked crop immediately falls.

Important! Do not use large hooks to pick apples. When the fruits are shaken to the ground, deformation of the pulp occurs, damage to the skin, from which the fruits lose their presentation and are poorly preserved.

It is important to consider the height of the trees when choosing a puller. If the apple tree is large, you cannot do without a sliding handle.

How much is

The cost of the puller depends on the material from which the product is made and design features. A wire-based device will cost about 380 rubles, in the range from 80 to 230 rubles, you can choose a model of the "tulip" type. You will have to pay more for a fruit picker with a bag and a telescopic handle - 389-795 rubles.

In garden shops, you can pick up a separate attachment and a rod. This will make it possible to get a universal tool.

Pros and cons of ready-made apple strippers

Buying ready-made pullers or making them with your own hands - everyone makes a decision individually. When using store options, the following advantages are noted:

• from a wide range, you can choose the most suitable design both in terms of functionality and price;
• no need to purchase material for the manufacture of a puller;
• the presence of a telescopic handle facilitates the assembly process;
• when choosing a model with a cutting element, the problem of durable stalks that are resistant to tearing with conventional pullers is solved;
• easy way to control;
• affordable price.

Each type has, in addition to advantages, disadvantages that should be taken into account at the stage of choosing a model.

• It is easy to damage thin branches with wire structures.
• It is difficult to hold a long handle (telescopic or made of wood) for a long time.
• It will take some skill to pick apples, especially if you use a puller equipped with a cutting element.

How to make a DIY apple puller

Required materials and tools

The design of the puller is the simplest, so it is quite possible to make it on your own, using improvised means. Useful for work:

• saw;
• drill;
• screwdriver;
• fine sandpaper;
• measuring devices;
• scissors for metal.

The material is chosen:

• cans;
• plastic bottles;
• strong wire,
• plastic pipes;
• fishing net, etc.

Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

As already noted, a tulip-type design is suitable for removing apples from a tree. To make it, it will take a minimum amount of time and money.

Instrument assembly sequence:

1. in a plastic bottle with a capacity of 1.5 liters, the bottom is cut off;
2. cut small holes up to 10 cm deep in the form of petals along the walls of the bowl;
3. the lid is removed from the neck and an incision is made from one edge with a depth of 3-4 cm;
4. a handle is inserted into the widened neck - a handrail made of wood 2-3 m long, fixed firmly with steel wire.

Reference! The distance between the petals should not exceed 0.5-0.8 cm.

Another closed-type structure can be made from a plastic bottle. To do this, a hole is made in a one and a half liter container, slightly exceeding the parameters of a large apple. The incision is determined by the bottom of the bottle without touching the bottom. A long rod is threaded into the neck and fixed with a wire. The sharp edges of the plastic will act as a cutter, and the removed fruits will sink into the bottle. You can pick 3-4 apples in one go.

How to use the fruit picker correctly

The rules for using garden tools depend on the type of construction.

The main algorithm of actions

To remove an apple from a branch, follow the steps in the following sequence:

1. adjust the handle to make the fruit reachable;
2. launch the fruit into the bowl of the tool;
3. run the stalk into the holes between the wires or petals;
4. scroll the rod several times around the axis;
5. put the plucked fruit into the basket.

What to do in severe cases

From the upper branchesapple trees pullers with a telescopic handle will help to remove the crop. If this is not enough to pick a ripe fruit, you can use a stepladder. Having overcome the height, you can face the fact that the stalk firmly holds the fruit and is not fed to the separation from the branch. You can cope with the task using a homemade nozzle, which is made from a tin can. A sufficiently capacious container without a lid is fixed on a long handle. An incision of 4-5 cm is made from one edge with the opening of the edges, so that it is more convenient to drive the stalk onto the incisor. A sharp cut quickly handles the cut.

A garden of several types of crops is usually laid out on the site. Their fruits differ in size, and the trees themselves are tall. It will be difficult to cope with a tool of a specific design (only a wire or a cutter). But if you make several attachments for a telescopic handle, then an assistant in the form of a puller will always be selected for each individual case.

Video instructions for making a fruit picker from a plastic bottle: