Quick verdict
Two mesh bags, 4.9 by 3.2 feet, that slip over a small fruit tree, tomato plant or shrub and cinch closed at the base with a drawstring. The fine polyethylene mesh keeps birds, squirrels and most insects off ripening fruit without wrapping and tying loose netting. They suit patio citrus, dwarf fruit trees, tomatoes in cages and berry bushes up to about 5 feet. Larger plants need bigger bags.
Strengths
- Drawstring closure seals the base in seconds
- Fine mesh stops birds and most insects
- Lets light, air and rain through
- Reusable for several seasons
- Two bags for two plants
Weaknesses
- Fits plants up to about 5 feet tall and 3 feet across only
- Fine mesh blocks pollinators; fit after flowering
- Fruit touching the mesh can still be pecked
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Netting Without the Tangle
Loose bird netting over a fruit tree catches on every twig, gaps at the bottom and tangles birds as often as it excludes them. A netting bag solves it: drop it over the plant, pull the drawstring at the base and the whole canopy is sealed. Alpurple’s pack is two bags of fine polyethylene mesh, 4.9 feet tall and 3.2 feet across, for dwarf fruit trees, patio citrus, tomatoes and berry bushes.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how drawstring netting bags perform on fruiting plants generally. We have not used these bags ourselves and the brand is a generic importer.
Fitting
Open the bag, lower it over the plant from the top and cinch the drawstring around the trunk or cage base below the lowest fruit. The whole job takes a minute and comes off as fast for picking. The mesh is fine enough to stop birds, squirrels reaching through and most insects, while rain, light and air pass.
Timing
Fine mesh excludes pollinators, so fit the bag after flowering, as fruit sets and begins to colour, which is also when birds take interest. On cherries and blueberries that is a few weeks before harvest; on tomatoes, once the first fruits blush.
Fit
At 4.9 by 3.2 feet the bag suits plants to about 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide: dwarf and patio fruit trees, a caged tomato, a blueberry bush or a young apple on a dwarfing rootstock. Larger trees need bigger bags or draped netting on a frame. Keep the mesh from pressing on fruit, where a bird can still peck; a stake or the cage itself holds it clear.
Lifespan
Polyethylene mesh lasts several seasons if dried and stored out of sun. Check the drawstring channel for wear each year.
Who Should Buy It
- Patio and balcony growers with a citrus or dwarf fruit tree.
- Tomato growers losing fruit to birds and squirrels.
- Blueberry and cherry owners with a bush or two to protect.
Common Owner Complaints
Too small for a mature tree and birds pecking fruit against the mesh. Measure first and hold the mesh off the fruit.
Care and Storage
Shake out leaves and rinse the bags after harvest, dry them fully and fold them into a box away from sunlight. Mesh stored damp mildews and mesh left on a plant over winter degrades in the sun. A small tear is easily closed with a few stitches of fishing line before it spreads.
Squirrels
Squirrels chew through most netting if they want what is inside badly enough, and a bag is no exception. Where squirrels are the main thief, the bag still helps, because it removes the easy grab and most squirrels move on to an unprotected tree instead of working at the mesh.
Alternatives to Consider
Larger 6 to 10 foot drawstring bags cover standard fruit trees. A sheet of bird netting on hoops suits rows of bushes. Organza fruit bags protect individual apples and pears.
Verdict
For a small fruiting plant, a drawstring bag is the quickest, tidiest bird protection there is, and these two are a fair price. Fit after flowering, keep the mesh off the fruit and the harvest is yours.
Full specifications
Alpurple 2-Pack Drawstring Insect and Bird Barrier Netting Bags, 4.9 x 3.2 ft FAQs
After flowering and pollination, as fruit begins to colour. Before that the mesh keeps bees out too.
Only where fruit presses against the mesh. Keep the bag loose around the canopy or add a stake to hold it off the fruit.
Yes for standard 4 to 5 foot cages; drop it over the top and cinch below the lowest fruit.
Water through the mesh. For picking, loosen the drawstring and lift the bag, then cinch it again.
