Crisp, sun-kissed apples straight from the tree are a delightful autumn treat if you’re fortunate enough to have them. However, one gardening enthusiast points out a significant drawback.
Apple season hits its peak in September, and eventually, these perfectly ripe fruits will fall and decay on the ground. While it might be tempting to just leave them there, an expert warns that this could cost you hundreds of pounds.
James Lewis, a gardening expert from MyBuilder.com, a trusted platform for hiring tradespeople, cautioned that decaying fruit can lead to all sorts of undesirable consequences.
Apart from being another bothersome garden task, rotting fruit can attract wasps, or even worse, rats. Pests will feast on the sweet fruit, and preventing a rodent infestation is much easier than dealing with one.
(Image: Adventure_Photo)
Ideally, fruit should be collected as soon as it falls, as the decaying process attracts wasps and other pests. Shortly after, the rotting fruit can spread seeds to other parts of your lawn, leading to unwanted self-seeding of new trees,
As reports the Daily Record, James Lewis, the gardening expert from MyBuilder.com, stated: “It may seem like an unnecessary job to pick up fruit, but actually it can cost you a lot more time, energy, and even money, if you leave it.”
“Unpleasant outcomes, like the smell it can cause, are one thing – but attracting rats or causing the death of your tree is entirely another. Pick up the fruit and dispose of it in a compost heap well away from your home, or take it to the tip if needed. It will save you many potential problems if you do.”
Read on for more issues caused by leaving fruits to decay.
Why you should pick up rotten fruit
Stop pests and rodents
Wasps, bees, and insects are all attracted to fresh and rotting fruit. This could hinder your enjoyment of your garden and may lead to stings or bites.
However, the larger issue arises when rotting fruit lures vermin such as rats.
Rats are drawn to the scent of the fruit, providing them with a substantial food source. A rat infestation can be distressing and extremely expensive, with pest removal costs starting at around £100 – and often much more if they prove difficult to remove.
The spread of disease
Regrettably, fallen fruit becomes a breeding ground for numerous bacteria and fungi if left to decay on the lawn. This is hazardous as it could spread to the tree itself and neighbouring healthy plants.
If your tree becomes diseased and requires removal, the costs can exceed £200. Efforts to save diseased trees can also be very costly and often ineffective.
Weed growth
Weeds frequently grow around fruit trees if fallen fruit is not removed. This is because if the fruit is left to decay, the soil receives rich organic matter which provides ideal conditions for weed growth.
While you can remove weeds yourself, it tends to become a recurring task once they establish in an area. The cost of weedkiller should be considered, or the time of your gardener (if you have one).
(Image: larigan2016)
Lawn damage
Fruit that has fallen onto the lawn can have several detrimental effects on your grass, including blocking sunlight and air, as well as the weight of the fruit flattening the blades. This could potentially damage or even kill your grass if the fruit isn’t promptly removed.
In a mere day, the grass can start to yellow; in two days it may enter a dormant state, and after just a fortnight of fallen fruit, it can begin to perish. The cost of reviving a lawn can be hefty, with lawn treatments being costly and sometimes ineffective.
In the worst case scenario, re-turfing might be required.
The proliferation of fruit trees
While we see fruit as a food source, for trees, fruits are a means of dispersing seeds. Therefore, leaving fruit on your lawn can lead to rapid seed spread, until your entire garden is overrun with fruit tree saplings.
Certain species like apple trees can spread quickly through their fruit, so unless you want a mini forest of saplings in your lawn, it’s best to remove the fruit promptly.