I don't know what is on your trip-to-the-apple-orchard-must-buy-list, but mine goes like this:

  • Cider donuts
  • Apple Crisp Mix
  • Some kind of soup mis
  • Apples (duh!)
  • Sweet corn salsa
  • Apple cider
  • Some kind of sweet treat like fudge
  • Indian corn (can you call it that anymore?)
  • Hedge apples

I'm guessing you have a lot of the same items on your apple orchard list too, but if hedge apples aren't something you usually buy while you're there, do it immediately!

What Is A Hedge Apple?

If you've never heard of a hedge apple, aka Osage Orange before, don't worry, a lot of people haven't, (including me until last Fall). Hedge apples look like this and are used in a lot of seasonal decorations this time of the year...

Amazon.com
Amazon.com
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So, is a hedge apple purely used for decorative purposes? HECK NO! This bumpy, and nasty-tasting object actually has superhero insect repelling strength!

Using Hedge Apples As a Pest Repellant

Last Fall, after I experienced several terrifying run-ins with wolf spiders in my home, I bought a bag of hedge apples for the very first time. I had heard a lot about their pest repelling abilities and I thought I would give it a try. All I did was place whole hedge apples around the outside of my home's foundation, specifically near doors and windows, and man was I pleasantly surprised by the difference they made!

To be honest, I didn't really notice the absence of spiders inside my home until Spring hit and we threw all the rotten hedge apples away, then BAM it was spider city again!

Do Hedge Apples Repel More Than Spiders?

YES! Rumor has it that hedge apples are great at repelling mice, boxelder bugs, cockroaches, and crickets too because all those creatures hate the smell of the hedge apple oils.

The Most Important Thing to Remember About Hedge Apples

While I was buying hedge apples last Fall, I noticed a lot of people walking out with big boxes full of them, and I thought that was a bit overkill. Turns out, I was wrong! For the best insect-repelling benefits,  you should replace hedge apples every 1 to 3 months, and the more you have the better the results! Keep them outside though, they rot fast indoors and will start leaking a nasty, sticky goo. YUCK!

Where Can You Buy Hedge Apples?

Keep an eye out everywhere you go this Fall for hedge apples, and don't wait on buying them because they usually sell out fast!  Hedge apples typically fall from trees in mid-October, and you can find them at most apple orchards and farmers' markets, you can even buy them on Amazon!

Are you ready to put the superhero insect repelling abilities of the hedge apple to the test? Here are apple orchards in the Rockford area that may have some for you to buy soon!

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