Not necessarily a new idea, this is a silly little tool born out of necessity. It consists of a serious handle from an old tool such as a shovel and a sturdy hook at the end of it. Its purpose is to be maneuvered through the tight turns of twigs and branches to knock down fruits such as lemons from a tree.
It is also very effective in knocking down dead branches from high places in trees that produce zillions of dead little twigs such as the Camellia.
It works well for raking the fallen branches because hooking one branch will pull the others. It actually removes and pulls to your side dead branches that might hang over the neighbor’s yard. It eliminates using a ladder in most cases.
Tips:
With a hook at 90 degrees, it can be used in garages to hang items up high and out of the way.
See http://www.flashknow.com/hanging-clothes/
The sturdier it is the better.
Pre drill the hole.