carrot issues :(

[bobleponge]

Agree with Sarz. I had 6 different type of carrot, all in the same bed, with 3 different colours and they all tasted different, but all yummy.
Never noticed a soapy taste before, even in the behemoth that was a family effort to pull out of the ground.

[seanbadger]

Im growing my carrots in a raised bed again next year, but in a newly built but slightly lower (about 30cm) bed with sifted soil and (childrens play pit) sand mix.

With the enviromesh does it go over the raised bed on a cloche type frame and do i just leave it on or will that stop sunlight getting through. Obviously i'll have to take it off when weeding etc, but is it best left on when i'm not weeding?

Cheers

Sean

forgot to say i got some lovely carrots this year

[SarzWix]

I use wire cloche hoops seanbadger. My beds aren't raised, but are edged with wood which I think makes it a bit easier.

[Alison]

I only put a barrier round the sides of the carrot bed rather than over the top and it has worked fine. This means that I can do basic weeding with it insitu and only need to remove for a really good weed. I didn't find any need to cover the top although I do on my brassica beds and there's no problems with light or rain.

[annacruachan]

[QUOTE=JerseyJimbo;529931 have been told by one of the older gents i share the allotment with, to use a copper based spray that he seems to think is only available in France, unfortunately i havent seen him for ages and the name of the spray now eludes me? [/QUOTE]

I think he must mean Bordeaux mixture which is copper sulphate based. Can't tell you whether it's effective or not, but I'd go with enviromesh like everyone else.

[BUFFS]

ref carrotfly,do not use fleece barrier as this will be shredded by the wind over the full growing seaon,use a micromesh,as this lets the wind through,but not the carrotfly.put up a 2 ft high screen around your carrots as soon as sewn,making sure there are no gaps at the bottom,the fly can only get up to 18ins, so keeping them away ,i had the same problem for 3/4 years,but now have had great,clean crops since adopting this method and good practice needs to be spread around,thats how i found out how to beat them(somebody else had the brains,not me)