Carrot fly prevention ?

[sewer rat]

I was speaking to an elderly neighbour of mine today who used to be "in service" and who grew loads of fruit, veg and cut flowers for the "big house".
She says she always had a fantastic crop of carrots and her advice was as follows.
Grow them in the same ground every year (similar I suppose to an onion bed) and do not add manure or fertiliser ever ( )
After picking the thinnings in the evening, she then advises that you use your feet to tramp down the ground on either side of the drill til it is nice and firm.
She swears that this stops the carrot fly.
Any of you grapes out there got any comments on her methods ?

[Shortie]

Rat, I've heard this too - or to water the crops.

Apparently it's the scent of freshly picked carrots that attracts the carrot fly and watering after thinning (or I supposed squashing the earth) 'dampens down' the cscent given off and therefore the attraction to the fly. Also, they are less active in the evening so there's less of them to notice the scent

And don't add manure etc as it causes the roots to 'split' in an attempt to find the nutrients

[Lesley Jay]

I always firm down the ground around carrots to stop the light getting through.

[bramble]

I was watching the Monty Don special allotment programme earlier this year and an allotment holder who has been growing carrots for years earths them up like potatoes and swears it keeps the carrot fly off.

[Lois Pallister]

I think by far the easiest option is to erect a 3' barrier of enviromesh around them. That's what I'll be trying anyway.

[pigletwillie]

I am always worried about one getting blown over the mesh so I always cover mine making sure that it is well pegged down at the edges to stop them from geting under. This works very well indeed.

[SueA]

I had heard about thinning them in the evening & making sure you throw away the thinnings straight away so the flies can't smell them, I've also tried enviromesh, growing in between onions etc. but am now growing some in a pot indoors hoping that will foil the little blighters!