Autumn King and Carrot fly

[Snadger]

Yep thats the bunny ( not lynda's phsyco one), no idea what enviromesh is (looks like a net curtain to me), but i know what fleece is

Fleece is a lot cheaper but tears very easily (even a strong gust of wind is enough) the enviromesh has been in place for three years and apart from a few peppered burned holes in the top (somebody set fire to my neighbours caravan and the heat broke most of the panes in my greenhouse and a bit of floating hot debri peppered my enviromesh)..........apart from that it's as good as the day it was erected!
I have also heard of people using voillle and net curtain to good effect!

[BrideXIII]

Fleece is a lot cheaper but tears very easily (even a strong gust of wind is enough) the enviromesh has been in place for three years and apart from a few peppered burned holes in the top (somebody set fire to my neighbours caravan and the heat broke most of the panes in my greenhouse and a bit of floating hot debri peppered my enviromesh)..........apart from that it's as good as the day it was erected!
I have also heard of people using voillle and net curtain to good effect!

oh goody, cos i have several of those that will never go back up in my bedroom, dust collectors and i am past my princess stage finally ( last year ) the carrots will look pretty under lilac voille

[Demeter]

You can get net curtain (or voile) second hand pretty cheap or free (Freecycle, ebay). Can also get it fairly cheap new from Ikea

[BrideXIII]

You can get net curtain (or voile) second hand pretty cheap or free (Freecycle, ebay). Can also get it fairly cheap new from Ikea

can't think why it didn't occur to me before.

would make good netting for the fruit cages too, and much easier to fix on.

[Alice]

I'm sure I read somewhere that carrot fly was over by the end of May and carrots planted after that would be safe. Is this rubbish.

[Snadger]

I'm sure I read somewhere that carrot fly was over by the end of May and carrots planted after that would be safe. Is this rubbish.

I usually have to quell my itchy fingers and not sow my maincrops until May/June.........but still cover with enviromesh!

[BrideXIII]

I'm sure I read somewhere that carrot fly was over by the end of May and carrots planted after that would be safe. Is this rubbish.

thing is, do the carrot flies know that?

[vegmandan]

Cheers for that.

I'll give 'em a go next year.

[zazen999]

I'm sure I read somewhere that carrot fly was over by the end of May and carrots planted after that would be safe. Is this rubbish.

They SAY that...but I find the flies can't read or hear!!!

I have reasonable success growing lots of coriander in with my carrots, but this time of year when the coriander leaves have long gone is when the carrot fly seems to attack. As I like my carrots in the ground all year round, it is a bit of an issue. I have a few with bad carrot fly damage at the moment but a majority of them seem to be coming through only slightly scathed!

Next year, now that I've got more time to plan and more space to space stuff, I'll be sowing the carrots inbetween established onions, in small pinches, and add coriander and other herbs on all the corners of the beds. I chop the coriander down whenever I visit the lottie to keep the smell up which disguises the carrot smell.

[Alice]

Thank you Zazen, but I was hoping for better news - like plant in June and you'll be fine. Oh well, better make a new plan. My carrots got totally wasted this year. First time it's ever happened to me.

[BrideXIII]

They SAY that...but I find the flies can't read or hear!!!

I have reasonable success growing lots of coriander in with my carrots, but this time of year when the coriander leaves have long gone is when the carrot fly seems to attack. As I like my carrots in the ground all year round, it is a bit of an issue. I have a few with bad carrot fly damage at the moment but a majority of them seem to be coming through only slightly scathed!

Next year, now that I've got more time to plan and more space to space stuff, I'll be sowing the carrots inbetween established onions, in small pinches, and add coriander and other herbs on all the corners of the beds. I chop the coriander down whenever I visit the lottie to keep the smell up which disguises the carrot smell.

i am with you on this one, i have today been playing with google sketchup, 3D planning whats going in the beds, and have decided the best place for the carrots is the herb bed, a full on aromatic attack on carrot fly, plus the herbs wont care if they are covered over with enviro-curtains

[kitchengardner]

caged carrots

would it be worth , do you think, building like a little, carrot cage, with fleece?
I have some framing that i could use in this way.

That is what I do but you don't need a roof as long as the "walls" are at least 2ft high (carrot flies fly close to the ground and really struggle to gain height quickly)

Snadger is right though, you do need to keep an eye on it in strong winds as it can rip. However it is much cheaper them environmesh and provides much better shelter re wind and rain. Also carrot flies don't fly when it is windy so it is not a problem if you check daily in the morning (I grow mine in the garden rather than on an allotment). If you do find any repairs simply pull the edges together and peg them with a clothes peg.

Growing garlic chives, garlic or onions nearby also acts as a good deterrent and if you spray the remaining carrots with "garlic tea" when you thin or harvest this marks the smell of carrot which attracts the flies

Regards

Kitchen Gardener

[Phreddy]

I read some where that one should 'earth up' the carrots after thinning. I assume that this hides the root and the smell.

[zazen999]

Phreddy - how you doing?

I went on a course at Garden Organic a month ago and they said exactly that - but I haven't recommended it as I haven't tried it successfully yet.

I'm doing a trial row this year to see what happens.

I don't thin mine as I sow in pinches not rows, but if it works, then how fab would that be?

[Two_Sheds]

I read some where that one should 'earth up' the carrots after thinning. I assume that this hides the root and the smell.

You earth up the carrots to stop the shoulders turning green in the sunshine.

The leaves have the carrotty smell, so earthing up does nothing against root fly. Sorry