Carrot Fly Protection

[Alison]

I've only ever grown carrots in tubs previously due to lack of space and the earlies this year have followed suit so no problems with carrot flies as they're off the ground. However, I now have a bed fully dug over which will be housing carrots, beetroot and parsnips. For ease I was probably going to put a barrier round the entire bed, a couple of foot high. I invested in some enviromesh over winter when I was feeling flush thinking that it would be enough for everywhere I needed, however have no realised that it'll be fully utilised on the brasscia beds so what's best to use instead? I have some old fleece which I guess would work but would is there anything better about? Also, do carrot flies attack anything else? Read something the other day about swedes being susceptible but hadn't heard that before?

[TEB]

I just use fleece and grass clippings and do any work on the bed on dull/cloudy overcast days

[coreopsis]

Is there any particular weather that carrot fly prefers?The only thing I heard was to thin the seedlings as late in the evening as possible but weather wasn't mentioned at all.

[TEB]

dont like windy weather as they are apparently weak flyers

[zazen999]

I'm sticking with my:

Sowing amongst onions and putting coriander in wherever I can and chopping it back each time I'm at the lottie.

For winter carrots, they are going into the greenhouse with teepees made of net curtain/muslin...the only ones I get carrot fly on occur once the coriander has died with the frosts.

[coreopsis]

Can you chop any other herb?I planted all carrots with onions but still looking for the other ways of protection as I don't use the mesh.

[TEB]

The theory is any strong scented plant to mask the smell of bruised carrots

[King Carrot]

mesh is King for Carrots

[zazen999]

Can you chop any other herb?I planted all carrots with onions but still looking for the other ways of protection as I don't use the mesh.

I've not tried anything other than coriander to be honest...but the idea is to keep other smells around so keep chopping strong smelling herbs and it might well work. I use coriander as it grows so quickly, it reseeds itself every year and we use loads in curries...

[snohare]

Don't pull the carrots out when thinning, snip them off cleanly at ground level with scissors, this avoids giving off the scent of bruised foliage. Also, what worked well for me one year - just work on them in wet or windy weather, the flies either cannot locate them or can't get to them.
If you are unlucky you will have carrot fly eggs in with your soil or compost as I did last year, in which case you are better off growing salsify or scorzonera !

[Snadger]

...................................................................Also, do carrot flies attack anything else? Read something the other day about swedes being susceptible but hadn't heard that before?

Swede is a brassica and can be attacked by the cabbage root fly but not the carrot fly!

[Alison]

Swede is a brassica and can be attacked by the cabbage root fly but not the carrot fly!

That makes more sense to me but thought I'd check. Thanks.

[Scottishnewbie]

i've just planted out some pre-germinated parsnip seeds and didnt offer them any protection as i forgot they'd be at risk from CRF. am i too late or should i be doing something now? (cant remember what the weather was like the other day!)

[King Carrot]

It's a bit early for carrot fly, there's still lots of time to protect using any of the methods in this thread

[sewer rat]

Swede is a brassica and can be attacked by the cabbage root fly but not the carrot fly!

I find that my Milan Turnips and Swedes suffer most from flea beetle as opposed to Root Fly.