netting

[amandajcd]

I'm planting carrots for the first time and have read alot about carrot fly. I've no idea if it's a problem here in the Leeds suburbs but I thought I should try to protect my veg in case. Enviromesh looks pricey and I found a much cheaper mesh/netting on ebay. It's 1mm mesh, how does that sound? Don't want to buy it and then find the pesky critters can still get in!

[Hazel at the Hill]

You could use fleece instead of environmesh - it's not as strong, but it's loads cheaper.

You could also try the charity shops for voile (net) curtains.

[Bigmallly]

I agree with Hazel, put canes around the edge of your bed or container and attach fleece to the canes to create a wall around the carrots.

[Nykied]

I posted this on another thread last night, might come in useful:

Join your local Freegle or Freecycle, that's where I got my net curtains for my carrots from. Free (you just have to collect) and net curtains aren't as popular on there as things like TVs.

I picked up some long pieces of wood for making a frame to go over my veg patch and also loads of plant pots just tonight.

If you live between different towns, join each one. I'm in between Harrogate and York, so I joined them, and also joined Leeds. I moved from St. Helens, so I also joined the St. Helens group and the Warrington group and my parents or sister can could collect if I wanted them to.

Set up a new email address for the site though, as, if you have the sites set up for an email to come through each time something's posted, you get loads of emails. You can set it so that it sends you one email per day from each site, but then you can miss out on loads of stuff, especially popular things.

[amandajcd]

Now why didn't I think of Freegle? I'm already a member but just didn't think to ask for gardening stuff. Doh! Plus I wouldn't have thought to ask for net curtains until now!!

*scoots off to post on Freegle*

[Paulottie]

I agree with Hazel, put canes around the edge of your bed or container and attach fleece to the canes to create a wall around the carrots.

From someone who's tried this...don't bother It will not last the season.

If your going to use fleece. (I'm fed up with the stuff) peg it down well...carrots grow perfectly well flat.

[Bigmallly]

From someone who's tried this...don't bother It will not last the season.

The secret must be in the fastening Paul, I used clothes pegs and it was fine.

[ann-the-nan]

netting

Someone told me the flies can't fly above 12".Would a barrier be helpful?

[nerdgas]

I'm just gonna cover completely using a cane frame held at the joints with old tennis balls.

Planning on using scaffold debris netting and will probably cover my carrots and brassicas in this way.

[nerdgas]

Someone told me the flies can't fly above 12".Would a barrier be helpful?

I think it's two foot but I also read that they can be 'pushed' over a barrier in the right windy conditions hence why I'm going for a complete covering.

[Paulottie]

Fasten it how you like it doesn't last a small storm here.....although granted I had a staple gun through tape last time...it wasn't great at all...I'm sure yours was much better.

Still, I have discovered that it is not true that carrot fly can't fly over 24"....evidently it is their harrier jump jet function that is poor. I tried a similar thing with tougher shade netting last year growing in a 4' x 12' block...riddled!.....i think you can get away with rows perhaps cos they can't get down again quick enough.

Then it was the dustbin trick...a rat or sqirrel razored the lot...just a few chippings left!

That said....Flat fleece tends to razor the seedlings, hide the grazing slugs and the wind still blows it off.

THIS YEAR...I have invested in enviromesh in which I am sowing in seams for plastic water pipes that are going into pegs on boards...creating a cloche à la Geoff Hamilton. I'd like to see a carrot fly(or leek moth) invade this contraption.

[piskieinboots]

I'm putting a sign up saying:
Carrot flies will be prosecuted without exception

[Paulottie]

I'm putting a sign up saying:
Carrot flies will be prosecuted without exception

'persecuted' surely.

[oldie]

I've used a fleece wall for two years and it is still usable. The problem I have had with laying fleece flat over a bed is that the local cats treat it as a playground and shred it.