carrot fly query

[joolshuck]

Hello everyone,
Now please forgive me if this is a silly question, but I AM quite new to growing veggies. I frequently read about surrounding carrot seedlings with an 18inches or so barrier, because 'the carrot fly cant fly very high'....My veg garden is not very large and completely walled in, does this mean that I probably wont be bothered by carrot fly?
Jools

[Capsid]

Perhaps you will get less of a problem, but don't you have a gate?

[TEB]

Sorry that's an urban myth, the only real protection is to cover, i.e. fleece or enviromesh.

[Rhona]

Some say that, but I wouldn't count on it to be honest. You could try companion planting (my favoured option) and fleece. Have a search under 'carrot fly' and see what other tips others have given. Good luck!

[chris]

I didn't get carrot fly last year, and my carrots were intercropped with beets (dunno why, I just "did"), but some say to plant alternate rows with onion to help disguise the smell. I thinned late evening, and only pulled them up late evening too. Either that worked or I just was very lucky !

[Nicos]

If theyu can't fly higher than that- the wind can certainly blow them to places which they otherwise wouldn't reach!!

I'd just expect to have them and take preventative methods!

[Two_Sheds]

My patio is surrounded by 6 foot high fences. The carrot fly still got in.
I've just sewn myself a giant fleece out of voile net curtains

[jacob]

Sorry that's an urban myth, the only real protection is to cover, i.e. fleece or enviromesh.

Not sure about that. My carrots in the ground got demolished last year, but the ones in an 18" high half barrel were untouched.

[TEB]

Not sure about that. My carrots in the ground got demolished last year, but the ones in an 18" high half barrel were untouched.

The carrot fly maybe a weak flyer but doesn't suffer from vertigo

[Prince of Durham]

Its true. They may fly only a foot or so from the ground searching for carrots, but they can fly higher. They are a tiny insect and as pointed out above, are easily blown above the magic 18inches.
They have a two generations a year, so planting to avoid the times of highest population density is a good way (May to June and August to Sept), along with fleece. Also earth up your carrots, the fly lay their eggs on the soil and the tiny larvae climb down. The further they have to go the less likely they have of getting there.

Good luck

[BUFFS]

i lost most of my carrots for several years until i put up a 2ft fleece around the carrots,the difference, for the last three years we have had fantastic crops,only used the last of them a few weeks ago,a myth or not,it does seem to work...

[Pies]

Not sure about that. My carrots in the ground got demolished last year, but the ones in an 18" high half barrel were untouched.

Probably because the ground carrots were an easy target

[joolshuck]

well, thanks for all the replies folks...I think I will do as Nicos suggested and assume that they will get in and therefore use a mesh barrier...I like the voile net idea, I will be scouring my local charity shops for some.
Oh and , yes I do have a gate....I love the thought of the flies waiting in an orderly queue for the gate to be opened!!
Jools

[Snadger]

The problem with the walled garden scenario is that it will be LESS windy.Carrot flies don't like windy sites but thrive in still areas.

Some people are never bothered at all by carrot fly (lucky beggars) and some like myself are inundated with the little crittars!

I have tried everything and the only thing that works for me is enviromesh...............A bit unsightly I know but its the ONLY way I can get a crop of carrots...........

[Cazzy]

When using fleece, do you use it like a cloche or like a windbreaker? Does anyone have any pics?

I'm trying carrots for the first time this year, they are 'resistafly' but I think i'd still like to protect them.