Maggots in Turnips

[chris]

I can't find the thread that someone posted recently similar to this, but I've just pulled some turnips- and found maggots in them. Pretty gross things - pulled the rest up and everyone had them too. This is in a SFG bed.. other brassicas in there (PSB) but they seem fine so far.

Couple of queries!

What are they?
Can I cut the part out and eat the rest (haven't done so - atm I'm drowing them under water - and will compost)
Can I prevent them? - This bed has been un-netted for about 2/3 months.
Would like to sow some more, but don't really want to in that bed again, so wondering if there's a fix?

Thank you.

[Two_Sheds]

Cabbage root fly maggots. They go for radishes as well (which is why I can't grow radishes)

[oldie]

Turnips are members of the Brassica family so it sounds like cabbage root fly. You can't protect turnips with mats as you do cabbages, netting is the only way I know of. I would certainly still eat them-minus the maggots, although having lived in Africa for a number of years I'm not to fussy.

[chris]

Thanks both

[roitelet]

This worked!

Soak a peice of thick soft string in something smelly, I used old style ***** fluid. Stretch it between two sticks just above the turnips when you sow them. The smell confused the Flea beetle and they don't lay their eggs in the young plants. You can use anything smelly that lasts, creosote was another suggestion. It has to be the old style not the new low odour ones.

Best of luck