the dreaded carrot fly

[snohare]

I think you might find that low flying carrot fly is an old wives tale.

Show me any fly that size that will not go wherever it is sent by a gust of 20mph...
My allotment plot is basically part of an old abandoned garden, few or no veggies grown nearby and lots of high walls, fences and hedges between whatever there is and my ground. I've had no problems with carrot fly this year for once, so I take it that the old wives tale has a grain of truth in it - if you have enough physical obstacles like lack of habitat, solid barriers etc, then they will have a job moving to vulnerable areas.
It's a numbers game. If there's enough of them, or enough of their habitat, you will get affected crops.

[HeyWayne]

I've thrown caution to the wind this year and just sown carrots in a line and had done with it. We've had some decent carrots from the crop, and I'm sure I'll find evidence of carrot fly soon.

From memory, the only precaution I have taken is to sow a carrot fly "resistant" variety

[Ken the Chef]

My back garden has 6 foot fencing all round ! That must mean a very High flying carrot muncher
I doo rotate my beds so carrots never planted in the same bed in a 3 year cycle.
I know the eggs are laid and over winter and they emerge just in time for the next batch of carrots which is May or there abouts. I think I will net my bed during March, so watch this space!
Has any one tried the Nematoads with any success for carrot fly?

[Alison]

I've covered all my carrots with enviromesh as soon as I sow every year for the past couple of years. Last year I got lots of decent roots but still some carrot fly damage. This year I did exactly the same but had some garlic planted at the other end of the bed and so far the only damage I've found on the carrots has been due to slugs so am wondering if the garlic smell has acutally put the flies off. Think I might well try it next year too.

[HeyWayne]

Dug up some carrots on Sunday in readiness for Christmas dinner. Blummin black rings/tracks all over loads. Some seemingly untouched.

Oh well - that'll learn me!

[Aberdeenplotter]

Bummer all the same matey. It's so nice having your own for Christmas.

[chris]

I've covered all my carrots with enviromesh as soon as I sow every year for the past couple of years. Last year I got lots of decent roots but still some carrot fly damage. This year I did exactly the same but had some garlic planted at the other end of the bed and so far the only damage I've found on the carrots has been due to slugs so am wondering if the garlic smell has acutally put the flies off. Think I might well try it next year too.

Well, there is that thing about companion planting with onions and carrots.. so it must be

I've done mine in tall pots, not had any damage. I also have some in a windy place, so we'll see how well they fair when I pull 'em up!

[Aberdeenplotter]

Well, there is that thing about companion planting with onions and carrots.. so it must be !

Don't know about anybody else but that has never worked in my plot. Some of the guys do use a garlic spray and they swear that works

[allotmentor]

My feeling is that combating these beasties requires a combination of all the suggestions here plus some of these interesting ideas: Factsheet about Carrot fly.

Interesting that there is a width limit to the barriered no-fly zone for it to work. I also wonder if they might be able to walk a short distance from the edge of the enviromesh or am I giving them powers they just don't posess? What about carrots in the compost heap - could they survive in those? And parsnip, celery and parsley are also potential hosts...

[Aberdeenplotter]

good to see they are not promoting the idea that an 18" high barrier is enough to keep them at bay on that site

[Two_Sheds]

Dug up some carrots ... Blummin black rings/tracks all over loads.

Mine too (the April sown ones) - they were under debris netting but that does have 1" holes in it, plus the wind blows it off regular like.

My later sowings (June) seem to be OK

[salome2001]

I am interested in the idea in the fectsheet about ridging up the carrots with soil- that sounds logical and easy
I grew carrots in a 30cm high trough this year in a small patio garden but still got some damage. They seemed especially fond of my purple haze

[Potstubsdustbins]

I was looking through my seed catalogue and something caught my eye. Though I never suffered with the dreaded fly this thread come to mind.

Has anyone tried these the blurb reads. F1 Resistafly, Nantes type bred for resistance to carrot fly, ideal for organic growers 400 seed £2-49p

Colin

[chris]

Probably similar to flyaway - http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tml#post812074

[scarletrunner]

I was looking through my seed catalogue and something caught my eye. Though I never suffered with the dreaded fly this thread come to mind.

Has anyone tried these the blurb reads. F1 Resistafly, Nantes type bred for resistance to carrot fly, ideal for organic growers 400 seed £2-49p

Colin

Does not have any resistance in my plot,plus even if grown without attack,this variety has no better taste than chlorine washed carrots from Tesco's.Mesh is the best option.