Carrot fly

[Shelle]

Having read various threads on here about carrot fly, I have a question.

It is recommended that you use netting or fleece to cover up. I had originally thought that fleece was just for protection against frosts but can now see that it can be used for other things. As I may not have sowed thinly enough (as I read the threads afterwards!!), I feel I need to put some fleece over the tub. My question is do I do that for its entire life in the tub, or until a certain time?

[Norm]

Yo Shelle, As far as I know root fly have a go round about the midddle of May and again in August, so you won't need to protect them in June or July.

[Snadger]

The only carrots I grew last year that were totally free of carrot fly were the ones I used fleece on for the whole of the growing season!
The fleece acts like a mini cloche/greenhouse and actually improves the conditions they are growing in. Water can be applied through it as well, so it's hardly worth taking it off!

[chickenjane]

Yo Shelle, As far as I know root fly have a go round about the midddle of May and again in August, so you won't need to protect them in June or July.

I know that tht's the theory-but in my experience they are around most of the summer.even lifting the fleece for half an hour to thin & weed can be enough to let a few in.B******S

[Tyto Alba]

The fleece can just be a barrier though can't it? It doesn't need a lid...so you can weed at will. I thought the pesky flies came in low and never fly more than a metre high....so a barrier stops them. Is this right?

I didn't bother with anything last year and had no problems. Mind you, not many of my carrots germinated in the first place!

[Protea]

yes Tyto Alba, carrot root fly's do fly low to the ground so you can build a fence around them or use tall pots! The problem with leaving fleece on all the time is that the weeds go beserk underneath and outcompete the carrots, particularly as they're so slow to germinate.

Can you tell i'm rubbish at keeping on top of the weeding? I'm growing root fly resistant varieties up at the lottie (and won't bother to cover them) and non-resistant varieties in pots at home where i can easily keep them covered and weeded regularly!

[TPeers]

I'll just be glad if enough flippin' carrots germinate to *need* to worry about the flies!

mutter..... mumble..... grumble.....

[Pottypotter]

I'll just be glad if enough flippin' carrots germinate to *need* to worry about the flies!

mutter..... mumble..... grumble.....

same as me, how long are they suposed to take.

[TPeers]

Bleeping years! and they always fork, if they produce a root at all, which most don't, and I always dib and use old compost so not to much nutrient... the parsnips do fine....where's that bottle gone... mumble....glug....mutter......

[shirlthegirl43]

Planted rainbow carots 25 March, first shoots 8 April - planted in a black 10 litre flower bucket so maybe warmer than the ground. I don't have enough soil depth to put them in the garden.

[eskymo]

forget thinning out - I've been really anal this year and planted single seeds, evenly spaced, within pots. I sprinkled seeds last year and the thinning out did my head in, attracted root fly, forced me to give and so I got tiny carrots that I just gave to the dog. So this year I'm growing in pots again and just putting about 20 seeds in each. I'm also putting the pots onto a potting bench I've got to hopefully eliminate root fly. I'm hopig that I can just leave them to grow and get on with other things...I hate thinning out!

[Two_Sheds]

i think I've sussed it this year. Last year out of 4 separate sowings I got about 6 carrots - pathetic. I reckon this was down to a hard cap on our silty soil (caused by watering the soil) the cap being so hard the baby leaves couldn't get thru...yesterday I looked at a broad bean: big strapping seedling but it was struggling to break the surface of the soil.

I have now sowed my carrots (old seed) in paper pots which I will plant out whole in a couple of weeks. They've all germinated so far!

As for carrot root fly, I keep a net on all summer: even so, I still lost a few

[Pottypotter]

So carrot fly isn't just a pest like white fly? Do they damage the carrot?

[TPeers]

So carrot fly isn't just a pest like white fly? Do they damage the carrot?

Oh Yes! the flies lay eggs which hatch into maggots - the maggots eat the carrots.

[eskymo]

yeah - you think you've got lovely big carrots from the tops emerging from the soil, then you pull them up and they're riddled with holes and so get fed to the salivating dog sitting right next to you!