Getting rid of carrot fly larvae

[greenishfing]

Last year I started my carrots off under mesh and all was well until my husband decided that they weren't getting enough light and were leggy. At this point he took the mesh off.

Inevitably the carrot flies descended en masse!!!! the carrots were planted in a raised bed and I assume that there will now be hordes of their larvae in the soil in this bed.

Anyone any ideas of how to kill them off.

My husbands idea is to build a big fire atop the bed and get rid of some rubbish at the same time. However, as many of his "bright" ideas are at times decidedly dim I thought I would ask for advise.

[Alison]

The best way is to practice crop rotation so you don't plant carrots in the infested bed and so they won't have food. If you want to grow in the same place I think you can get nematodes which will eat them and there are probably chemical options if you want to go that route but I don't like the idea of a bonfire but then again I don't like nasty smoky fires so I'm probably biased

[greenishfing]

I always practise crop rotation. however I presume that when the larvae hatch into carrot flies they are going to fly around and try and find carrots to infest- either mine or my neighbours and I would like to stop them in their tracks.

[WilliamD]

I have the same problem and will be using the Nemasys 'Fruit and Veg Protection' nematodes (it used to be called 'Grow Your Own' until recently).

The instructions say to use it fornightly to control carrot fly.