best defence for mr carrot fly?

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biglongdarren

Drone Bee
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Location
Mourne mountains
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i will be making up frames this year that will fit over my raised beds,can anybody tell me which would be the best to cover these frames with as to protect my carrots and parnips from carrot fly...enviromesh or that meshy cloche stuff?
Darren
 
Cover with enviromesh, brilliant stuff. By the other I take it you mean fleece, this can uild up a bit of a fug. Seal it well, the buggers will find any gaps.
 
Anyone thought of earthing them up? Saw it once and seemed to work. I usually grow carrots in a builders sack of mixed earth and sand so the fly doesnt get mine.
 
Normally I build a wall of plastic round my carrots to stop the carrot fly but last year I started with my carrots as usual had a few problems and was late setting up the defences so thought all will be lost gave up on the carrots and left them to it.

Went back to them at the end of the year and perfect carrots to my surprise although a bit small as I had not thinned them out.

Remember reading that it’s the thinning out that attracts the fly after all it does smell gorgeous when doing so and the small carrots are great in salads.

So this year I am thinking that I will sow thin to start with and no thinning out with no defences, and I just bet the lot get eaten.
 
Try companion planting with onions or garlic - did that last year and it seemed to work.

It certainly helps, but doesn't solve the problem. Have considered using rubbish bins (I have two in my back garden, with soil and sharp sand and covering the top with enviromesh.
 
Earthing up does work. When they get to one inch high earth them up, then again when they grow another inch. I also water them with some soot in the water. It forms a sort of crust so the fly cannot lay their eggs.
 
Carrot fly

Carrot fly is not a problem here so I don't to worry about that one.
The big problem I have is Colorado beetle !! Last year I spent hours picking off the adult beetles and the grubs.
 
Moved into this garden (and house) 18 months ago and the veg patch held a lot of manky carrot-flied remains. How many years do I need to leave it before growing carrots in the same soil again? Do carrot flies leave eggs in situ? Yes I know I could do containers but am disinclined as I have plenty of garden room.
 
Carrot fly overwinters in cow parsley, so if you have any in your garden or nearby zap it.

When your weeding around the plants try not to bruisethem because these little buggers can smell them from miles away.

You can also companion grow with marigolds or onions.
 
Ive always been told to plant and grow your carrots in a nice deep raised bed with real fine mesh over the top of them, this way winds cant carry carrot fly onto yours as they will be at a greater height plus netting will give extra defence.
 
Try companion planting with onions or garlic - did that last year and it seemed to work.

Have done that for two years and I have had mixed results.
 
thin out the carrots last thing in the evening on a dry overcast windless day so less chance of the little beggars smelling there's carrots in the garden (apparently they can smell them over 2 miles away. Chives are also a good companion plant, a packet full of seeds will supply loads of plants - dot them around your carrot rows to mask the smell.
 
Moved into this garden (and house) 18 months ago and the veg patch held a lot of manky carrot-flied remains. How many years do I need to leave it before growing carrots in the same soil again? Do carrot flies leave eggs in situ? Yes I know I could do containers but am disinclined as I have plenty of garden room.

You don't need to leave it, they don't persist in the soil. Just make sure all the old carrots are gone.
 
Normally I build a wall of plastic round my carrots to stop the carrot fly but last year I started with my carrots as usual had a few problems and was late setting up the defences so thought all will be lost gave up on the carrots and left them to it.

Went back to them at the end of the year and perfect carrots to my surprise although a bit small as I had not thinned them out.

Remember reading that it’s the thinning out that attracts the fly after all it does smell gorgeous when doing so and the small carrots are great in salads.

So this year I am thinking that I will sow thin to start with and no thinning out with no defences, and I just bet the lot get eaten.

I think it depends on your local population. In my mother's garden which is fairly isolated they are not a problem, in spite of lots of cow parsley nearby. On my allotment there is a large roving population of- well, everything really, so un-netted carrots WILL get demolished.
 

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