[Yorkie]

Well, for a start I never thin mine - too lazy - and don't protect them, and have got carrot fly.

So your method certainly hasn't worked for me.

[JayG]

Has anyone tried doing as I do as in" not touching the carrots until harvesting time" I would guess not I am not saying this is the only way but it works for me and some other local growers......Its nice to share good tips with others without getting patronising responses   

Pa snips - you shouldn't regard those who question whether your advice would work for them as being patronising - anyone who has suffered the almost total loss of their carrots due to carrot fly, despite trying to minimise the risk of attracting the pests, is going to be a bit cautious about whether going to the lengths that you do will really guarantee success, even though I also suspect that few would disagree that netting is a PITA.

[pa snips]

Well, for a start I never thin mine - too lazy - and don't protect them, and have got carrot fly.

So your method certainly hasn't worked for me.

Do you use pelleted seed ? if not the carrots will as they grow shoulder barge each other which releases lots of nice scents for the passing fly

[Yorkie]

No, fair point.  But I do sow singly.

[Growster...]

After several years of trying to grow carrots successfully in the open, I resorted to covering them with debris netting, which works pretty well!

Even if I tried to grow them without touching them, there's plenty of wild-life down on The Patch, which often stamps or pecks all over our growing veg, and that includes the carrots, so it'll always be a fact that they need covering down there!

Mind you, we're also going to grow carrots at home, in large pots, on a high shelf behind the greenhouse. They grew very well last year, in fact some are still going strong...

[pa snips]

Flight height is another myth
 My plot is fenced at 7ft all round they managed to fly over that

[DD.]

We realise that!

We're often at pains say that whilst they are not strong flyers, they are very good a gliding and can quite easily get blown over barriers.

A two foot barrier is better than nothing, but not as effective as a total enclosure.

[Kristen]

Its nice to share good tips with others without getting patronising responses

My reason for replying is that when folk make statements on the forums that are contrary to conventional advice (not to say they are wrong) it is easy for Newbies to think "That sounds easy/easier" and adopt it; I regard Newbies having crop failures and getting put off growing at all as a major loss, so in such circumstances I am the voice of caution.

I'm happy to experiment, and quick to adopt anything that makes life easier, so I am also keen to understand how/why anything has worked well for someone else in case it is better than what I currently do, or advise other people to do.

[sunshineband]

I grew carrots perfectly well with no carrot fly issues for some years at our school allotment, which was surrounded by playing fields, a copse and residents' gardens filled with flowers.

At our allotment however, it is a very different picture and unless that enviromesh goes down, flies riddles the carrots, despite no thinning, single sowing, seeds tapes or pelleted seed, or indeed attempting to disguise them with onions etc

The difference lies in the simple fact that there is no carrot fly population at school, and a massive one at the allotments.

Sorry Pa snip: I am not doubting your word and I am happy for you that you are able to grow superb unmarked carrots in the way you describe. It may well work in other areas too, but for me... mesh it is. Luckily it lasts for many years 

[Kenilworth]

I grew carrots perfectly well with no carrot fly issues for some years at our school allotment, which was surrounded by playing fields, a copse and residents' gardens filled with flowers.

At our allotment however, it is a very different picture and unless that enviromesh goes down, flies riddles the carrots, despite no thinning, single sowing, seeds tapes or pelleted seed, or indeed attempting to disguise them with onions etc

The difference lies in the simple fact that there is no carrot fly population at school, and a massive one at the allotments.

Sorry Pa snip: I am not doubting your word and I am happy for you that you are able to grow superb unmarked carrots in the way you describe. It may well work in other areas too, but for me... mesh it is. Luckily it lasts for many years 

Yeah I was going to say pretty much the same. Have grown carrots without any problems in our back garden for near on 10 years. The garden  is walled, panel fenced and there isn't anyone else growing large quantities of carrots etc in the near vicinity. Whereas down the plot with a relatively large amount of people growing carrots there's no chance of going fly free unless you put the barrier up. I don't bother growing carrots at the plot but I am lucky that I have the space at home to growing them.

[Kristen]

there isn't anyone else growing large quantities of carrots etc in the near vicinity.

Just to add that Cow Parsley growing in the hedgerows nearby would also likely be a source of Fly - for anyone thinking they were similarly "isolated"

[pa snips]

If there was only 1 way to garden there would only be 1 book
Different ideas from experimenting come along and we all progress for the better,and pass on new info.I feel its a bit negative poo- pooing ways unless tried
I from experimenting am now 99% slug free What would happen if this method went on this forum?
I would be told that it will not work being unconventional 

[sunshineband]

If there was only 1 way to garden there would only be 1 book
Different ideas from experimenting come along and we all progress for the better,and pass on new info.I feel its a bit negative poo- pooing ways unless tried
I from experimenting am now 99% slug free What would happen if this method went on this forum?
I would be told that it will not work being unconventional 

Pa snip, it was not a case of "would not work" with your carrot growing, more that some of us have tried it and in lots of circumstances found it did not work for us. Some have been able to grow fly-free carrots in isolated places without difficulty, but not in an allotment environment.

Please do not feel ideas are unwelcome.... they lead to discussion, which is always healthy, and often to learning too 

[Aunt Sally]

Six gardeners would give 10 different opinions.  All of them would contain facts and fictions. 

I grow enough [perfect] carrots for my use in a raised bed with an enviromesh cover.