[freefolk]

I was planning on growing my parsnips and carrots together in a bed free from manure (to prevent forking).  Some sites say yes and some say no - because of carrot root fly.  However.....they are going to be grown in a hoop tunnel covered with fine net curtain.  Therefore, should this be OK?  I would like to think so.

[JayG]

No problem if the weave of the net curtain is fine enough to keep out the carrot fly (and weighted down securely round the edges, because carrot fly are quite capable of strolling through any gaps!)

[sunshineband]

As long as they are not lacy curtains, but plain voile, yes, that will keep carrot fly out.... I weight the edges with long planks of wood or scaffold poles, which seems to do the job

As for carrots and parsnips together, I think the reason that some say not to do this as they are both vulnerabe to carrot fly and carrot foliage smell attracts them to the detriment of the poor parsnips, which might otherwise escape attention

The net covering solves this problem very nicely!! 

[snowdrops]

Companion planting usually means plant8ng another plant that will either enhance the first plant or will help to deter or distract pests. 😊

[madcat]

Alliums are usually suggested as the companion for carrots, as the strong smell is supposed to put the carrot fly off the scent, as it were.    So you could plant your garlic or shallots around the outside of the netting to see if it works! 

Or nasturtiums - they don't want feeding or they take over the world and they smell strong ...

[sunshineband]

Whereas I love the idea of companion planting per se, with deterring carrot fly I have tried so many variations on a theme that were sometimes partly successful but never totally so... fine mesh equals guaranteed fly-free carrots.

Freefolk, I forgot to mention that as most parsnips have massive foliage, make sure you leave enough space between the last row of carrots and the first row of parsnips so the carrots are not totally overshadowed. Also you need to make the hoops of the cover tall enough for parsnip foliage too

[freefolk]

Thanks for the replies.  The mesh is plain voil, and the hoop is about 90cm in the middle.  The parsnips will be grown down the middle with carrots on the side.  As they are sown East-West and we have a South facing plot, shadow not much of an issue.  Comments have been appreciated, as always.

[Yorkie]

Thanks for the replies.  The mesh is plain voil, and the hoop is about 90cm in the middle.  The parsnips will be grown down the middle with carrots on the side.  As they are sown East-West and we have a South facing plot, shadow not much of an issue.  Comments have been appreciated, as always.

If they are sown east-west, then one row of carrots will be on the north side of the parsnip foliage and thus very shaded.  You need north-south rows for equal sun / shade.

[freefolk]

Sorry, didn't explain it very well.  There will be a sowing of carrots each side of the parsnips on an east-west line. The sun comes down the bottom (south) end of the allotment.  I know it works, my neighbour does it this way.  Hope that is clearer!

[sunshineband]

Sorry, didn't explain it very well.  There will be a sowing of carrots each side of the parsnips on an east-west line. The sun comes down the bottom (south) end of the allotment.  I know it works, my neighbour does it this way.  Hope that is clearer!