[MickyB]

The debris netting is quite cheap to buy and I have heard others saying that they have managed to get it for free from the builders once they had finished with it. The debris netting does have a seam running through it which has larger holes that need covering but with a bit of fore planning I was able to place them over the frame work and cover them that way.

[boddy]

I had a square patch for my carrots with a stake in each corn and just wrapped some fleece so it was about two foot straight up and buried about 3 inches. Tacked it to the stakes and hey presto.....

They chap I got my allotment from did the same thing but put plastic around. The top is left open to the elements as apparently the carrot fly can't go higher than a few feet off the ground. He said it completely solved the carrot fly problem for him.

[DD.]

Do NOT rely on that. They can glide well. A gentle breeze can waft them in. I've tried both ways and believe me, a total covering is the only sure way to go.

[Paul Plots]

I'm going to try growing mine a mile and a half away from the allotment and see if they follow me from the plot. 

[Salmo]

I'm going to try growing mine a mile and a half away from the allotment and see if they follow me from the plot. 

Other hosts of carrot fly are things like cow parsley and other umbelliferous wild plants, including wild carrot.

What is the message? You cannot escape, carrot fly are everywhere.

[Jackypam]

I've been growing mine very quietly in a water tank about 3 feet high, filled to about 6 inches down from the top, in the corner of the plot for 3 years.  No-one has told the carrot flies yet.

[Paul Plots]

I'm going to try growing mine a mile and a half away from the allotment and see if they follow me from the plot. 

Other hosts of carrot fly are things like cow parsley and other umbelliferous wild plants, including wild carrot.

What is the message? You cannot escape, carrot fly are everywhere.

That's just what I was told but I'm hoping for the best so will give it a go.

[Growster...]

Let's face it, nobody really likes paying so much money for Enviromesh!

It's an exorbitant price for not very much, so there's bound to be a need for alternatives!

[jsgreen89]

I've planted a few carrots in the small border in our small cottage garden. It will really look ugly to wrap such a small area in mesh so I'm just hoping for the best! I can understand that allotments must be bad, but surely carrot fly can't be infesting every garden in the land?? 

[Paul Plots]

I've planted a few carrots in the small border in our small cottage garden. It will really look ugly to wrap such a small area in mesh so I'm just hoping for the best! I can understand that allotments must be bad, but surely carrot fly can't be infesting every garden in the land?? 

Probably not in such large numbers but the little nibblers get around. I think they like anything carrot related plus several other plants with a similar chemical make up and pong.

It'd be interesting to know how your carrots do. Who knows we may start a new trend in flower-bed carrot growing.... nice foliage too. 

[sunshineband]

When we grew some at the school garden, we didn't use any mesh, and they were just in raised beds. No carrot fly appeared, despite having cow parsley along the side of the nearby copse.

My daughter never had any reach her garden either , when she lived at the top of a very windy hill.

You never know your luck..... unless you are at an allotment site, when it is almost 100% certain they will be around, waiting ........

And Paul, I think you should sterilise your clothing and bicycle before you head off to be a home grower, to ensure that you have no unwanted passengers 

[Fairy Plotmother]

Last year my carrots were hardly affected despite taking no precautions at all. One of my neighbours said it was because I sowed them late. (End of  May) missing the 1 st generation of the beasties. The previous year was a disaster.

[Paul Plots]

And Paul, I think you should sterilise your clothing and bicycle before you head off to be a home grower, to ensure that you have no unwanted passengers 

I cycle speedily in the middle of the slow lane and let drag take care of unwanted hitch-hikers. 

The noise from the cars behind me honking their hooters frightens most of the varmints away!!