[rowlandwells]

growing carrots seems much of a challenge to me i never seem to overcome the dreaded carrot fly there are a lot of theories to overcome this pest from mirrors to fleece  how do commercial growers overcome this problem? i don't see fields of fleece or rows of mirrors
one can only assume they spray the crop before the fly has time to do its business and that this spray is not on sale to the general public for some reason? because the carrots grown and sold in super markets Evan the stripey brands are perfect i know some of my allotment is unsuitable for growing carrots the ground is to heavy but on the more lighter soils  i should like to have another try i have resorted to a back up plan by acquiring some plastic tubs for container grown carrots

has anyone any thoughts or advise on how to beat the carrot fly apart from late settings
mirrors or fleece should i give up tiring g------r

[DD.]

Fleece is not just a theory, it works.

I used enviromesh this year and found it much better than a polythene barrier.

Intial outlay is not cheap, but it'll last years and my carrots are pesticide free.

[aelf]

I know just what you mean and have had similar problems so, this year I am trying an experiment. I have been given 6 large plastic green boxes (that the council use for glass recycling). I have placed them on two old tables in a space on the plot, so that the tops of the boxes are 4ft off the ground. I will plant my carrots in these and see what happens. The general feeling seems to be that the dreaded carrot fly stays close to the ground so, hopefully, they won't find my carrots.

I'll let you know how it goes in a few months  

[strangerachael]

Or enviromesh - again not cheap but it does work and I think it allows more air circulation than fleece. I use it on a tunnel made of water pipe. If you sow late ones such as Autumn King you can take the covering off in late Sept/early Oct when the flies are no longer around.

[DD.]

I know just what you mean and have had similar problems so, this year I am trying an experiment. I have been given 6 large plastic green boxes (that the council use for glass recycling). I have placed them on two old tables in a space on the plot, so that the tops of the boxes are 4ft off the ground. I will plant my carrots in these and see what happens. The general feeling seems to be that the dreaded carrot fly stays close to the ground so, hopefully, they won't find my carrots.

I'll let you know how it goes in a few months  

That should work. Problem is you can't go on holiday as you have to water them!

[aelf]

[/quote]

That should work. Problem is you can't go on holiday as you have to water them!
[/quote]

Can't afford a holiday anyway - spent all my money on carrot seed! 

[Trillium]

A lot of folk were growing carrots in old clawfoot bathtubs because it put the crop above the flight height of carrot flies, which is up to 2 feet.

another member did this method and had great success:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=13570.45

[fatbelly]

Does enviromesh need to be lifted to water the plants?

I have never used it but am desperate because for the past two years the fly has destroyed my carrot crop. I have tried using fly resistant seeds (the fly loved them) I have tried the polythene barrier (it got blown to pieces by two days of strong winds that we had in June).

So although it is expensive i am willing to give it a go but I am put of by the thought of having to remove the enviromesh every few days to water.

[gillie]

I only remove my environmesh cover to sow, weed, thin or crop the carrots.

Water penetrates it but you need to put it over some kind of frame so that the young carrot leaves do not get abraided by it.  You also need to make sure that it is well weighted down all round, so that the flies cannot get in through any gaps.

Gillie

[Bobbeh]

Would debris netting be fine enough to keep carrot fly out?

Noticed my last lot of carrots last year seemed to have little white things living in them which I think was the beginning of carrot fly attack. Was hoping that them being in half barrells would be enough but it appears not.

I've got loads of debris netting, be nice to not have to buy anything else.

[lacewing]

Last year I used clear plastic sheeting, strong type,  and weaved it in and out between canes to form a barrier 2 1/2 ft. high  around the carrot bed. I then planted spring onions, quite thick, around the inside of the barrier, and between each row of carrots. I had spring onions all summer long, and lovely fly free carrots. It worked for me!

[Steve.B]

Last year I used clear plastic sheeting, strong type,  and weaved it in and out between canes to form a barrier 2 1/2 ft. high  around the carrot bed. I then planted spring onions, quite thick, around the inside of the barrier, and between each row of carrots. I had spring onions all summer long, and lovely fly free carrots. It worked for me!

Would that be down to the Plastic/Onions/or both?

[Babstreefern]

You're all lucky.  I can never seem to grow carrots at all - so I don't worry about carrot fly - they starve to death on my plot

[bailey]

i use 2 old plastic dustbins for my carrots and have had a very good harvest..

[lacewing]

Last year I used clear plastic sheeting, strong type,  and weaved it in and out between canes to form a barrier 2 1/2 ft. high  around the carrot bed. I then planted spring onions, quite thick, around the inside of the barrier, and between each row of carrots. I had spring onions all summer long, and lovely fly free carrots. It worked for me!

Would that be down to the Plastic/Onions/or both?

Both, the plastic as a barrier, and the onions to mask the carrot smell.