[WebSiteEvo]

I have just been checking on my carrots . They are covered with fleece to keep out the carrot root fly. While thinning I noticed there are hundreds of small jumping insects when the soil is disturbed. The are redy brown and too small to make out much detail. They look quite rounded. Anyone know what these are? and do they sound like anything that will harm the carrots. Because of the fleece the soil remains moist and humid which my explain way the bugs have only been found in the carrot bed! I have found no evidence of damage to the leafs or roots.. so far !.

Issue number 2:  My carrots have very health looking growth on top but very small roots. I was thinking the soil might be too rich. The soil was a mix of top soil and completely composed horse manure and a little sand for drainage. I would say there was more manure then top soil and sand together! The reason there was so much manure is because there was a thick layer of clay in the bed which I removed, which needed replacing and manure was the only medium I had in large supply. As it was so well composed I hoped I would get away with it.

[new_2_veg]

shouldnt plant carrots where manuse has been with in the last year

[WebSiteEvo]

shouldnt plant carrots where manuse has been with in the last year

As all the beds are only a few months old picking a bed thats been used for a year growing something else was not an option and because of the clay I could not used the soil as it was. I guess the only other option would of been purchasing top soil, but was trying to keep the costs down.

[DD.]

If it was well composted manure & friable, then you may be OK. You get problems with forking where carrot roots hit a lump of it.

I think your carrots will be fine, once they show that coulour they will soon start to fill out, just need a little more time yet.

As regards the insects, I'm even going to guess without seeing them, but they don't seem to be doing any damage do they?

[WebSiteEvo]

If it was well composted manure & friable, then you may be OK. You get problems with forking where carrot roots hit a lump of it.

I think your carrots will be fine, once they show that coulour they will soon start to fill out, just need a little more time yet.

As regards the insects, I'm even going to guess without seeing them, but they don't seem to be doing any damage do they?

Been hopping for a long time that they will be fine, but as the roots are so small I was starting to worry. Will keep an eye on them and see if they fill out. They look healthy just very small and smell very strong. All lumps where removed and the soil was almost the consistency of bagged compost.

"BUGS" May try and get a picture of one, but they are so small its not going to be easy.  No damage at the moment so fingers crossed.

[love-my-plot]

The "jumping" that you describe sounds like flea beetle? Don't know if they go for carrots though.
 I noticed it on the turnips leaves, last year. The leaves were riddled with tiny little holes but the roots themselves were fine and tasted great, so I didn't bother trying to control them.

[WebSiteEvo]

The "jumping" that you describe sounds like flea beetle? Don't know if they go for carrots though.
 I noticed it on the turnips leaves, last year. The leaves were riddled with tiny little holes but the roots themselves were fine and tasted great, so I didn't bother trying to control them.

They jumped like fleas and looked like very large fleas so I guess you could be right. thanks.