[Learnerlady]

Hi,
I'm sure i've read somewhere that if your raised beds or containers are tall then you won't get carrot fly as they only fly at low levels. Anyone have experience of this or was I dreaming?
Planning on growing carrots and parsnips in new raised beds next year which are approx 15 -18 inches so wondering if i need mesh too?
Thanks 

[Potterer]

I’ve always read this but don’t feel convinced! I grew carrots in a very small back garden with high fences And I got a lot of carrot root fly!

[Growster...]

Carrot flies do tend to stay close to the ground, but of course, can get higher if the wind gets up!

I've actually seen one trying to get through a net on the ground, and it was a determined blighter, so we grow short carrots in holed buckets with the tops about 2'6" above ground (on a shelf). This has been the norm here for several years, and apart from a little slug damage, it seems to work.

The seed is just broadcast over the top of the compost and dusted in, and apart from watering (they are in trays), the carrots grow densely, and so far have no sign of flies.

There's another post somewhere here, where an experienced poster does something similar, but in a raised bed - but I can't find it...

So you weren't dreaming after all:0)

[snowdrops]

Well thank you Mr G, I never knew carrot fly were visible

[Christine]

In tubs on a raised area and covered by environmesh. Drastic. Grows carrots. Spent compost goes under the raspberry canes to encourage them to fruit. No wastage.

[Nobbie]

I grew some in an old tile crate, so about 2 1/2 foot high and they still got the fly at the allotment. Maybe we just have more athletic carrot fly here

[Aunt Sally]

I’ve always used enviromesh over carrots in my raised beds.  The flies go higher than most people think. 

[JayG]

I did grow some in an old chimney pot one year (maximum height about 2'6") and they avoided the fly - the following year a few of them were attacked (and you don't get many in an ordinary chimney pot!)

Hopeless uncovered at ground level here, they have to be under enviromesh or no crop.

Carrot flies aren't fitted with an altimeter, they are just weak fliers, but I wouldn't think that most raised beds would be high enough to provide much protection (as Growster has pointed out, they need to be grown at least 2'6" above the surrounding land.)

[Christine]

I'm told that the beggars don't fly - they glide and thermal on warm up currents. Would cover the situations that some of you describe.

[snowdrops]

I use environmesh, but wish I would learn to cover them as soon as I sow the seeds instead of thinking I have time 

[Growster...]

Just had a thought - you can sow a short carrot now and get a crop if the weather stays kind, but do the carrot flies like the cooler weather, or do they pack up soon?

Need to find out!

[Kenilworth]

I'm told that the beggars don't fly - they glide and thermal on warm up currents. Would cover the situations that some of you describe.

yeah sure I read something similar including they can glide down from taller nearby vegetation.

Personally I use a number of strategies that seem to have worked very well for a good number of years. I grow in my back garden which has a 6 foot wall/panel fence surrounding it rather that down the allotment plot, I grow rows of onions and marigolds on either side, I tend to use carrot fly resistant seed, use haxnicks giant enviromesh tunnels to cover though I will admit not to being overly strict to the edges of the tunnel so there would be gaps and finally making sure I rotate where I grow carrots, parsnips each year.....Now I cant say what of these separate measures in isolation are effective, but I do find in combination it works.

[Learnerlady]

Hi,
Thanks for the responses TBH I didn't think about effect of the wind. As its so disappointing when they look good but horrid when pulled that I'll probably use mesh. Thanks for the reminder to cover when sewn Snowdrops
I haven't grown them often as previous plot had lots of stones but on new plot I've seived the soil in the raised beds as we eat lots of carrots and parsnips😁

[jaydig]

Personally I wouldn't take the risk.  It's better to cover the carrot bed with environmesh or similar.  If your carrots get infected with the carrot fly it's a whole year's crop wasted and it's so disappointing.  I know the carrot is a simple vegetable, and they are cheap to buy in the supermarket, but nothing tastes like homegrown ones, and nothing is as fresh as something straight from plot to plate.

[Learnerlady]

Just had a thought - you can sow a short carrot now and get a crop if the weather stays kind, but do the carrot flies like the cooler weather, or do they pack up soon?

Need to find out!

Just got latest KG says "2 generations of eggs laid, May-June and August-Sept. The latest gen causes problems for summer sewn carrots " Not sure if sewing now would class as summer...bbrrrrr