[elliottk]

Hello,
I have acquired a bath on my allotment and plan to plant carrots but concerned with drainage.   Should I drill extra holes in bottom of bath or just removing the plug good enough?

Also,  should I lay some mesh at the bottom to stop the plughole getting blocked up.

My plan is to put a layer of stones on the bottom then fill the bath with new compost and some very sandy soil from my home garden.

Does that plan sound ok?

Many thanks,
Kevin   

[Schubunny]

My dad and myself both grow carrots in baths. We take the plug out and use old bricks at the bottom and then top soil mixed with compost.

[Ian_A]

I would be very careful where you sit, though.

[stompy]

A guy on my ould allotment site used to grow his carrots in a bath.
He used a hammer to knock a few holes/cracks into the bottom, the 1 plughole wasn't enough to drain it when we had rain 

He had fab carrots and he used to dress the soil/compost/sand mixture every year.

[Stratts]

Would they still need netting against the flies or is it high enough not to bother?

Great idea all the same 

[Yorkie]

The only sure way to protect against carrot flies is netting - even if they don't fly that high, they can get caught on air currents.

[elliottk]

Thanks guys.  Done the work at the allotment today, didn't drill any holes for extra drainage but guess I can do this at a later stage if needed.  Hopefully I get some good carrots. 

Didn't put any net over but guess I should do this too..

[Carrot Man]

You can get a Garlic barrier spray called 'Garlic Wonder' available online from LBS
This is excellent against carrot fly

[A. Fallowfield]

I grew excellent fly free carrots in the lower half of a water barrel (with holes) last season; a few shovels full of manure, filled up with cheap gro-bag compost!

[GrannieAnnie]

I used to have an old bath that I grew carrots in, but one year I wanted to try Jerusalem artichokes, and hearing that they are very invasive, I grew them in the bath instead.

It was a good idea, as we weren't too keen on the JA's so it was easier to get rid of them out of the bath than if they had been in the open ground.