The dreaded carrot Fly, carrot varieties, and sowing...

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The dreaded carrot Fly, carrot varieties, and sowing...

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cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Mon May 16, 05 8:25 am Post subject: The dreaded carrot Fly, carrot varieties, and sowing...

I gather that both early and late sowings avoid carrot fly. Why? And how late is late?

As my first carrot sowing vanished into a surprising harvest of fat hen (not totally true, I have a FEW survivors), I've put some carrots in pots to plant out. I've done this before, and it's worked, but I'm told that I'm increasing my risk of carrot fly. If I rig up a polythene barrier around the seedlings I plant, will a foot be high enough? A foot and a half?

And what would be an ideal variety for a winter crop?

moggins

Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 942
Location: Gloucester

Posted: Mon May 16, 05 10:11 am Post subject:
I've done something completely by accident which is supposed to prevent carrot fly and that is planting them between onions. Apparently the onions keep away the carrot fly and the carrots also keep away something that could affect the onions (buggered if I can remember what it is though) I've also got two pots full so it will be you and me both keeping our fingers crossed

Aled

Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 123
Location: Anglesey

Posted: Mon May 16, 05 10:50 am Post subject:

There were some tips on avoiding carrot fly on Gardeners World a couple of weeks ago. One of them was to put a low barrier as they are low flying - I think it looked higher than a foot, though - closer to a foot and a half. Another tip was to sow late as you're out of synch with the fly's lifecycle. The third tip was to plant some stong smelling herb so the fly couldn't smell the carrots. I think it might have been thyme they were using, but I'm not sure.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon May 16, 05 7:13 pm Post subject:
[quote="Aled"]There were some tips on avoiding carrot fly on Gardeners World a couple of weeks ago. One of them was to put a low barrier as they are low flying[quote] How do they get over the fence then? I'm going for full cover, I've been trained by the slugs to expect more cunning from little beasties in general. So, how tall do baby carrots get?

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Mon May 16, 05 7:21 pm Post subject: Re: The dreaded carrot Fly, carrot varieties, and sowing...

cab wrote:

I think that the carrot fly, whilst devastating when it attacks only has a short "killing" time and if you plant earlt enough or late enough you miss this time. Not sure what late enough is. Also i am led to believe that the thinning of carrot plants i.e. the crushing of stems is what attracts the fly, that is the scent of bruised carrot stem. Although thinning of carrot seed is almost unavoidable due to the size of the seed if the seed is mixed with sand then it is easier to sow thinly and prevent the thining out and the attraction of the dreaded carrot fly. Planting marigolds around the carrot bed is supposed to repel carrot fly as well-might be old wives tale but it is a common theory-maybe they cannot smell the carrots through the marigold smell.

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