Carrot Fly Protection

Gardening to 'grow your own food' from square foot to half an acre !!
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Richard
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Carrot Fly Protection

Post by Richard »

I've used some black cricket screen netting that was being thrown away at Cricket a few years back (50 meters of it!!). Just as good are old net curtains.

If you buy rolls of carrot fly screening, they can cost £30 ore more !!

[center]Image[/center]

Once you start fiddling with your carrots, especially when weeding and thinning out, the Fly catch the whiff and in they come.

Good news is they fly low and fairly horizontal, so a good screen around prevents them laying their eggs on your plants.

(Growing Carrots in amongst Onions helps as well).

Any more tips on Carrot Fly ?

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Totally Scrambled
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Re: Carrot Fly Protection

Post by Totally Scrambled »

I plant members of the onion family in rows either side of my rows carrots and have never had a problem with carrot fly. The idea is that they can't smell the carrots over the smell of the onions )t'
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Re: Carrot Fly Protection

Post by Freeranger »

Another theory is that they fly at or below 18" so if you grow your carrots in a container above that height they don't home in on them. Only tried once to grow them and not successfully - tiny, tiny bitesized blips - so couldn't tell you if this works or not.
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Richard
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Re: Carrot Fly Protection

Post by Richard »

Up to this year I'd done more or less the same as Dom. You can see in the photo I have Onions next to them (blocking the normal seasonal sw wind).

Interesting about sowing them high.

Problem is, if you get hit, you won't find out the extent of damage until you harvest.

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lancashire lass
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Re: Carrot Fly Protection

Post by lancashire lass »

When thinning out, avoid crushing the leaves and do it in the evening when carrot fly are less active then water to dampen off any lingering scent. Don't forget to take the thinnings away so that they don't attract the carrot fly.
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billnorfolk
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Re: Carrot Fly Protection

Post by billnorfolk »

Richard wrote:I've used some black cricket screen netting that was being thrown away at Cricket a few years back (50 meters of it!!). Just as good are old net curtains.

If you buy rolls of carrot fly screening, they can cost £30 ore more !!

[center]Image[/center]

Once you start fiddling with your carrots, especially when weeding and thinning out, the Fly catch the whiff and in they come.

Good news is they fly low and fairly horizontal, so a good screen around prevents them laying their eggs on your plants.

(Growing Carrots in amongst Onions helps as well).

Any more tips on Carrot Fly ?

I do tend to use enviromesh as they cant get through it ,as you say Richard can be expensive but lasts for 10 years or more.

Richard
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Re: Carrot Fly Protection

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"Good news is they fly low and fairly horizontal, so a good screen around prevents them laying their eggs on your plants."

If the above statement is correct, I assume they are able to fly through, or navigate around houses, fences, hedges etc ?
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lancashire lass
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Re: Carrot Fly Protection

Post by lancashire lass »

fishpond wrote:"Good news is they fly low and fairly horizontal, so a good screen around prevents them laying their eggs on your plants."

If the above statement is correct, I assume they are able to fly through, or navigate around houses, fences, hedges etc ?


Don't forget the wind might carry them over obstacles
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Re: Carrot Fly Protection

Post by fishpond »

lancashire lass wrote:
fishpond wrote:"Good news is they fly low and fairly horizontal, so a good screen around prevents them laying their eggs on your plants."

If the above statement is correct, I assume they are able to fly through, or navigate around houses, fences, hedges etc ?


Don't forget the wind might carry them over obstacles


Carrots don't give me wind {rofwl} )ot:

What stops the wind from blowing the flies over the barrier?
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Richard
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Re: Carrot Fly Protection

Post by Richard »

:-D

There are some questions only nature has the answer to )t' )t'
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Re: Carrot Fly Protection

Post by WhiteWolf »

We grow carrots in an un-netted raised bed (two decking boards high) and haven't yet had any problems (touch wood) yet.

I was told to "thin out" just after it had rained and despose of the thinnings.

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Richard
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Re: Carrot Fly Protection

Post by Richard »

That's right, best in the evening as well - the flies have gone to sleep.

I didn't net mine for a few years and didn't have a problem, lucky I guess, but putting them amongst the Onions, Chives or Garlic will reduce the risk greatly.

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