In article , BobHobden
writes
"Broadback" wrote

Nick Maclaren wrote:
My garden suffers badly from carrot fly, so I have to net. I failed
badly with parsnips some decades back, but am trying again. I should
be interested to know whether anyone who has a bad carrot fly problem
(i.e. ALL maincrop carrots burrowed unusably by the new year) also
grows parsnips, and what their experience is.

I have tried clamping, but it doesn't help, as you can't clamp until
after the late summer flies have laid their eggs. All that happens
is that the burrowed carrots rot, and even less is usable than for
the unclamped ones.

I suffer from carrot fly, but they have never affected my parsnips. I
always follow the same procedure. Fist I make a hole with a pointed
stick, as deep as the top soil. I then fill this with with a stone
free compost, sow 3 or 4 seeds on top then cover. This works for me.

We also suffer from Carrot Fly and grow ours in an old water tank so
it's well above the ground. Even so the carrots do eventually get the
fly but very late in the year. We also grow Parsnips and whilst we used
to do as Broadback says, plant in filled holes, we now just draw a
drill and plant in that, thinning out as required although not much as
I place the seeds a few at each spacing. No problems so far. (famous
last words!)

I grow carrots under wooden frames covered with Veggiemesh 1.5mm.
For the first time ever - no carrot fly - perfect carrots.
Parsnips Gladiator F1 from Moles Seeds primed and pelleted.
--
Chris