"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...


"Baz" wrote ...
After so many years with carrot fly, and having read
up about putting a
polythene barrier 2 feet high, we thought lets give
it a try.
The resulting carrots have no evidence of fly damage
AT ALL.
The varieties sown were Early Nantes and Autumn
King, all sown at the same
time in a very cold day in March this year.
The earlies are only finger size, even now, but the
Autumn King are so
good, we were pulling them well before the earlies.
If size matters, the AK's are huge and the earlies
are now just right for
earlies ie: finger size.

All said, the barrier method has worked (this year)
and we have our fingers
crossed for next year.

Anyone have similars?

I have not found a barrier works much. Used to grow
them surrounded by a wooden box structure 2 scaffold
boards high and that didn't stop them. Then we grew
in an old large water tank with sides nearly 3 ft
above ground and they still got the carrots. This
year only one carrot has shown any sign of root fly
so I think it must have been something else that has
done the job, possibly last winter or the dry spring.
Welcome though.


Very little carrot fly damage this year and I grew 3
varieties and thinned to 2 inches apart in early
Summer.
On each side of the carrots I grew onions, shallots and
leaks. First time I've tried 'companion planting' but I
agree with Bob, maybe hard Winter followed by dry
Spring.