"Peter James" wrote ...

This year in my allotment I have again suffered with carrott fly.

I've tried a lot of the growing methods by growing under fleece,
planting altenate rows with other plants, jeyes fluid watered on the
crop and this year covering with grass clippings.

Nothing seems to work, and to add embarrassment to dismal failure last
night, whilst watering the plot my wife tripped and fell over and into
the fleece covered carrot rows. She caused quite extensive damage for
such a small woman! The damage caused gave us the opportunity to check
the crop only to find, yes you guessed, carrot fly.

So next year I guess the only alternative will be a raised covered bed
or no carrotts. At 76 I really don't fancy making a raised bed with all
the hassle of transporting earth in a wheel barrow.

So, my plea is this. Is there any product on the market that can be
used to deter this little beast. Years ago I used "Bromophos" and that
worked so well the EEC banned it.

Does anyone on the group use any other product with any degree of
success?


We pulled some lovely carrots yesterday and no root fly. We grow them in an
old large household water tank so they are about 2.5 feet above the normal
ground. The tank is filled with compost from grow bags and sharp sand. The
tank needs to be positioned away from any other high plants, fences etc, so
it's in the open or from experience the fly will get in. Even this will not
stop the fly eventually finding the carrots late in the season IME.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK