Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

Every year my carrots have carrot root fly.
The ones I'm digging at the moment have to have about 30% cut out and
thrown away.
I have been composting the waste - and suddenly wondered if that is OK.
Would that perpetuate the problem?
--
Chris

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

In article ],
Chris ] writes:
| Every year my carrots have carrot root fly.
| The ones I'm digging at the moment have to have about 30% cut out and
| thrown away.

Are you growing a resistant variety? I find that doing so reduces that
to about 5%, which is acceptable.

| I have been composting the waste - and suddenly wondered if that is OK.
| Would that perpetuate the problem?

It's fine. No, it won't.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

Nick Maclaren wrote:
: In article ],
: Chris ] writes:
::: Every year my carrots have carrot root fly.
::: The ones I'm digging at the moment have to have about 30% cut out
::: and thrown away.
:
: Are you growing a resistant variety? I find that doing so reduces
: that to about 5%, which is acceptable.
:
Snip

: Regards,
: Nick Maclaren.

Or try making a wooden compost filled open framework at least 18" above
ground as per the Big Dig allotment programme last year. Apparently the
blighters don't fly that high. I'll let you know later!

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

On 15 Feb, 10:07, "Robert" wrote:
Nick Maclaren wrote:
::: Every year my carrots have carrot root fly.
::: The ones I'm digging at the moment have to have about 30% cut out
::: and thrown away.
: Are you growing a resistant variety? I find that doing so reduces
: that to about 5%, which is acceptable.

Or try making a wooden compost filled open framework at least 18" above
ground as per the Big Dig allotment programme last year. Apparently the
blighters don't fly that high. I'll let you know later!

They're not strong flyers and an open windswept area is good. Also
plant a row of onions for one row of carrots. I use rosemary near by
and mulch the carrots so that beneficial crawlies can hide under and
eat the psila if invaded.

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

In article , Nick Maclaren
writes
In article ],
Chris ] writes:
| Every year my carrots have carrot root fly.
| The ones I'm digging at the moment have to have about 30% cut out and
| thrown away.

Are you growing a resistant variety? I find that doing so reduces that
to about 5%, which is acceptable.

Yes - both Flyaway and Sytan.

| I have been composting the waste - and suddenly wondered if that is OK.
| Would that perpetuate the problem?

It's fine. No, it won't.

Excellent - thanks for your reassurance.
This year I might grow them under fleece.
Bit of a clat though ... no weeding etc.
--
Chris

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

On 15 Feb, 13:33, Chris ] wrote:
Excellent - thanks for your reassurance.
This year I might grow them under fleece.
Bit of a clat though ... no weeding etc.

I just saw what I wrote ... I don't know what's the matter with me
today. Planting onions next to your carrots is great to deter the
psila flies, off course. I'm sure you knew that but I didn't write it,
didn't I. That's why I use rosemary myself, smells nicer too.

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

"Robert" wrote after...
Nick Maclaren replied to
: Chris :
::: Every year my carrots have carrot root fly.
::: The ones I'm digging at the moment have to have about 30% cut out
::: and thrown away.
:
: Are you growing a resistant variety? I find that doing so reduces
: that to about 5%, which is acceptable.
:
Snip
..

Or try making a wooden compost filled open framework at least 18" above
ground as per the Big Dig allotment programme last year. Apparently the
blighters don't fly that high. I'll let you know later!

Errr, didn't work for us! This year we will use envirofleece over the top
too.

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

::: Every year my carrots have carrot root fly.
::: The ones I'm digging at the moment have to have about 30% cut out
::: and thrown away.

Or try making a wooden compost filled open framework at least 18" above
ground as per the Big Dig allotment programme last year. Apparently the
blighters don't fly that high. I'll let you know later!

Errr, didn't work for us! This year we will use envirofleece over the top
too.

Please tell me more.
I haven't heard of envirofleece.
Where do you get it?
Is it different from the ordinary white fleece from the garden centre?
And how would you do weeding?
If you removed the fleece to do weeding, wouldn't that let the root fly
in?
--
Chris

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

"La Puce" wrote in message
ups.com...
On 15 Feb, 13:33, Chris ] wrote:
Excellent - thanks for your reassurance.
This year I might grow them under fleece.
Bit of a clat though ... no weeding etc.

I just saw what I wrote ... I don't know what's the matter with me
today. Planting onions next to your carrots is great to deter the
psila flies, off course. I'm sure you knew that but I didn't write it,
didn't I. That's why I use rosemary myself, smells nicer too.

I grow mine inside an enviromesh "fence" about 3 foot high. Seems to stop
the little blighters and you can step over it to weed etc. Last year I had
no damage to my carrots or parsnip. Now if it was only so easy to stop the
slugs....
George

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

On 18/2/07 22:02, in article ,
"thehams" wrote:
snip

I grow mine inside an enviromesh "fence" about 3 foot high. Seems to stop
the little blighters and you can step over it to weed etc. Last year I had
no damage to my carrots or parsnip. Now if it was only so easy to stop the
slugs....

Have you tried Nematodes?
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 18/2/07 22:02, in article ,
"thehams" wrote:
snip

I grow mine inside an enviromesh "fence" about 3 foot high. Seems to
stop
the little blighters and you can step over it to weed etc. Last year I
had
no damage to my carrots or parsnip. Now if it was only so easy to stop
the
slugs....

Have you tried Nematodes?

I have looked at them, but decided they were too expensive for the area they
would be needed for, and I believe you have to repeat the treatment after a
short while.

Alan

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

On 18/2/07 23:18, in article ,
"Alan Holmes" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 18/2/07 22:02, in article ,
"thehams" wrote:
snip

I grow mine inside an enviromesh "fence" about 3 foot high. Seems to
stop
the little blighters and you can step over it to weed etc. Last year I
had
no damage to my carrots or parsnip. Now if it was only so easy to stop
the
slugs....

Have you tried Nematodes?

I have looked at them, but decided they were too expensive for the area they
would be needed for, and I believe you have to repeat the treatment after a
short while.

What is more expensive? Having a perpetually wrecked crop so that you have
to buy your veg in, or using nematodes (which also protect other crops) once
or twice a year? I ask the question in a genuine spirit because I haven't
costed them on your basis. We use them here, along with other bio controls
and they work. I'm not saying we don't get ANY slugs but I am saying we get
fewer slugs over 6 acres of garden and nursery combined.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 18/2/07 23:18, in article ,
"Alan Holmes" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 18/2/07 22:02, in article ,
"thehams" wrote:
snip

I grow mine inside an enviromesh "fence" about 3 foot high. Seems to
stop
the little blighters and you can step over it to weed etc. Last year I
had
no damage to my carrots or parsnip. Now if it was only so easy to stop
the
slugs....

Have you tried Nematodes?

I have looked at them, but decided they were too expensive for the area
they
would be needed for, and I believe you have to repeat the treatment after
a
short while.

What is more expensive? Having a perpetually wrecked crop so that you
have
to buy your veg in, or using nematodes (which also protect other crops)
once
or twice a year? I ask the question in a genuine spirit because I haven't
costed them on your basis. We use them here, along with other bio
controls
and they work. I'm not saying we don't get ANY slugs but I am saying we
get
fewer slugs over 6 acres of garden and nursery combined.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)


It is a question of sticking with these things and building up a "system"
over several years.
Although the nematodes kill slugs, unfortunately, the snail population then
has free range to munch away without any competition:-(

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

On 19/2/07 10:03, in article , "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
snip

What is more expensive? Having a perpetually wrecked crop so that you
have
to buy your veg in, or using nematodes (which also protect other crops)
once
or twice a year? I ask the question in a genuine spirit because I haven't
costed them on your basis. We use them here, along with other bio
controls
and they work. I'm not saying we don't get ANY slugs but I am saying we
get
fewer slugs over 6 acres of garden and nursery combined.
--


It is a question of sticking with these things and building up a "system"
over several years.
Although the nematodes kill slugs, unfortunately, the snail population then
has free range to munch away without any competition:-(

That's gardening for you. ;-)) However, you're right that you have to
'keep your nerve' when using any biological controls but they certainly do
work and they work very well.
http://www.greengardener.co.uk/slug.htm

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

Composting Contaminated Carrots
 

In article , Sacha
writes
On 18/2/07 22:02, in article ,
"thehams" wrote:
snip

I grow mine inside an enviromesh "fence" about 3 foot high. Seems to stop
the little blighters and you can step over it to weed etc. Last year I had
no damage to my carrots or parsnip. Now if it was only so easy to stop the
slugs....

Have you tried Nematodes?

No, I suspect that the carrots are much tastier.

--
regards andyw