In message , Jim S
writes
What's the current 'green' way of controlling carrot fly.
I used to use spring onion thinnings left around to mask the smell, but my
friend says that does not work for him.
I have suggested inter-cropping with onion and not sowing so close that
carrot thinning is unnecessary.
I have heard tales of low walls around (wood or fabric) as CF fly very low.
Howver he has bee told to use 12" raised beds for the same reason.
This seems excessive and doesn't the wind carry the flies?

After 3 successive years of deformed and holed carrots ( heavy London
clay soil and stony with flint ), last year we grew some in an old metal
dustbin with soil/compost up to about 6 inches below the rim. We got
long straight clean beautiful carrots.
--
Paul reply-to is valid

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:22:43 +0000, Paul
wrote:

In message , Jim S
writes
What's the current 'green' way of controlling carrot fly.
I used to use spring onion thinnings left around to mask the smell, but my
friend says that does not work for him.
I have suggested inter-cropping with onion and not sowing so close that
carrot thinning is unnecessary.
I have heard tales of low walls around (wood or fabric) as CF fly very low.
Howver he has bee told to use 12" raised beds for the same reason.
This seems excessive and doesn't the wind carry the flies?

After 3 successive years of deformed and holed carrots ( heavy London
clay soil and stony with flint ), last year we grew some in an old metal
dustbin with soil/compost up to about 6 inches below the rim. We got
long straight clean beautiful carrots.

Yes, that is partly becuase you used good soil, and because carrot fly
don't fly up in the air. They skim the ground. Putting a barrier of
fleece, plastic etc up to about 18 inches will stop the fly finding
the carrots. your dustbin served the same purpose.
An allotment neighbour last year cut a plastic barrel in half, filled
each half with good compost and grew some excellent carrots

Pam in Bristol

Grow them under a fleece cover and keep it on until you harvest.

The problem with that is that I usually harvest just a few each day -
and I suppose the flies would get in during that time, wouldn't they?
(Also - what about weeding?)
--
Chris

On Jan 28, 1:34*pm, Chris ] wrote:
..
The problem with that is that I usually harvest just a few each day -
and I suppose the flies would get in during that time, wouldn't they?
(Also - what about weeding?)

The usual advice is if you pull a few carrots or thin the row to cover
up well afterwards as the smell is supposed to attract the fly - I
know my grandfather always did and he grew carrots like you would not
believe, but then in those days the substance used for soil
improvement would not be acceptable today! It was a long time ago but
he never had the benefit of fleece covers and the like but I cannot
remember ever seeing any pest damage on his vegetables - I have been
trying to grow potatoes, cabbages and carrots as clean as his ever
since!

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:54:08 GMT, Rusty_Hinge
wrote:

The message 0
from Jim S contains these words:

What's the current 'green' way of controlling carrot fly.
I used to use spring onion thinnings left around to mask the smell, but my
friend says that does not work for him.
I have suggested inter-cropping with onion and not sowing so close that
carrot thinning is unnecessary.
I have heard tales of low walls around (wood or fabric) as CF fly very low.
Howver he has bee told to use 12" raised beds for the same reason.
This seems excessive and doesn't the wind carry the flies?

Grow them above knee height in containers. Carrot fly fly at RAF zero
altitude. /RAF

So where do they come from?
--
http://www.freedeliveryuk.co.uk
http://www.holidayunder100.co.uk

"Pam Moore" wrote

An allotment neighbour last year cut a plastic barrel in half, filled
each half with good compost and grew some excellent carrots

I was considering doing this. A bit of a daft question but was the barrel
cut horizontally or vertically?

"Martin" wrote

You can grow carrots in vertical plastic drain pipes (as seen in a
programme
about people growing giant vegetables).

Wouldn't you need hundreds or drainpipes?

In article ,
Martin wrote:
On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:32:15 -0000, "Mel" wrote:

You can grow carrots in vertical plastic drain pipes (as seen in a
programme
about people growing giant vegetables).

Wouldn't you need hundreds or drainpipes?

How many 5 metre long carrots were you thinking of growing? )

Ten. Or one 50 metre carrot would do.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:09:32 +0100, Martin wrote:

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:40:48 +0000 (GMT), wrote:

In article ,
Martin wrote:
On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:32:15 -0000, "Mel" wrote:

You can grow carrots in vertical plastic drain pipes (as seen in a
programme
about people growing giant vegetables).

Wouldn't you need hundreds or drainpipes?

How many 5 metre long carrots were you thinking of growing? )

Ten. Or one 50 metre carrot would do.

Ok, if you live on the top floor of a tower block, maybe. )

In which case just use the drainpipe.
--
Jim S
Tyneside UK
www.jimscott.co.uk

On 28 Jan, 18:22, "Mel" wrote:
"Pam Moore" wrote

An allotment neighbour last year cut a plastic barrel in half, filled
each half with good compost and grew some excellent carrots

I was considering doing this. *A bit of a daft question but was the barrel
cut horizontally or vertically?

Vertically is only suitable if you want the carrots to come up ready
sliced.

On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:08:13 +0100, Martin wrote:

On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:11:53 GMT, Jim S wrote:

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:09:32 +0100, Martin wrote:

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:40:48 +0000 (GMT), wrote:

In article ,
Martin wrote:
On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:32:15 -0000, "Mel" wrote:

You can grow carrots in vertical plastic drain pipes (as seen in a
programme
about people growing giant vegetables).

Wouldn't you need hundreds or drainpipes?

How many 5 metre long carrots were you thinking of growing? )

Ten. Or one 50 metre carrot would do.

Ok, if you live on the top floor of a tower block, maybe. )

In which case just use the drainpipe.

the one provided free? Good thinking. Grow water cress in the water feature that
forms on the roof.

Flat roof eh?
More carrots - as if the root fly can get this far up ........... I wonder
if I can get a grant for this one?
--
Jim S
Tyneside UK
www.jimscott.co.uk

The message
from mogga contains these words:
On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:54:08 GMT, Rusty_Hinge
wrote:
The message 0
from Jim S contains these words:

What's the current 'green' way of controlling carrot fly.
I used to use spring onion thinnings left around to mask the smell,
but my
friend says that does not work for him.
I have suggested inter-cropping with onion and not sowing so close that
carrot thinning is unnecessary.
I have heard tales of low walls around (wood or fabric) as CF fly
very low.
Howver he has bee told to use 12" raised beds for the same reason.
This seems excessive and doesn't the wind carry the flies?

Grow them above knee height in containers. Carrot fly fly at RAF zero
altitude. /RAF

So where do they come from?

Dead carrots. (And other umbellifers)

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The message
from "Mel" contains these words:
"Martin" wrote

You can grow carrots in vertical plastic drain pipes (as seen in a
programme
about people growing giant vegetables).

Wouldn't you need hundreds or drainpipes?

Only if you wanted hundreds of giant vegetables.

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The message
from contains these words:
In article ,
Martin wrote:
On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:32:15 -0000, "Mel" wrote:

You can grow carrots in vertical plastic drain pipes (as seen in a
programme
about people growing giant vegetables).

Wouldn't you need hundreds or drainpipes?

How many 5 metre long carrots were you thinking of growing? )

Ten. Or one 50 metre carrot would do.

Have you got planning permission for your drainpipe, sir?

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig

The message
from Martin contains these words:
On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:40:48 +0000 (GMT), wrote:
In article ,
Martin wrote:
On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:32:15 -0000, "Mel" wrote:

You can grow carrots in vertical plastic drain pipes (as seen in a
programme
about people growing giant vegetables).

Wouldn't you need hundreds or drainpipes?

How many 5 metre long carrots were you thinking of growing? )

Ten. Or one 50 metre carrot would do.

Ok, if you live on the top floor of a tower block, maybe. )

IRTA "if you live on the top floor of a flower block, maybe."

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
Separator in search of a sig