carrot fly

[Brenjon]

will the carrot root fly be active yet and if not when will it be.
Regards Brenjon

[glallotments]

May tends to be the start of the carrot fly season - not sure how the weather will affect them though!

[hilary]

Hi Brenjon,
I am going to cover my carrots with enviromesh from this weekend since I was always led to believe that when the cow parsley is in flower then the carrot fly will be active ! Round here cow parsley is just beginning to show white! The first wave attacks in May/june and then again later in the year.
Hilary

[Geoff]

I assume they are permanent - sow under mesh, grow under mesh, remove the mesh when you clear the crop.

[glallotments]

We put the mesh on as soon as we sow and leave it on - only removing for weeding
Our method is here http://glallotments.co.uk/CarrotFly.aspxon my website

[freddy]

We put the mesh on as soon as we sow and leave it on - only removing for weeding

Same here, and so far I've NEVER had any fly damage. I invested in enviromesh two years ago and I find it works. The main drawback is the cost
(around £30 for two 8x4 raised beds). I have ten raised beds, and four are normally covered with enviromesh. It DOES seem as though it will last for quite some time, so as far as I'm concerned, a worthwhile investment.

Cheers...freddy.

[Geoff]

Freddy, I use mine on frames and have just repaired the frames made in 2005 (don't ask how I managed to run into the Carrot Cage with a loaded wheelbarrow) using the same mesh.

[glallotments]

We make a frame to and have been using the same mesh for several years now- we buy the wide option

[madchook]

Without sounding like a tightwad *cough*..is there any reason that good old net curtain wouldn't be just as good as enviromesh? I have some EM, but really is very expensive and I just cut it too short for my new raised beds (doh!).

[glallotments]

If the curtain is fine enough and doesn't have large holes - I can't see why it wouldn't work!