Kitchen Garden Forum

I've read that growing carrots in raised beds (over 18" above the ground) stops carrot root fly laying their eggs as they're low fliers. Before I start constructing such, can anybody confirm that it really works?. Thinks: wouldn't the flies just treat the surface of the bed as the "ground"?

Hi John, a barrier that high around the carrots is what is needed, they do fly low, also there are some resistent varieties of carrot .and companion plants that deter the fly are sage, and onions.

Hi John. The carrots we grow in tubs and buckets are never affected by the dreaded fly but the ones we grow in the ground usually get some damage.
Cheers.

Hello John

I grow carrots in barrels like Elaine and over the years have never had any fly problems.



The only problem is that you need to keep an eye on the watering and feed regularly with a high K soluble feed or a comfrey liquid if you use that. This barrel is about 24 in across and the carrots are grown quite densely at about 2 in apart. It is filled with a mixture of peat-based potting compost from the previous years flower tubs with fresh compost - about 50:50. I'm not sure that a compost based on soil would work as it might slump badly.
If you do try this method then support the barrel off the ground to prevent ants moving in at the bottom.
This year some of the carrots grew well enough to earn me a red card in our local show!

John

Thank you all. John: I hope your Red Card didn't mean that you had to leave the show and not come back?