The traditional remedy is to surround the carrots with string soaked in paraffin. Never tried that. If you do thin, either do it on a wet day or water afterwards to damp down the smell and settle the soil. Anything to stop the lovely carroty smell getting out. But I think fleece is the best answer. Or do what my mum does and grow them in containers on her first-floor balcony.
For the past two years all my carrots have had carrot fly attacks, even the ones grown in containers atop an outside work bench [especially the purple carrots.] This year I surrounded them with a 1 mtr high Vegimesh fence fixed to canes and the carrots were perfect.
The advantage I find with a fence, over mesh being laid over the carrots, is that you do not have to uncover the carrots to weed with an onion hoe or when thinning them out. But then I am rather tall with a long reach !
Vegimesh is quite expensive, so for a larger plot next year I am going to use the heavyweight fleece I have used this year to cover my cabbage. It really is very strong compared to the lightweight version which I find a waste of space.
Hi GWRS. I get mine from gardening-naturally.com. I comes under 'Frost Protection' and is 30gm as apposed to the usual 17gm. It is even machine washable.
Ta phillippa, I got a copy of John Seymour's complete book on self-sufficiency in the post today, not read it in years but I think that covers clamping. If not I'll ask Dove what to do.
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Dig up the carrot bed yesterday all got the fly
I have another bed in a big box , will have to see if they got it as well , ever hopeful
will use fleece and buy some insert netting for next year
once again thanks for the advise
The traditional remedy is to surround the carrots with string soaked in paraffin. Never tried that. If you do thin, either do it on a wet day or water afterwards to damp down the smell and settle the soil. Anything to stop the lovely carroty smell getting out. But I think fleece is the best answer. Or do what my mum does and grow them in containers on her first-floor balcony.
What is the best way to store carrots for the winter without leaving them in the ground?
I found a web article that said leave them in there, covered in straw and horticultural sheeting. So did.
Dug some up yesterday and it looks like I have the same problem as GWRS. Still have loads of them in the ground too.
For the past two years all my carrots have had carrot fly attacks, even the ones grown in containers atop an outside work bench [especially the purple carrots.] This year I surrounded them with a 1 mtr high Vegimesh fence fixed to canes and the carrots were perfect.
The advantage I find with a fence, over mesh being laid over the carrots, is that you do not have to uncover the carrots to weed with an onion hoe or when thinning them out. But then I am rather tall with a long reach !
Vegimesh is quite expensive, so for a larger plot next year I am going to use the heavyweight fleece I have used this year to cover my cabbage. It really is very strong compared to the lightweight version which I find a waste of space.
MelM , heavy weigh fleece , never herd of it ? Wondered where you got it ?
You are quite right the lightweight stuff does just disintegrate
Hi GWRS. I get mine from gardening-naturally.com. I comes under 'Frost Protection' and is 30gm as apposed to the usual 17gm. It is even machine washable.
Ta phillippa, I got a copy of John Seymour's complete book on self-sufficiency in the post today, not read it in years but I think that covers clamping. If not I'll ask Dove what to do.
We don't have a big chest freezer anymore Edd, though probably worth considering again to keep the food from the garden throughout the year.
I do like the old ways if they work though, all my tatties are in dark cupboards in cardboard boxes, been keeping well so far.
You can definitely freeze carrots , if you doubt me next time you go into a supermarket just look in the freezer cabinets