This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Carrot fly???
Kateandtheclay
Posts: 6
in Fruit & veg
Hello. This is our first year at our allotment - complete novice. Sowed some carrot seeds in a container (not in the ground as we have clay soil - were working on it!). It's about 45cm tall. Today I think I saw some carrot fly coming out of the top of compost where the seeds were sown. They've only been in about a week. What shall I do? Wait and see what happens? Try to protect from now on? Re-sow and protect? If it was carrot fly what damage will it do? Destroy seedlings entirely or allow seedlings to develop and then damage the actual veg later on? Many thanks
0
Posts
You can grow carrot in clay soil, just spread 3-4" or more of compost in the first year well before sowing, in late autumn if possible, and then ~2" in following years. It works fine. I did not net for several years and got no carrot fly. However, I am told they will appear some time, so I now use fine netting. You really have to if you want to be assured of no carrot fly. It lasts years, so it's not too expensive.
I don't see how the fly could have done any damage yet. The seeds can scarcely have begun to germinate. Are you sure they were carrot fly and not some other beasties? In any case, carrot fly are said not to fly over barriers like the sides of a container.
Thanks both.
I really don't know Green Magpie, these black flies just caught my eye as one or two seemed to be crawling / burrowing in the top of the compost. I wasn't looking for them even. You're right, only one or two seedlings had emerged (haven't been for a few days to look again) but i don't really know much about the carrot fly, including its life cycle etc.