Thursday 21 May 2015

Carrot Root Fly precautions

Last year I used Enviromesh for the first time, to protect my carrots from the Carrot Root Fly, and I am now a convert. Carrot Root Fly infestation is more or less inevitable if carrots are not protected, and the results can be devastating.

Carrots infested by Carrot Root Fly - Photo from 2010

The manufacturer's website describes Enviromesh like this:-

"Enviromesh is a fine mesh netting, woven from U.V. stabilised polyethylene.  The mesh size is 1.35mm.  The weight is around 55g/m2, light passage 90% and air passage 75%.  The material is very durable.  In tests, it showed no deterioration after continuous exposure for a period of 60 months.  In practice, Enviromesh has lasted a period of more than 10 years."

Having seen the results of using this material, I shall be using it for the foreseeable future!

These are my maincrop carrots, duly protected:


There are three rows of carrots under there, as well as one row of beetroot.


And these are my little "cocktail carrots", growing as usual in a raised wooden planter outside our kitchen window. The actual carrots are in two plastic crates filled with compost.


I have used a small offcut of Enviromesh, supported by six metal rods topped with cane-toppers.


This will give enough height for the carrot leaves to grow unhindered.


The mesh is secured to the wooden planter with some drawing-pins.


All the carrot foliage looks good so far, but of course it is too early for any significant roots, though with all this protection I'm quietly confident... (famous last words).

5 comments:

  1. What would we do without row covers? Carrot fly is really bad here too. Though in spring I don't see damage until the end of June and it is mild until maybe mid July. I still cover my carrots in the spring though. I like the pristine carrots.

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  2. I'm growing mine high this year minus the covers, I just hope its true that carrot fly can't fly very high!

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  3. Pretty nifty system. There is nothing worse than pulling up what you think (and hope) will be a beautiful, sweet carrot, and then see it full of holes and destroyed. I hope this works for you. I will stay tuned!

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  4. Yuck - I don't think I've ever seen an infested carrot. I REALLY hope that we don't get them in our area - I have so many beds covered already, it would be nice to have at least a few without the need for netting!

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  5. When I can actually get carrot seeds to germinate, I have the same experience as Daphne - damage later in the summer. The Enviromesh seems like a good product, woven polyethylene. The stuff I use is spun-bond polyester, not woven, and is fragile. Amazon sells Envirormesh but it is very expensive for a small piece. For less than what it costs to buy a piece the size you covered your main carrot bed with, I can buy a 50 foot roll of 10 foot wide Agribon, so I'll stick with that for now.

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