Tips to beat carrot root fly
My garden suffers from carrot root fly, which ruins crops. My only success has been during winter, growing baby roots in the greenhouse and a heritage variety called Oxheart in raised beds. Adults are attracted to the smell of bruised foliage and lay their eggs in the soil – the larvae munch through the roots, rendering them useless.
I’ve tried so-called resistant varieties, growing under fleece, growing very hardy varieties overwinter in pots more than 2ft off the ground (the adults can only fly that high), with poor results. However, if you do want to try growing in tall pots, here are some of the best carrots for pots and containers.
Of course, some exhibition growers have no such problems. Here’s what one world record holder does.
Ideas to ward off the pests
- Plant spring onions and mint alongside carrots to deter the pests.
- Reduce the risk of an attack by thinning plants in the evening on a still day. It’s important to sow thinly, as removing the excess seedlings is what attracts the carrot root fly.
- To thin, water the seedlings well so you don’t break the roots. Leave seedlings at 2-4cm apart. After three to four weeks, repeat so they are 5-10cm apart.
- Best of all, grow in a bed covered in Enviromesh.
Potted guide: carrots
- SOWING TIME: March-July outdoors; February under cloches/greenhouse borders.
- HARVESTING TIME: June-October.
- PLANTING DISTANCE: Sow 1cm deep, thinly, approx 30cm between rows. Thin in stages until you have 10cm between maincrop varieties, 5cm for baby carrots.
- ASPECT AND SOIL: Full sun, light, well-drained soil, no rocks or lumps – causes roots to ‘fang’, or split.
- HARDINESS: Hardy.
- DIFFICULTY: Easy – unless your garden suffers from carrot root fly.
- RECOMMENDED VARIETIES: Flyaway/Resistafly (partial carrot root fly resistance), Early Nantes 5 (early), Mokum, Atomic Red, Autumn King 2, Bangor, Purple Haze, Purple Sun, Yellowstone, Rainbow, Healthmaster, Parmex, Tendersnax.
