The things you've got to do............

[Snadger]

Just to grow a few edible carrots!

This has been my weekends work,,,,,building a frame, perspex sheeet (from a skip) along the back.........scrounged Debri netting on the sides and enviromesh on the top!
All carrots sown, then sealed up until the first weeding foray in a months time!
Not pretty, but productive..hopefully!

[Alison]

Looks sturdy though.

Just have fleece in a wall around mine, how come you've gone for the perspex on one side and covered over the top?

[Snadger]

Looks sturdy though.

Just have fleece in a wall around mine, how come you've gone for the perspex on one side and covered over the top?

I already had the enviromesh which I bought a couple of years ago for stretching over another narrower bed. It wasn't wide enough to cover this bed so I had to use something for the sides............and then I spotted the perspex in a skip! Thought I would have enough for the front as well so had to improvise with the salvaged debris netting!

[taff]

nice job....mucho impressive!!

[Dynamo]

This is my first year with an allotment on this site so its very much a learning process regarding what grows and what gets eaten by pests. My plan next year if I get problems with carrot fly is to build some frames about 2 feet high to hold upturned 2 litre plastic milk bottles in with the bottoms (which would now be the tops obviously ) cut off, and fill them with a mix of compost and soil, and then plant the carrots in them because I'm told that carrot fly never go more than about 5 inches off the ground.

[Snadger]

......................... because I'm told that carrot fly never go more than about 5 inches off the ground.

Yeah right Is that why they've been supposedly spotted nesting 30 foot up in a tree then?

I think they follow the ground contours and maybe fly 5 inches above terra firma....if the raised bed happens to be 3 foot high with carrots in it they will fly at 3 foot 5 inches until they get a whiff of the carrots......then drop down 5 inches!

I've tried open sown at ground level, raised sides and elevated beds and found the only way (for me) is total enclosure!

[Dynamo]

I think they follow the ground contours and maybe fly 5 inches above terra firma....if the raised bed happens to be 3 foot high with carrots in it they will fly at 3 foot 5 inches until they get a whiff of the carrots......then drop down 5 inches!

Well, I'm only going by what they say about Carrot Fly in the books. I can see what you mean by them flying higher when they get to a raised bed. My theory though is that if I make some sort of a frame that stands on legs, they won't be forced to fly upwards as they are with raised beds and they'll just fly though the legs. I reckon its worth a try at least.

[Alison]

All the stuff I've read says that carrot flies can fly up to about 2' ie about 600mm and therefore I've provided a barrier higher than that but no roof to make it easier to weed.

[HayleyB]

Apparently they can fly higher but the issue is them coming back down again apparently to clear 2ft the downward flight path is only feasable after six foot or so that's how I read it in the books

[Snadger]

Well, I'm only going by what they say about Carrot Fly in the books............................

Fair enough.....................but just remember, carrot fly don't read books!

Best way (as you are doing) is to experiment and see what works for you!

[Caro]

Oh my goodness. As a novice I just chucked some seeds in a raised bed . Guess I shouldn't hold out for much.

No-one near me has carrots so maybe I'll be lucky and they don't come to this part of town. Fingers crossed.

Caro

[SarzWix]

My 2nd plot had carrots left in a bed for a year and a bit before I got to sort it out... It was a massive breeding ground for carrot fly and all my carrots were got last year - the ones in 2ft high beds and the ones in the ground. Total enclosure for me this year too (assuming I get any sown )