Green manure- caliente mustard good for carrot root fly?

Whatalottie

I want to sow caliente mustard as a green manure. It is a biofumigant, if you can dig it in VERY fast after crushing it. 

The reason is that I'm plagued with carrot root fly, and I've come to the conclusion that as they overwinter in the soil it certainly wouldn't hurt to try; and green manure is said to be almost as good as the real thing. 

I really want to know how long it takes to grow to the stage you can dig it in?

And does anyone have any comments about the use to get rid of the carrot root fly? I know it works for some nasties.

Hope you can help.

Lottie

 

Any comments 

Mummy Muddy Paws

If you've got the root fly overwintering in your soil, apart from giving it a thorough dig to expose the eggs of them (and other nasties like slugs) to the birds, you can use the nemasys grow-your-own thing to try to get rid of them once it warms up and and the eggs hatch.  That would be faster and a sure-fire way to get rid of the bu88ers.

Have you had any luck with growing carrots flyaway or resistafly?  Or growing them alongside a sacrificial carrot crop (they're supposed to nibble the resitant varieties, think knickers to that for a game of soldiers and gobble up the sacrificial variety of carrots.

Trying carrots for the first time this year, so will be trying this, if it doesn't work next year will be using the nemasys stuff.

Alan4711

hi all, i read the nettle tea or comfry tea was good for spraying as a carrot fly deterant as long as its watered to a weak looking tea colour ,also gardeners world mag had something in as well

good luck Alan4711

JustcallmeMrT

I sowed some mustard in last autumn as a green manure to suppress weeds and it grows QUICK! I think you should be able o dig in fairly quick (4 weeks?) if the weather is warm. Not sure how quick it will take off in spring though, or against carrot root fly - I'm pretty new to this too!

puddledub

http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/VVBGAMeeting2016/Gray_Biofumigant.pdf

Although this relates to large scale production all the information for using this as a biofumigante is here.

Plashing

Try growing them in a raised bed 18" high because the adult only flies at just above ground level also you could try growing them between rows of onions then it may confuse the carrot fly and the onion fly as well,another way would be to spay some home made garlic spray,hope that will. Regards Peter 

Andrew Hague

This year I'm growing Carrots and Parsnips in a planter that's 90cm or so off the ground. Does that mean that I don't have to protect against the dreaded root fly?

BobTheGardener

Andrew Hague said:

This year I'm growing Carrots and Parsnips in a planter that's 90cm or so off the ground. Does that mean that I don't have to protect against the dreaded root fly?

You should be fine - I always grow them in 60cm tall containers now.  Mine were attacked by Vine weevil grubs a couple of years ago though.  I didn't think they went for carrots but they do.