Pests & diseases › Carrot Rust Fly
Carrot Rust Fly
Tiny black fly whose larvae tunnel into carrot, parsnip, celery and parsley roots. Triggered by the smell of crushed foliage.
Symptoms
- Rusty-brown tunnels through carrots
- Foliage turning reddish then yellow
- Roots rotting in storage
Lifecycle
Two generations per year. Adults fly low (under 24 inches).
What to do
- Pull damaged roots — use undamaged portion immediately
- Bag tunneled roots — don't leave on soil
If it's bad
- No effective home-garden insecticide
Stop it coming back
- Floating row cover from sowing
- 24-inch fabric barrier around bed (flies fly low)
- Sow sparingly, never thin in warm evenings
- Resistant varieties: Flyaway, Resistafly
- Companion plant with onions/chives
Crops it goes for
Plan the plot, track every sowing, cook the harvest
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.