total novice - ??cabbage/carrot root fly

Hi,

I'm completely new to gardening so please forgive my ignorance!

I decided that growing some vege with the kids would be fun to try this year, however, I have got completely carried away. I had no idea how addictive it would be!

I thought all was going well.

I am growing all sorts in a hotch potch collection of tubs, grow bags, bin bags, raised beds and have even stolen the kids old sand pit!

I sowed a fee brussel sprouts in a little pot and the seedlings are looking a bit sad so I had a little dig around and noticed a few little white worm/maggots in the soil. There also appear to be a few in a raised bed where I have planted carrots and sprouting broccili.
I also had some supermarket herb plants in a pot that weren't thriving so I have discarded them. I thought this was just because they were rubbish shop plants and also the pot was water logged as I had forgotten to drill holes! (told you I'm a novice!!) I noticed when I lifted the herbs (parlsey, basil and coriander) that there were some tiny flies in the soil.

Anyway, apologies for the waffle. Is this root fly? If so can I do anything? Will it spread to other pots? Should I pull things up and start again? Do I need to chuck the potting compost? I'm assuming that my courgettes, tomatoes, chillis, peppers etc will be ok but will all my root vege, cabbages etc be at risk?

Thanks for any advice and hope my questions aren't too silly!

 

Thanks for your reply John.

Do you think I just need to pull up the broccili in the raised beds and leave the carrots? I'm unsure how to tell if its cabbage or carrot fly?

I have cabbages and broccili planted in other areas of the garden so don't mind loosing a few. Any advice on how I can prevent the problem spreading to the other pots? Is there anything else I could safely plant in the affected pots/beds - I hate to waste the space and the potting compost!

Thanks

 

Hi Isobel,

You can make barriers to stop cabbage root fly, a square of carpet with a cut to the centre. The flys cant get near enough to lay their eggs.

The tiny flies sound like fungus gnats, they are just annoying.

 

I think it's a bit too early for carrot fly. I normally associate that pest with mid to late summer, exactly when your carrots are at their best!

 

This is intersting Ziggy, I've got carrots growing, they are in a homemade cloche made from sticks from this years "great stick harvest" (the back hedge was out of control) :D anyway being a neebie I covered the cloche in fine netting just to keep the birds and dog off, then I read a bit about carrot fly so got some fleece from the pound shop (tomatoe cap) I was going to put fleece side walls on, the old carpet I have as well, could please explain your fly trap in more detail?

Regards, Phil.