Some of my stored carrots are turning purple and are starting to rot, what action should I take?

Your carrots are infected with violet root rot, a disease that can attack most types of root crops.

Carrots showing signs of attack should be disposed of, and the site where they grew should not be used for growing root crops for three or four years.

To prevent the harbouring of the disease, lime the site, prevent water-logging and keep weeds under control.

I have found some yellow maggots in my carrots, what are these and how do you get rid of them?

They are the larvae of the 'Carrot fly' and they feed on the roots of carrots, celery and parsnips.

Young plants wilt and die. and the roots of older plants are spoilt by the tunnels eaten out by the maggots.

The pest overwinters as pupae in the soil, and the adult flies emerge in early June.

These lay their eggs in the soil near carrots and other host plants, and the maggots hatching from these feed on the roots for about a month.

A second generation of adults often appears in August.

The numbers of overwintering pupae may be reduced by destroying all infested plants in the autumn.

As a preventative measure, prior to sowing, treat the seed with a suitable seed-dressing

and/or; Drench the planting area with Jeyes fluid and the smell may deter the adult fly laying its eggs in the area.

and/or; Cover the planting area with 'agfleece' loosely draped over the planted area.

Allow sufficient leeway in the size of the 'agfleece' for topgrowth to grow unhindered.

This sheet can be left on until harvest time.