A long-standing favourite for beginner and experienced gardeners alike, this British-bred, early cropping variety is proven to have the best resistance to the dreaded carrot fly, whose larvae like to burrow into carrot roots and make them vulnerable to rot. In addition to its excellent pest-resistant properties, 'Flyaway F1' is deserving of its coveted RHS Award of Garden Merit because it is just such a good all-rounder, being easy to grow and producing plenty of tasty roots to harvest over a long growing season. One of the best-tasting carrot varieties you can grow, it produces sturdy, blunt-ended roots, typically 12-15cm (5-6in) or longer, with a smooth skin and deep orange colour. Its deliciously sweet flavour is balanced with a tender but crunchy texture - great for eating raw or in stir-fries, or conventionally boiled, steamed or roasted to make the most of its superior flavour. This reliable, trusted variety is a great companion plant to grow alongside onions, leeks or mint as their aroma will repel carrot fly, providing an extra line of deterrence to ensure good cropping. Supplied as a packet of approx. 350 seeds. Sow from March to July, directly where they are to crop in well-drained, light but fertile soil in a position that will enjoy full sun. Harvest from June to November. Early crops can be lifted from 9 weeks after sowing with main crops maturing up to 12 weeks and beyond. Successive sowings will provide continuous crops over the growing season.
Carrot root fly is a troublesome pest but both Flyaway and Resistafly have partial carrot fly resistance, both contain low levels of chlorogenic acid, a chemical which the carrot fly larvae of needs to survive. This means that they appear to be unattractive to the fly and even if your crop is attacked the larvae will soon die after doing relatively little damage. Height: 30cm (12). Spread: 15cm (6). Collection comprises one pack each of: Carrot 'Resistafly' - A 'Nantes' type with good early vigour, a smooth skin and excellent core colour. The uniform 15cm (6) roots store particularly well. Carrot 'Flyaway' - A naturally very sweet tasting variety with smooth skinned, blunt ended roots and a good orange skin and root colour. Carrot 'Nantes 2' - This fast maturing selection is ideal for early sowings under glass in February for your first crop of the year.