Is there a new carrot variety not affected by carrot fly?

Mike Lawson, by email

Stefan says: You’re correct, although it’s not a new variety and has been around for many years. The F1 hybrid ‘Flyaway’ has revolutionised carrot growing in gardens. It’s available from most major seed companies and while I don’t pretend it’s never affected, it’s much less damaged than any other.

Grow it as an early variety and you’re most likely to be successful. Left in the ground, it’ll be more prone to attack as the season progresses. I find it better than some of the other new carrot fly-resistant varieties such as ‘Sytan’. But even with resistant varieties, covering the crop with horticultural fleece is a wise extra precaution.