Wild Carrot

How to grow Wild Carrot

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Sow direct and thinly from March to July, 1 cm deep in rows 15–20 cm apart; carrots do not transplant. Thin to 5 cm, and do it in the evening, removing the thinnings from the plot — the crushed foliage smell is what draws carrot fly. On stony or heavy ground, grow short, stumpy varieties in a deep container of sieved compost rather than fighting the soil.

Propagation

From seed. It is biennial, so plants left in the ground flower and set seed the following summer.

Pests and diseases

Carrot fly is the main problem: the larvae tunnel through the roots, leaving rusty-brown channels. The low-flying adults are excluded by a 60 cm barrier of fine mesh or fleece around the bed, which works better than anything else. Aphids, violet root rot and cavity spot also occur.

Value to wildlife

Wild carrot's lacy white umbels are excellent for hoverflies and small solitary bees. Carrot is a larval food plant for the swallowtail butterfly's relatives and for several moths.

Notes

Freshly manured ground and heavy feeding produce forked, hairy roots — grow carrots on ground manured for a previous crop. Sowings made after early June often miss the main carrot fly generation. Leave maincrop carrots in the ground over winter under straw in well-drained soil, or lift and store in damp sand.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Daucus carota but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

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