Wild Carrot Control: How to Get Rid of Wild Carrot

Wild carrot is a biennial broadleaf weed that originated in Europe and Asia. The wild carrot gets its name from the weeds, long white taproot, finely divided leaves, and foliage similar to cultivated carrots.

Wild carrot thrives in largely undisturbed areas such as roadsides and railways, hayfields and pastures, lawns, and around buildings. If left undisturbed, the weed can very quickly take over an area with scattered growth. In the first year, the plant forms a rosette of leaves before flowering, producing seed, and then dying in the second year.

Due to its biology, wild carrot growth is a particularly large problem in ranges and pastures. Wild carrot leaves contain nitrates, which, if consumed by livestock, act as a poison that can affect the nervous system of cattle and cause death. Also, people susceptible to allergies might find this plant easily irritating their skin. For these reasons, finding a permanent way of eliminating weed is crucial.

If you are dealing with wild carrot weed on your lawn, our step-by-step DIY guide will show you exactly what you need to eliminate wild carrots quickly and affordably.

Identification

Before carrying out a treatment program, you will need first to be certain that you are dealing with wild carrots and not some other weed. Careless identification can lead to using the wrong treatment methods, which can waste time and money.

• Wild carrots can be identified by their unique flower, shaped like an upside-down umbrella. The plant is also popularly known by another name, Queen Anne's lace, due to its resemblance to the headdress that Queen Anne wore.
• They grow for two years, spending the first year as rosettes and the second year growing to flower. After a plant produces seeds, it dies.
• Wild carrots grow as a rosette on long stalks with fernlike leaves. Their flowers are clusters of small white petals, usually with a purple floret in the center. The leaves of wild carrots look like domestic carrots. They are pinnately compound, meaning that they are very sharply divided by a midrib that looks like two leaves split but is actually one leaf. There can be some variation within these leaves.
• The leaf stem is round and hairy, and you will notice a very distinct groove running down it. The plant also smells like a vegetable carrot, making it easily identifiable. It can grow up to six and a half to seven feet tall. When growing to flower, wild carrots can be one to four feet tall.
• Unlike carrots grown for consumption, wild carrot taproots are pale white.

Use the above description and image to help you properly identify wild carrots. You can always contact us if you are unsure whether the weed you see is a wild carrot or something else. Our lawn care experts will help you identify your weed growth and suggest treatment options.

Inspection

After confirming that you are dealing with wild carrots, you can move on to inspection. During this phase, you will locate areas where wild carrots thrive and observe the conditions that allow them to thrive. This information will help you know where to focus your herbicide application.

Where to Inspect

Wild carrot is a field-loving plant that can be very active in fields, lawns, pastures, roadsides, and railroads.

They grow best in areas that get full sunlight in moist and acidic soil.

What to Look For

Look around your property and note where wild carrots are growing or where they can grow. Look for their white flower clusters within the plant’s height range of one to four feet. Look for their rosettes if the plants are young and newly established. If you find short rosettes closer to the ground, the plant is within its first year of growth. Taller plants that have bolted and produced flowers are within their second year of growth. It would be best to control wild carrots before they produce seeds, as they spread rapidly once they reach maturity.

Treatment

After identifying your weed and inspecting your property, it’s time to start treatment. Before starting any treatment, wear your personal protective equipment or PPE.

To eliminate wild carrots from your property, you’ll need to use a selective, post-emergent herbicide that’s labeled not to injure your property’s turfgrass.

Step 1: Mix and Apply 2,4-D Amine

Before any application, calculate the square footage of your treatment area. Use this value to determine how much product to use.

To find this, measure the length and width of the treatment area in feet, then multiply them together (length X width = square footage). For acreage, divide the square footage by one acre (square footage / 43,560 sq. ft. = acres).

When applied properly, affected weeds will turn yellow and begin to die. A follow-up application may be necessary if signs of recovery are observed, especially if the plant’s taproot is still alive. 

Reapplication intervals with 2, 4-D Amine range from 21 to 30 days. Reapplication intervals with Fahrenheit range from 4 to 6 weeks.

Applications are most effective when the plant is budding before seed production. If the plants are close to producing seeds, you may need to mow the plant to prevent the weed from spreading.

The taproot will survive and grow a new plant over the next year, providing another opportunity to apply chemical control. Keep in mind that mechanical removal alone is not recommended, as it is easy to leave even a small part of the taproot in the ground when pulling weeds.

As long as a portion of the taproot remains alive, weeds like wild carrots will continue to grow and take resources away from your other plants.

Prevention

Once wild carrots have been removed, be sure they do not return. To stop wild carrots from returning to your property, be sure to take on some of the following preventative measures:

• One of the best ways to control wild carrots after they’ve been eliminated from your property is to mow them down if new plants start to sprout. When mowing lawns, mow regularly to the grass’s proper mowing height. Removing carrot plants before they can produce seeds will stop them from spreading onto your property.
• We also recommend promoting the health of your turf to reduce the conducive conditions that allow weeds and disease to take hold. Reduce the shade cast on your lawn by trimming overgrown shrubbery and tree branches, rake away leaf litter and pick up any debris, and employ a proper watering schedule to provide the local grass with enough water to strengthen its roots but not so much that it will encourage weeds. Many grasses require 1 inch of water every week. Apply the water all at once in the morning so it has time to seep into the ground without evaporating in the sun.

Key Takeaways

What is a Wild Carrot?

• Wild carrot is a biennial broadleaf weed that commonly grows in a variety of habitats and can very easily outcompete other species.

How to Get Rid of Wild Carrot

• We recommend 2,4-D Amine to get rid of wild carrots. Apply this product when the plant is young and in the basal rosette stage.

Preventing Wild Carrot Reinfestation

• To prevent wild carrots, maintain a thick, nutrient-rich lawn, mow regularly, and increase shade.