Graham Ross’s old-school gardening trick for growing carrots at home

If your carrots always end up tangled or flop over before they even start, you’re not alone. Carrots are notoriously tricky to grow from seed. 

In a recent episode of Better Homes and Gardens, Graham Ross shared an old-school gardening tip that will have you growing delicious, crunchy carrots from seed in no time. All you need is a jar of sand.

Why carrots are so tricky from seed

Carrot seeds are so tiny that spacing them out by hand is nearly impossible. But crowding can cause problems later. 

“If you oversow, humidity around the little seedlings is very high, and that causes a disease called damping off,” Graham says. 

This fungal disease causes young seedlings to collapse at soil level, and it isn’t just a backyard problem: “Commercial growers, like home gardeners, have got the same problem,” Graham says. 

How to do the jar-of-sand trick

The idea is simple: instead of spacing tiny carrot seeds by hand, let the sand do it for you. 

Mixing the seed through a jar of sand dilutes it, so when you sprinkle it along the row, the seeds land a little apart instead of in clumps. 

“You just sprinkle it out like salt,” Graham says. 

Spaced-out seedlings get more airflow and are far less likely to succumb to damping off.

Graham’s step-by-step instructions

1. Grab a clean, dry jar and half-fill it with fine sand.
2. Pour in your whole packet of carrot seeds.
3. Put the lid on and shake until you can’t really see the seeds anymore.
4. Sprinkle the mix in a thin line along a shallow trench in your garden bed.
5. Cover it lightly with soil and water gently.

The no-fuss alternative: seed tape

If you don’t want to mess around with sand, seed tape is another great shortcut. 

The seeds are already spaced out in a biodegradable strip.

Roll the tape out along your garden bed, pin down the ends, water it, cover it with a bit of soil, and water again.

Is now the time to sow carrots?

For most of southern Australia, spring is perfect, but it really depends on your local climate.

If you’re in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth, you can sow carrots now and keep going through summer. 

In cooler spots like Tasmania, Canberra or the highlands, aim for spring to mid-summer. 

Up north, it’s a bit trickier. Brisbane and northern NSW are almost out of time, since carrots prefer autumn to early spring. In the tropics, wait for the dry season, from April to August.