Senga's Blog
Eco-chic Outdoor Living & Exterior Design
Apr. 8/10 Year in Sustainable Garden: The Planning Stage: Carrot 'Parisian Market'
Les Petites Carrottes
Excellent small round sweet carrots which are just the right size for lunchboxes and sooo cute
This variety is great for shallow soils or containers where other carrots struggle. This also makes them great for containers on your deck. Plus their small size are a perfect choice for those trendy vegetable dishes where using ‘baby vegetables’ is all the rage.
Did you Know?
During the first five months of storage, carrots will actually increase their vitamin A content; and, if protected from heat or light, can hold their nutrient content for another two or three months.
Since carrots are rich in beta carotene, steaming them makes this nutrient more readily availability to the body as heat breaks down the tough cellular walls that encase the nutrient.
The crisp texture of carrots is the result of the cell walls being stiffened with the indigestible food fibres cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.
Carrots contain a high amount of sugars, primarily sucrose, but very little starch or fat. Storing carrots near apples or other fruits that manufacture ethylene gas as they ripen, encourages the development of terpenoids in the vegetable and causing them to become bitter when exposed to ethylene.
Heirloom Carrot ' Parisian Market’ Information You Need to Know
Botanical name: Dacus carota ‘Parisian Market’
Country of Origin: ??? Dates back to 12th Century – mentioned even in Palestine countries
Description: Round to "top-shaped" roots averaging 2-3" in diameter.
Best harvested: As above
Time to Plant: March 1 (4 weeks before last spring frost) successive seeding every 2 weeks until June 1 and again August 1 -15 (1 sowing every 2 weeks until 8 weeks before first winter frost)
Where to Sow and Grow: Outdoors in full sun (can tolerate some shade) in deep loose friable soil (stony soils create misshapen carrots)
Space: 5cm (2.5”) apart
Maturity: 75 Days
Tip: Keep constantly moist until Carrots is almost mature and then slow down on watering so carrot doesn’t crack from over-rapid growth
Taste: Slightly spicy and sweet
Uses: As the name implies for single serving veggie side dishes or fresh eating. A favourite of chefs following the ‘baby vegetables’ trend in cooking.
Place in Square Foot Garden: On my edible green roof – I will plant in my heritage Tomato section including ‘Black Krim’, ‘Purple Russian’, ‘Brandywine’, ‘Bloody Butcher’ and others (see my other blogs)
Companion Plants: Alliums (leeks, shallots, etc), Rosemary, Wormwood, Sage, Royal Bugundy Bush Beans, and helps Tomatoes although Tomatoes may stunt their growth.
