How to Grow Carrot
'Paris Market' from Seed
The round French heirloom carrot from nineteenth-century Paris — golf-ball-sized globes of exceptional sweetness that grow in containers, heavy clay and shallow soil where long-rooted varieties fail, harvested in just 50–65 days and beloved by children and gourmet chefs in equal measure
'Paris Market' is the anti-carrot. Everything that makes Autumn King 2 such a rewarding challenge — long roots requiring 30cm of stone-free deep soil, a 16-week season, careful management — Paris Market sidesteps entirely. The roots are spherical, typically 2.5–5cm in diameter, like a small smooth orange marble. They require only 20cm of soil depth. They mature in 50–65 days from sowing. They grow successfully in the heavy clay and shallow soils where long-rooted varieties fork and fail. They thrive in pots and window boxes. And they are, bite for bite, among the sweetest and most concentrated in flavour of any carrot variety — nearly coreless, the crisp orange flesh tender enough to eat whole without peeling.
The variety is also known as Tonda di Parigi or Marché de Paris — an heirloom type developed in nineteenth-century France for the Parisian market gardens that supplied the city's restaurants and bistros. The round shape was not a novelty but a practical solution to the shallow, compressed soils of those intensively cultivated beds near the city, where long roots simply could not develop. Paris Market solved the heavy-soil carrot problem two hundred years ago and remains the finest solution to the same problem in any UK garden today.
Quick Facts at a Glance
Crop Type
Round/Globe Carrot — French Heirloom
Sowing Time
March – July direct; succession every 3 weeks
Days to Harvest
50–65 days from sowing
Root size
2.5–5cm diameter — golf-ball shaped
Special advantage
Heavy clay, shallow and container soil — where long varieties fail
Difficulty Rating
2 out of 5 — Easier than long-rooted types
Understanding the Variety
'Paris Market' is a Daucus carota selection in the Chantenay/round sub-group — developed specifically for compact root formation rather than the long, tapering roots of maincrop varieties. The round globe shape develops because the root stores its energy in a spherical form rather than elongating downward, which makes it essentially indifferent to soil depth. While Autumn King 2 requires 30cm of stone-free soil to develop its magnificent long roots, Paris Market requires only 20cm — the practical difference between a pot on a patio and a prepared allotment bed.
The Heavy Soil Solution — 200 Years Old
Paris Market was developed for the intensive market gardens surrounding Paris in the nineteenth century, where the soil was compressed, shallow, and often heavy with clay. Long-rooted carrot varieties forked and produced poor yields in these conditions; Paris Market's round shape allowed it to develop full, sweet roots in the same soil where other varieties failed. In any UK garden with heavy clay, compacted ground, or only a shallow depth before hitting rubble or rock, Paris Market is not merely a novelty — it is the only reliable carrot variety. The soil conditions that defeat Autumn King 2 are exactly the conditions where Paris Market thrives.
Gourmet Appeal — The Chef's Round Carrot
Paris Market has been a fixture of fine French cooking since its development — the round shape makes it suitable for cooking whole, where it presents on the plate as a perfect orange globe rather than a sliced length. Glazed in butter and honey, roasted whole at high heat, or served with a simply wilted green, the Paris Market carrot is a restaurant presentation technique that home cooks with a productive pot can replicate. Gourmet chefs specifically value these carrots for whole-roasting and for their intensely sweet flavour relative to their size.
Sowing & Establishment
The Container Opportunity — Carrot Fly Avoidance
Paris Market's compact root development makes it ideal for containers — a pot at least 20cm deep and 25cm wide can produce a satisfying harvest from just a few seeds. An additional advantage: carrot root fly is a low flyer (typically below 45–60cm above ground level). A container on a windowsill, wall, or raised surface naturally places the crop above the flight zone, significantly reducing carrot root fly pressure without any netting required. This is the easiest carrot root fly management technique available, and Paris Market is the variety that enables it.
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Prepare soil or container to 20cm depth minimum. Remove stones even from the top 20cm — round roots fork on stones just as long ones do, though the shorter depth makes preparation much easier. In a container, use good multipurpose compost mixed with a little sharp sand for drainage. Do not add fresh manure.
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Direct sow from March to July at 1cm depth. Sow thinly in drills or scatter in a container. Cover to 1cm. Water gently. Germination takes 14–21 days. Paris Market can be sown every three to four weeks for a continuous supply of young roots throughout the season.
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Thin to 5cm spacing. The round roots need space to develop their spherical shape — overcrowded plants produce elongated or misshapen roots rather than true globes. Thin to approximately 5cm between plants. Thin in the evening without crushing the foliage, and remove thinnings from the area immediately.
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Harvest when roots reach 2–3cm diameter for the sweetest eating. Check by gently pushing soil aside from the shoulder. Paris Market at 2–3cm is at its most tender and sweet; at 4–5cm it is still excellent but slightly coarser. Do not leave past 5cm — at maximum size quality begins to decline rapidly.
Growing On & Care
Container Growing
Paris Market is the finest carrot for containers — minimum 20cm deep, any width. Fill with multipurpose compost and sharp sand (4:1 ratio). Sow direct into the container and thin as roots develop. Water regularly as containers dry faster than open ground. Place on a south-facing windowsill, wall-top, or raised surface for maximum light and reduced carrot fly risk.
Heavy and Clay Soil
Where heavy clay or compacted soil prevents long-rooted varieties from developing properly, Paris Market grows without forking or splitting. The round development is essentially soil-depth-indifferent in a way that tapered varieties cannot be. On heavy clay, dig and break up the top 20–25cm and Paris Market will succeed where Autumn King 2 could not.
Fast Harvest — 50–65 Days
Paris Market is significantly faster to harvest than maincrop varieties (12–16 weeks) — the 50–65 day maturity allows multiple sowings from March to July with harvests from late May through October. Succession sowing every three weeks provides a continuous supply of perfectly-sized young roots rather than a single large glut.
Children's Garden Favourite
The golf-ball shape of Paris Market is endlessly appealing to children — the satisfying round form is completely unexpected for a carrot, it pulls cleanly from the ground without needing a fork, and the sweet, crisp flavour eaten raw from the garden is an experience that frequently converts young vegetable sceptics. An easy container project for any age.
Carrot Root Fly
The same management rules as other carrots apply — fine mesh netting, evening thinning without crushing foliage, removal of thinnings. However, container growing at height above 45cm significantly reduces fly pressure. Companion planting with French marigolds (Tagetes) or salad onions in adjacent pots also helps confuse the fly's chemical navigation.
Consistent Moisture
Paris Market in containers needs daily watering in warm conditions — the shallow growing medium dries faster than deep beds. In the ground, water deeply but infrequently. Inconsistent watering causes splitting of the round roots — particularly pronounced in Paris Market where any crack runs across the full diameter of the globe rather than along a tapered root.
Harvesting & Cooking
Making the Most of Paris Market
When to harvest: Begin checking from 50 days. Push soil away from the shoulder to check diameter. Harvest from 2cm (baby stage — exquisite raw) to 5cm maximum. Pull straight up by the foliage; the round shape releases cleanly from the soil without a fork in most cases.
Raw from the garden: The finest use. Paris Market at 2–3cm eaten within minutes of pulling — unwashed, the fine soil brushed off with a thumb — is one of the sweetest, most concentrated carrot flavours available. The almost coreless interior means there is no tough central core to chew around. Simply eat whole.
Glazed whole: Place whole roots (unpeeled if scrubbed clean) in a pan with butter, honey, a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of water. Cook over moderate heat, covered, for 8–10 minutes until tender. Remove the lid, increase heat, and glaze until the butter-honey coats each root in a shining film. Serve as a restaurant-quality side dish that requires minimal preparation precisely because the roots are small, sweet, and already perfect.
Roasted whole: Toss with olive oil, thyme, salt. Roast at 200°C for 20–25 minutes until caramelised. The concentrated sweetness of Paris Market intensifies through roasting to an almost confectionery level. Present as individual whole roasted globes on the plate.
As baby crudités: Whole Paris Market roots at 2–3cm diameter make outstanding crudités — the round shape is visually striking and the sweet flavour pairs well with hummus, herb cream cheese, or taramasalata. A board of Paris Market crudités alongside radishes and cucumber sticks is an effortless and visually impressive summer starter.
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Common Problems & Solutions
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
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| Elongated rather than round roots | Overcrowding; very deep, loose soil | Thin to 5cm spacing — crowded roots compete and elongate. Paradoxically, in very deep, loose, stone-free soil, Paris Market roots may also elongate somewhat, as the carrot's natural inclination is to grow downward. This is not a problem in practice — the roots are still sweet and usable. |
| Roots split or crack | Irregular watering; very sudden wet after dry | Water consistently. Paris Market's splitting pattern runs across the full globe diameter, which can cause the root to halve — more visually dramatic than a cracked Autumn King but equally preventable by consistent moisture. In containers, check and water daily in warm weather. |
| Carrot root fly damage | Fly attracted by crushed foliage at thinning | Thin in the evening without bruising the foliage. For container growing, consider raising the container above 45cm height. Interplant with French marigolds or salad onions. Fine mesh netting is the most reliable protection in ground-level beds. |
| Poor germination | Cold soil or dry conditions | Paris Market germinates best at 12–20°C. In March, warm the soil with fleece for two weeks before sowing. Keep moist until emergence — cover with a sheet of glass or cling film until the first seedlings appear to retain moisture during the slow germination period. |
Plant Specifications
The carrot that solved the heavy-soil problem two hundred years ago
Paris Market is the carrot for every gardener who has tried and failed with long-rooted varieties in difficult soil — and for every gardener who wants to grow carrots on a patio, windowsill, or in a container without preparing a deep bed. Round, sweet, fast, and essentially suited to the conditions that defeat conventional varieties, it is also — pulled at 2–3cm and eaten straight from the pot — one of the most satisfying things a kitchen garden produces.
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