Growing Artichokes

[senoremac]

Has anyone had any success growing globe artichokes up here? seems like they would thrive in the autumn & winter before it heats up, but I've never seen them in the markets here. Their profile lists them at the 5 to 11 hardiness zone which we're at the top end of. I figured with some care they might take off, but it seems like they would be available if that was the case. All helpful replies are appreciated.

[iancnx]

Not sure, but I have been looking to introduce something unusual and potentially profitable for my village. Happy to collaborate on this and other new ideas.

[luther]

According to a friend of mine, about five years ago artichokes were thriving at some higher elevations on the Samoeng loop near the botanical gardens. The idea was abandoned because there was hardly any market.

[zeichen]

That is a problem getting a local market for speciality harvests. You would have to create the market. Make recipes, give demonstrations free samples, get people hooked, then start selling them. I spent a fortune trying to cultivate some things that no one seemed to want. Would have made more/spent less just growing rice.

But to answer directly to the OP pretty much anywhere they can grow asparagus they can grow artichokes. Relatively similar growing weather for them. Problem with some plants is that to get the weather cool enough you need to get to the hills and then the elevation plays a problem. So finding the right balance of low temp and elevation is tough.

[worgeordie]

Wish someone would grow Parsnips and supply them at a reasonable

price, as the imported ones from Australia are expensive, Oh and

Rhubarb,I know the Kings Projects grows some but price is always

expensive, and while i am here Swedes, purple topped turnips,I

suppose someone with a small holding,especially if it was organic

could do very nicely growing the unusual (for Thailand) everyday

vegetables in the West.

Regards Worgeordie

[butterisbetter]

The Royal Project used to grow them and for a few years they were quite plentiful. But, as noted above, there probably wasn't enough of a market for them. I think they still do grow a few but they're quite pricey.

[Thighlander]

That is a problem getting a local market for speciality harvests. You would have to create the market. Make recipes, give demonstrations free samples, get people hooked, then start selling them. I spent a fortune trying to cultivate some things that no one seemed to want. Would have made more/spent less just growing rice.

But to answer directly to the OP pretty much anywhere they can grow asparagus they can grow artichokes. Relatively similar growing weather for them. Problem with some plants is that to get the weather cool enough you need to get to the hills and then the elevation plays a problem. So finding the right balance of low temp and elevation is tough.

Not to split legal hairs, as many seem to do here, but Asparagus is much more heat resistant. Artichoke Capital of the World is Castroville, California; Asparagus Capital of the World is Stockton, California. Castroville is right on the Monterey Bay. It's been a while, but previously, Dole operated the largest produce warehouse in the world in Marina, which is just up the road from Castroville. Reason being, the almost natural refrigeration of the Monterey Bay, average yearly temp of about 61F. Stockton is in the San Jauquin Valley, and can be bitchin' hot (as they would say). At any given moment, it can be 40 degrees F hotter than San Francisco. As mentioned above, you could do it in the mountains. Much more citrus in Stockton, which likes the heat, and needs several hours at 26F to kill it. I doubt it ever gets below 40 in Castroville. The big artichoke distributor in the US was called "Ocean Mist" so that should give you an idea. Asparagus is grown widely in Mexico, too.

[Thighlander]

This website is interesting: http://www.oceanmist.com/products/artichokes/artichokehowgrow.aspx

[market trader]

Think you would receive better responses if this were posted on the organic farming or farming forums.

[stoli]

That is a problem getting a local market for speciality harvests. You would have to create the market. Make recipes, give demonstrations free samples, get people hooked, then start selling them. I spent a fortune trying to cultivate some things that no one seemed to want. Would have made more/spent less just growing rice.

But to answer directly to the OP pretty much anywhere they can grow asparagus they can grow artichokes. Relatively similar growing weather for them. Problem with some plants is that to get the weather cool enough you need to get to the hills and then the elevation plays a problem. So finding the right balance of low temp and elevation is tough.

I would hope that there are enough "artichoke eating people" (tourists) to make this an easy market. I would be in heaven if I could find a fresh artichoke. Grew them for years in Northern California very easily, but realize it could be tough here. Second harvest each year, during the summer months, they were much tougher.

[jaideeguy]

They grow chokes up at the Royal project at Doi Angkhan @ 1,400mtrs elevation and even at that elevation, they are small with little 'meat' and not much taste,especially when compared with the chokes in Castroville, Cal.

I was up there [Doi Angkhan] a couple of months ago and saw that they had pulled a lot of their plants and it looked like they were giving up on that project.

And, as Thailander said above, asparagus is a lot more heat tolerant. I've grown them here in CM.

[luther]

I'm relatively new to Chiang Mai, three years or so.

If i wanted to started growing asparagus do I have to start from seed or can you buy the crowns somewhere?

Also, I'm just getting used to the seasons here, though I lived down south for 15 years.

When would you plant asparagus and what happens through the year?

I've only grown it in a temperate climate.