Barsch Tropicals

About Barsch Tropicals

Barsch Tropicals is owned and operated by Chantakarn and Jimmy Barsch. Jimmy developed an interest in gardening as a boy working with his father in their vegetable garden. His interest in plants was broadened in junior high and high school through his friendship with Sean Hogan. The two of them took numerous classes in horticulture together. After high school Sean continued his pursuit in the horticulture field as a landscape designer, curator at the Berkley botanical garden and is now the owner operator of Cistus Nursery in Portland Oregon. Jimmy pursued an education in economics and business and after receiving his MBA moved to Hawaii to pursue a career in mortgage banking. Jimmy’s horticultural activities experienced a 15 year dormancy, but spring came at last in 1997, when he returned to Sacramento with his newlywed Thai wife Chantakarn. At the time of their marriage, neither of them new that the other had a set of undisclosed skills and passion that would combine so fortuitously. For Jimmy of course it was gardening and for Chanatakarn it was cooking. An extensive vegetable garden was started, fruit trees were planted (over 50 of them). And while the cook was pleased with all the fresh vegetables and fruits, some things were missing she pointed out. The cook also wanted lemon grass, ginger, kaffir lime, pineapple, sugar cane, guava, banana leaves, papayas and fresh chili pepper and basil all year around. So, Jimmy and his dad built a greenhouse and enlarged it not once but twice (who knew that a dwarf papaya would grow 15 feet tall).