City Floral Greenhouse in Golden, Colo., is a full-service garden center and growing operation celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. We talked with co-owner Candace Wickstrom about a hot-button subject: a hydroponic department.
Q: How did City Floral get into the hydroponics business?
Wickstrom: We historically carried small, fluorescent light setups and organic fertilizers in our garden supply section to satisfy the demands of indoor hydroponic gardeners in the past.
The Medical Marijuana laws in Colorado have drawn a massive amount of attention to hydroponics, which pushed us over the edge in establishing a dedicated space to selling hydroponic equipment and supplies a little over one year ago. We brought in much larger equipment set-ups (lights, hoods, ballasts, etc.) and expanded our product offerings in both growing mediums (rockwool, expanded clay pellets) and nutrients to satisfy the increased demand in the area.
Q: What challenges have you had with the department?
Wickstrom: Figuring out the right quantity and type of inventory was our biggest struggle in starting that department. Vendors offer better prices for larger quantity purchases, but it is a struggle to toe the line between smart purchasing and getting stranded with inventory knowing that part of the demand in the last year is possibly a fad or a burst from an initial purchasing pattern. Additionally, there is a lot of competition from “grow stores” that focus almost exclusively on the hydroponic market that offer volume discounts to customers far below MSRP.
Q: How do you get around the stigma of hydroponic growing?
Wickstrom: The hydroponic area is such a small part of our sales that the stigma of hydroponics doesn’t really affect the base business. Most people that are seeking hydroponic systems for indoor vegetable production aren’t worried about being labeled a marijuana grower, so we haven’t really found that to be an issue.
In many cases, the visibility of the medical marijuana industry has brought attention to the possibility of growing vegetables indoors, so it has brought a solution rather than a negative connotation. We have hosted classes on hydroponic production where vegetable growers sit side by side with other indoor growers, and since they are all novice indoor gardeners, they are all there for the same purpose: to learn.
Q: What does it take to be successful with hydroponic growing?
Wickstrom: There are a couple of growers in the local market that have been successful growing hydroponic herbs and vegetables for restaurants. I know this market is also developing for local markets and farmers markets.
Those are the only examples I have seen for a hydroponic-based business. Outside of the medical marijuana market, most of our growers are simply hobbyists that enjoy the process of growing their own produce.
It is important to note, however, that medical marijuana growers are a legitimate business in the State of Colorado. There are many laws which govern these operations and the sale of the product, but it has been a tax producing economy in Colorado for the last 18 months or so.
source
Q: How did City Floral get into the hydroponics business?
Wickstrom: We historically carried small, fluorescent light setups and organic fertilizers in our garden supply section to satisfy the demands of indoor hydroponic gardeners in the past.
The Medical Marijuana laws in Colorado have drawn a massive amount of attention to hydroponics, which pushed us over the edge in establishing a dedicated space to selling hydroponic equipment and supplies a little over one year ago. We brought in much larger equipment set-ups (lights, hoods, ballasts, etc.) and expanded our product offerings in both growing mediums (rockwool, expanded clay pellets) and nutrients to satisfy the increased demand in the area.
Q: What challenges have you had with the department?
Wickstrom: Figuring out the right quantity and type of inventory was our biggest struggle in starting that department. Vendors offer better prices for larger quantity purchases, but it is a struggle to toe the line between smart purchasing and getting stranded with inventory knowing that part of the demand in the last year is possibly a fad or a burst from an initial purchasing pattern. Additionally, there is a lot of competition from “grow stores” that focus almost exclusively on the hydroponic market that offer volume discounts to customers far below MSRP.
Q: How do you get around the stigma of hydroponic growing?
Wickstrom: The hydroponic area is such a small part of our sales that the stigma of hydroponics doesn’t really affect the base business. Most people that are seeking hydroponic systems for indoor vegetable production aren’t worried about being labeled a marijuana grower, so we haven’t really found that to be an issue.
In many cases, the visibility of the medical marijuana industry has brought attention to the possibility of growing vegetables indoors, so it has brought a solution rather than a negative connotation. We have hosted classes on hydroponic production where vegetable growers sit side by side with other indoor growers, and since they are all novice indoor gardeners, they are all there for the same purpose: to learn.
Q: What does it take to be successful with hydroponic growing?
Wickstrom: There are a couple of growers in the local market that have been successful growing hydroponic herbs and vegetables for restaurants. I know this market is also developing for local markets and farmers markets.
Those are the only examples I have seen for a hydroponic-based business. Outside of the medical marijuana market, most of our growers are simply hobbyists that enjoy the process of growing their own produce.
It is important to note, however, that medical marijuana growers are a legitimate business in the State of Colorado. There are many laws which govern these operations and the sale of the product, but it has been a tax producing economy in Colorado for the last 18 months or so.
source
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