It's hydroponics — but not that kind
<p>Nutritower promotes growth of “Food you can be proud of.”</p>
In the arena of indoor gardening, the term “hydroponics” has taken root as a high-falutin term for marijuana cultivation. According to High Times magazine, the term “hydro” has even entered the pot smoker’s lexicon as a synonym for high-quality buds.
Although it is associated with the movement toward legalization or decriminalization of marijuana, there’s more to hydroponics (essentially, a method of growing plants in water) than growing plants to smoke. For instance, there’s nutritower — the Indoor Hydroponic Gardening System. The system encourages homeowners to “Harvest fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs indoors all year round right in the comfort of your home.”
The nutritower system stands about five-foot tall with vertical lamps and a drip irrigation system to feed plants the nutrients they need to grow. Lettuce, greens, herbs and fruits and vegetables are all listed in the company’s brochure as the plants for irresistible meals.
According to Kassandra Jordan, business development manager for the Montreal-based company, nutritower attempts to distance itself from the pot-smoking connotation of “hydroponics.” An example of the challenge before her is the long conversation with border-crossing customs officials, who she said seemed suspicious of the hydroponic products.
At nutritower, the marketing focus is squarely on healthy food to eat, as opposed to plants to smoke. And she added that the nutritower has particular appeal in climates with longer winters.
The MSRP for the nutritower is a little more than $1,000. The product was conspiculously displayed in the Lawn and Garden area at the recent True Value Reunion in Washington, D.C.
Indoor gardening and small space gardening are two of the fastest growing areas of the lawn and garden category, said Antoine Hinton, senior global product merchant for True Value Company. “A lot of people hear ‘hydroponics’ and they think pot growing,” said Hinton. “But it’s more than that.”
Although it is associated with the movement toward legalization or decriminalization of marijuana, there’s more to hydroponics (essentially, a method of growing plants in water) than growing plants to smoke. For instance, there’s nutritower — the Indoor Hydroponic Gardening System. The system encourages homeowners to “Harvest fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs indoors all year round right in the comfort of your home.”
The nutritower system stands about five-foot tall with vertical lamps and a drip irrigation system to feed plants the nutrients they need to grow. Lettuce, greens, herbs and fruits and vegetables are all listed in the company’s brochure as the plants for irresistible meals.
According to Kassandra Jordan, business development manager for the Montreal-based company, nutritower attempts to distance itself from the pot-smoking connotation of “hydroponics.” An example of the challenge before her is the long conversation with border-crossing customs officials, who she said seemed suspicious of the hydroponic products.
At nutritower, the marketing focus is squarely on healthy food to eat, as opposed to plants to smoke. And she added that the nutritower has particular appeal in climates with longer winters.
The MSRP for the nutritower is a little more than $1,000. The product was conspiculously displayed in the Lawn and Garden area at the recent True Value Reunion in Washington, D.C.
Indoor gardening and small space gardening are two of the fastest growing areas of the lawn and garden category, said Antoine Hinton, senior global product merchant for True Value Company. “A lot of people hear ‘hydroponics’ and they think pot growing,” said Hinton. “But it’s more than that.”
