Permanent Trends

Jennifer Zurko

It’s interesting how a “trend” evolves from a “movement” to something more permanent—whether we like it or not. Thankfully, some of the trends I grew up with in the ’80s and ’90s haven’t come back, like huge, teased hair caked with Aqua Net hairspray or synthesized music. (Now it’s colored hair—which I actually like—and auto-tuned music.)

We’re seeing them in our industry, too, and an example of this are the first two features of this month’s GrowerTalks. Since March is our Greenhouse Issue, we wanted to delve deeper into two different types of growing structures that are popping up around North America—cannabis and rooftop greenhouses.

In most ways, these growing structures aren’t that much different from the typical ones you work in every day. The differences are in how they’re built (rooftops) and what’s grown in them (cannabis).

In 2012, the state of Colorado legalized recreational marijuana for personal use under 1 oz. (28 grams)—and with other states like Washington, Oregon, Hawaii and Alaska following suit—traditional bedding plant growers are contemplating whether to open a side cannabis business.

Some are actually doing it, like SunCanna, which is now the biggest marijuana grower in Colorado. The owner has a bedding plant business and was offered an opportunity to get into growing recreational cannabis. Last month, he opened his doors to Chris Beytes to tell his story.

You probably keep reading about new rooftop growing operations opening around North America in our Inside Grower newsletter and printed supplement, and perhaps you feel like it’s a passing fad. Like, in a few years, these greenhouses will be standing empty, decaying on the roofs of city buildings after their doors close. But if you look at all of the rooftop projects Nexus Greenhouse systems has been taking on during the last five years, you may think differently. Plus, the fact that operations like Gotham Greens keep building new greenhouses is quite telling that these types of businesses are here to stay. But they have their share of challenges, too.

And lest you think that we’ve forgotten about the “traditional” greenhouses that we know and love, find out the pros and cons of two of the most common greenhouse shapes—Arch and A-frame.

While thinking about trends, I stumbled upon Vogue’s website and they say the sloppy hoodie-sweatshirt-and-baggy-jeans look is all the rage in fashion right now. Now, you’re thinking, “Hey—I wear that in the greenhouse everyday.” So you can consider yourself an early adopter of a trend that you’ve made permanent. Unfortunately, you have Justin Bieber to thank for putting this ensemble on the map. Oh well … GT