Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
With voters legalizing recreational marijuana last week, Massachusetts lawmakers are already planning how they'll tinker with the law. Others who are also thinking about the change? Garden centers.
The first real change - coming December 15th - will be the ability for adults in Massachusetts to grow up to six pot plants, inside, legally. At the Hadley Garden Center in Hadley, Massachusetts, owner Tom Giles says he is taking a wait-and-see approach to ordering and stocking additional items people could use to grow marijuana successfully.
"We'll find out whatever products they think they need to have. You know, we certainly don't know anything here as far as," Giles said, with a laugh. "Well, I don't - that's for sure - know what the product of choice is, or what things they need. I mean, we're just going to, kind of, react."
One store that is already ready is Shelburne Farm and Garden in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts.
"We have grow mixes that we've already been seeing an influx of people buying them seasonally," said manager Pat Schmidt. "Our suppliers already have cued us into when they rotate their crops. We're already getting that education from our suppliers to be prepared."
Schmidt said that for the last two years, one of the store's major suppliers, based in California, has been educating stores like hers about marijuana growing. One thing suppliers aren't offering? Marijuana-specific signs she can display in the store.
"And now that its increased the number of states that are doing it, maybe that will be something that they will offer us, but so far it's very quietly referred to as 'growing tomatoes' because they have the same requirements," said Schmidt.
So, all the supplies for "growing tomatoes" will continue to be stocked at Massachusetts garden centers next month, except - the seeds.
"There's nothing in our provision that says that garden centers can't give advice or sell products that would help growers of marijuana. But the local garden supply just cannot sell marijuana itself unless they become a licensed cultivator or retailer," said Jim Borghesani, director of communications for the "Yes On 4" campaign.
As far as getting seeds to plant on December 15th? That's a grey area, said Borghesani. "Well, it's probably going to, at this point, have to come from previously not-legal plant material."
Borghesani said his group does not anticipate an increase in the number of people growing pot, based upon the history of other states who have legalized recreational marijuana. And what about potential marijuana customers without a green thumb? Well, legal retail sales of pot are more than a year away.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: 'Growing Tomatoes' Out Of Season? Soon, Mass. Adults Can Just Grow Pot
Author: Carrie Healy
Contact: 413.735.6600
Photo Credit: Keith Rowley
Website: New England Public Radio
The first real change - coming December 15th - will be the ability for adults in Massachusetts to grow up to six pot plants, inside, legally. At the Hadley Garden Center in Hadley, Massachusetts, owner Tom Giles says he is taking a wait-and-see approach to ordering and stocking additional items people could use to grow marijuana successfully.
"We'll find out whatever products they think they need to have. You know, we certainly don't know anything here as far as," Giles said, with a laugh. "Well, I don't - that's for sure - know what the product of choice is, or what things they need. I mean, we're just going to, kind of, react."
One store that is already ready is Shelburne Farm and Garden in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts.
"We have grow mixes that we've already been seeing an influx of people buying them seasonally," said manager Pat Schmidt. "Our suppliers already have cued us into when they rotate their crops. We're already getting that education from our suppliers to be prepared."
Schmidt said that for the last two years, one of the store's major suppliers, based in California, has been educating stores like hers about marijuana growing. One thing suppliers aren't offering? Marijuana-specific signs she can display in the store.
"And now that its increased the number of states that are doing it, maybe that will be something that they will offer us, but so far it's very quietly referred to as 'growing tomatoes' because they have the same requirements," said Schmidt.
So, all the supplies for "growing tomatoes" will continue to be stocked at Massachusetts garden centers next month, except - the seeds.
"There's nothing in our provision that says that garden centers can't give advice or sell products that would help growers of marijuana. But the local garden supply just cannot sell marijuana itself unless they become a licensed cultivator or retailer," said Jim Borghesani, director of communications for the "Yes On 4" campaign.
As far as getting seeds to plant on December 15th? That's a grey area, said Borghesani. "Well, it's probably going to, at this point, have to come from previously not-legal plant material."
Borghesani said his group does not anticipate an increase in the number of people growing pot, based upon the history of other states who have legalized recreational marijuana. And what about potential marijuana customers without a green thumb? Well, legal retail sales of pot are more than a year away.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: 'Growing Tomatoes' Out Of Season? Soon, Mass. Adults Can Just Grow Pot
Author: Carrie Healy
Contact: 413.735.6600
Photo Credit: Keith Rowley
Website: New England Public Radio
