By Lauren Stepp<\/p>\n
With traffic congesting thoroughfares and apartments being thrown up left and right, it may seem odd that two Savannah transplants are filling a tight farming niche in Arden. But Asheville Hydroponics and Organics is taking urban development in stride by pioneering a no-dirt-required philosophy.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust to be clear, we love and promote organic farming methods, but some of us don\u2019t have much access to land,\u201d says co-owner Andrew Morris. \u201cWe believe that shouldn\u2019t keep people from growing healthy food at home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hydroponics means rearing veggies, fruits and non-edibles without soil. In essence, seedlings are planted in special growing trays that expose their roots. A pump then passes a solution\u2014water mixed with nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus\u2014to the plants. Some large-scale growers boast fancy aeroponic systems that mist on a timer. At its simplest, however, a backyard hydroponic setup can involve common household items like buckets and old storage totes.<\/p>\n
The key here is control, says Morris. Folks can dial in plant nutrition, which cuts out the guesswork associated with traditional methods. There are also major advantages in yield, water consumption, growth rates and pest and disease management. Of course, there\u2019s that no-dirt thing too.<\/p>\n
As a former sailor, Morris is used to that. For many years, he captained boats in Hawaii, Lake Tahoe and the Bahamas, and later delivered vessels up and down the East Coast. Despite the freedom and affordable travel, he sought grounding in 2008. Noticing that Savannah lacked specialty gardening stores, he decided to give that market a go instead.<\/p>\n
Savannah Hydroponics and Organics was established in January, 2009. Asheville\u2019s shop would come later in October, 2015, only after Morris met soon-to-be business partner Evan Godlesky.<\/p>\n
\u201cI walked into his store one day to buy garden products,\u201d says Godlesky, a former airplane mechanic. \u201cLess than ten years down the road, and here we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Godlesky now mans the brick-and-mortar on Buck Shoals Road where mountain customers run the gamut from retired women to younger farmer dudes. Though several miles up the coast, Asheville\u2019s shop is following a similar community-oriented business model as its Savannah counterpart. Morris, for instance, is working to collaborate with the Mills River Farmers\u2019 Market. His Little Growers program, an initiative that lets kids get their hands dirty and grow fresh product, also continues at Bluffton Market in South Carolina. And the hydroponic and organic gardens Morris installed in regional schools? Well, they\u2019re still producing fresh fruits and veggies too.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had a great reception from the community,\u201d says Morris. \u201cWe\u2019re the only shop on the south side of town.\u201d They plan to carry on educating locals about a hobby that pays back with delicious produce, no dirt required.<\/p>\n