Come check out Cortez’s latest gardening shop, High Hopes Hydroponics, located behind Notah Dineh on First Street in Cortez.
“We will take care of all of your gardening needs, inside and outside,” said owner Racquel Hunter at the Feb. 14 grand opening.
Gardening supplies, watering systems, dirt, compost and lots of expert advice are available at the friendly shop. Racquel and her husband, Jayson Kain, have been gardening all their lives. They recently moved to the area from California to raise a family in a small town and get involved in local agriculture, especially the small-garden market.
“Gardening is our passion, and we want to help with supplies for the expert, and get the beginners started on the right track,” Hunter said. “Our family is from here, and we are so happy to be back in Cortez.”
Some of the supplies offered include organic bug control, mold and fungus solutions, lighting, nutrients, manure, and other soil amendments.
“We specialize in hydroponics,” Hunter said. “The advantage is it speeds up the plant’s metabolism, which results in more fruit.”
Montezuma County has one of the highest greenhouse per capita in the state, one of the reasons Hunter and Kain felt there was a need for a specialized gardening supply store.
“There are a lot of everyday gardeners here, and we want to help the little guy and the big guy,” Hunter continued.
Greenhouses and hydroponics allow for producing fruit year round, but there are a lot of tricks to the trade.
“Learn from the mistakes we have already made,” Hunter says. “We have had a lot of success and want to share what we know.”
Onsite visits are available to troubleshoot gardens, help set up watering and lighting systems, or for advice on how to start a garden.
Hunter is excited about working with the schools to help pass on the virtues and benefits of growing your own food to students.
“If our children do not know how to garden, then the future is more uncertain. It teaches them how to survive on their own,” she said.
Their winter hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11-6 p.m.
Check out their website at www.highhopeshydroponics.com for more information.