Origin Story

Born out of a Baltimore basement, Growganix was founded by a young gardener who had grown to despise plastic and the carelessness in which we consumed it. He would avoid using plastic as much as possible but being a landscaper in inner city Baltimore meant there was no escaping it. It always horrified him to see the carelessness in people  who without hesitation would litter their food wrappers. In his own life he had friends that drank exclusively from plastic water bottles and didn't even own a water filter.  It was near impossible to get them to change as well. 

He realized that the reality is people want to do what is easiest and most convenient. Once it is out of sight it is out of mind. Of course out of sight out of mind is a shortsighted fallacy but that is the reality of most people's mindset. It seemed the most effective way to mitigate this plastic crisis was not by changing consumer minsets but rather their purchasing habits by offering suitably performing natural products. This would be in the back of his mind for sometime.

He would go on to start a small indoor cbd grow using natural materials and as little plastic as possible. This would be harder then expected as all of the best performing pots, the foundation of the grow, were made with some form of plastic or a petrochemical based materials. After much research he settled upon non-woven grow bags for their breathability.

Though they were made with plastic they were classified as biodegradable. After using them for some time he stumbled upon an article that dispelled this “biodegradable” myth. It is true that these bags degrade rapidly however they leave behind micro plastic residue. Feeling duped but not to be deterred he would continue to look for alternatives. Then one day while in his garden watering it hit him like a ton of bricks. “WHY NOT GROW WEED IN WEED!?!?!?”

He would then proceed to buy a number of different hemp fabrics, buy a sewing machine, learn to sew and then start prototyping hemp fabric pots. After about a week the first prototype was finished and it was time for testing. 

Feeling really good he would start to grow a plant in this bag and was amazed at how happy the plant seemed to be. About a month later he went to move the bag, and watched the bottom drop, much like his heart, with the soil subsequently pouring out. Down but not deterred he would go back to the drawing board in search of a material that was breathable, biodegradable and that would last at least 1 full grow cycle. After much research he realized Jute, a plant similar to hemp grown in India would be the most durable natural material.  After scouring the globe he came across a centuries old Jute vendor who had developed a top of the line, reinforced non woven jute fabric that fit the bill perfectly.

The original mission was accomplished but the gears were still turning. Determined to have a growth he would be proud of he continued to look for natural products to add and/or replace common plastic gardening supplies. They would have to be able to perform as well if not better than plastic as there was no denying that these synthetic products were useful.

 With that in mind he would set out to find an alternative to nylon trellis nets, plastic saucers and plastic red solo cups for seedlings. In the end the products he would end up developing for use in his garden were; a jute pot, a finely woven (to minimize shedding) jute trellis net, a coco coir seedling cup, a bamboo fiber saucer, and a coco coir weed mat. The weed mat does not replace a plastic product but it is his personal favorite product. Its shading and insulating properties prevent the soil from drying out as fast and allow a few extra days in between watering cycles. It always gave him great pride when he would show off his garden to friends and they would ask where/if they could buy these specially made products. 

Feeling fulfilled and purposeful he decided to hunker down, improve upon his original ideas and create a product line of biodegradable gardening supplies. From the finished product line came about Growganix, a minimalist company fueled by the love of nature.

We are extremely proud to offer these products and only hope that you enjoy them as much as we do!