Business Partner Spotlight: Vermont Grow Coach

Editorial Note: This profile was written as part of a paid business partnership.

Since Vermont legalized personal use on July 1, 2018, many Vermonters are now eager not only to consume cannabis but learn to grow and harvest their own plants. Vermont Grow Coach is a new business, backed by experienced growers, that wants to help educate Vermonters on how to grow their own cannabis plants.

Big picture – new cannabis growers run into several issues when trying it out for the first time, such as improper care of seedlings, over-watering, ignoring PH levels, harvesting too soon, and various other obstacles.

Vermont Grow Coach is designed to help those wanting to grow through each step of the process. From setting up the environment to trimming the buds, Vermont Grow Coach offers several different services depending on the need and experience level of each grower.

Although Vermont Grow Coach has only been in business since recreational cannabis use became legal, they are staffed by caregivers for medicinal patients who have worked with them for years, and want to expand their services to any curious Vermonters.

While learning to cultivate cannabis can be expensive and tedious, Vermont Grow Coach focuses on keeping prices low, making their services accessible to anyone, and educating Vermonters about the cannabis plant.“What sets us apart are our low prices,” said Tom Morcombe, owner of Vermont Grow Coach. “We aren’t in this to get rich. We are in it to share our knowledge and love for cannabis.”

“Don’t skimp on the quality of your soil. It’s literally the foundation of your entire grow.”

Vermont Grow Coach breaks the process down into five steps:

1. Assessment: Vermont Grow Coach will assess the growing area and make recommendations on equipment and a growth schedule.
2. Installation: Vermont Grow Coach will install a grow room or help set up a garden.
3. Maintenance: As the vegetative stage begins, Vermont Grow Coach will provide feedback on what’s going well and tips for what is not, offering their own fertilizers to meet the needs of each plant.
4. Flowering: This is where Vermont Grow Coach spends the most time to ensure a healthy plant and an abundant harvest.
5. Harvesting: Vermont Grow Coach will identify when it’s time to harvest the plants, and show clients how to trim, cure, and store their crop.

The whole process can take anywhere from three to six months depending on where the cannabis is grown, the medium used for growing, and the strain of the product. Vermont Grow Coach will be there throughout the entire cycle.

Additionally Vermont Grow Coach teaches cloning techniques, how to feminize seeds, plant diagnostics and harvesting, and offers culinary education on how to make edibles.

“We aim cheap. Super cheap. Not because our services are lower end, but because we feel everyone has the right to grow, regardless their financial situation,” said Morcombe.