Topic: Hydroponics

A listener working for Scott's Miracle-Gro (SMG) provides a tip regarding the company's heavy investment in the marijuana industry through its subsidiary, Black Magic. The company is reportedly modeling its growth after major beer conglomerates by acquiring craft hydroponic brands.

Adam Curry notices a trend in Austin restaurants where "microgreens" are used as a garnish on almost every dish. John Dvorak explains that these are often hydroponically grown and marketed as a premium ingredient to justify higher prices. They jokingly decide to rename them "micro veggies."

A segment on the "Fifty Shades of Kale" book leads to a critique of the modern obsession with the vegetable. The hosts suggest that a "Kale Institute" in England is using PR to promote kale as a bug-resistant cash crop. They mock the sexualized marketing of kale recipes and share their own theories on how to make the vegetable edible.

A 15,000-square-foot warehouse called iGrow has opened in Oakland, marketed as the "Walmart of Weed." The store sells hydroponic supplies and offers courses on cultivation but does not sell marijuana directly. The hosts speculate that large corporations like Monsanto may eventually enter the market to provide seeds and nutrients to home growers.

Owner Dar Mann describes iGrow as a "Home Depot for marijuana," offering DIY courses on nutrients and lighting. Oakland City Council Member Rebecca Kaplan is reportedly drafting ordinances to expand the number of legal dispensaries in the city, which is currently capped at four. The hosts joke that the future of the American economy involves everyone growing and selling weed to each other.