Maximum Yield USA 2012 March | Page 197

all available in both 110 volt and low voltage versions—plus the Lazy Gardener Lazy Pot (a double-wall insulated container) and the Thermoplanter. Solar-powered versions of the Lazy Gardener are in the works for 2013. MY: Can you tell us something about the technology behind your Lazy Gardener products? How do they work and why should we want one? Sasha: SELFWTR—Subsurface Evaporative Lift Format with Temperature Regulation—is a patent-pending root zone environment management system. It is a three-in-one self-regulating warming, watering and aeration system that promotes a consistent root environment to optimize growing conditions in lower ambient temperatures and low light while increasing yield and reducing water and energy use. All this is accomplished with an economical and easy-to-use device that saves time, energy and money while producing excellent results—basically it is a ‘set it and forget it’ root warming and watering system. MY: How do you market your products? Do you go to a lot of trade shows? Sasha: We promote via trade shows—Maximum Yield shows this year as well as lawn and garden shows—and also via distributors and consumer advertising in print media. MY: Where do you sell your products? Are you involved in any markets besides North America? Are you looking for foreign distributors? Sasha: Our products are marketed and sold all over the globe. We have distributors set up in Europe and Canada and have active interests in Australia and Eastern Europe. We believe that this technology has an application anywhere plants are grown, in any soil media—so, the world market is wide open! ue-added turf such as golf greens. Another possible application for SELFWTR is that it can use brackish water (salt water) in the subsurface evaporative method to irrigate value-added crops—the system would circulate heated salt water below the surface that would evaporate fresh water vapor into the soil system to irrigate the roots. The salts stay concentrated in the circulation system and flow back to the original salt water source. MY: Are you more involved in the professional agriculture business or the consumer market? Where do you make most of your sales? Sasha: We divide our efforts between the professional and consumer markets. Right now, most of our sales come from consumers, but we have developed large-scale systems using SELFWTR technology for the interior greenscapes, green walls and green roof industries—all these market segments are growing quickly and the interest level for a variety of other applications is growing too. We see an application for our products in the landscape turf and ornamental areas as well, promoting low water use for value-added turf and ornamentals. This can be done with bed plantin rf