Head Start Hydroponics & Organic Gardening Emporium

Head Start Hydroponics & Organic Gardening Emporium

34500 U.S. Highway 6 Unit B-9 North

Edwards, Colorado 81632

phone: 569-3139

Fax: 569-3139 (call prior to sending)



Date opened: April 1, 2004.

Owner: Pat Bultemeier



What goods or services do you provide and what product lines or services do you offer?

Head Start Hydroponics is a full-line hydroponics dealer carrying multiple product lines from distributors throughout the world. We are constantly seeking out new suppliers to ensure that we offer our customers the latest product available in the hydroponics industry. We carry grow lights, rockwool, flood tables and reservoirs, and a wide variety of the most well-known hydroponic fertilizers available.

Along with a wide selection of hydroponic equipment, Head Start's "Organic Gardening Emporium" offers a wide variety of organic and natural fertilizers and people and pet-friendly pest and herbicidal controls for indoor and outdoor gardening and lawn care. In this arena, we carry certified organic products from Concern, Harmony, Age-Old organics and Earth Juice. In conjunction with our all-natural lawn and gardening products, we also offer products that will aid our customers in conserving and limiting their water usage during the ongoing drought.

These products include Head Start water absorbing crystals that can be used in container planting, flowerbeds, or gardens, and a sprayable polymer that can be applied on lawns to reduce water usage up to 50 percent.

What strategy do you use to differentiate your business from your competition?

We feel that our involvement with hydroponics and environmentally aware products distinguish us from the other lawn and garden centers in the Vail Valley. Additionally, our low prices and our Western Slope location set us apart from the Front Range hydroponic stores. Not only can we save our customers time and money by avoiding the long drive to Denver, we strive to offer a level of personalized service that they do not offer, including pre-arranged delivery of special orders, and sales by appointment outside of our regular hours of business.



What philosophy do you follow in dealing with your customers?

Our business philosophy toward our customers is three-fold, consisting of service, education and satisfaction. In addition to offering the finest quality products the hydroponics industry has to offer, we feel that hydroponics and gardening are ever-evolving activities that challenge the users of the products on a daily basis. With that realization, we are always searching for innovative ways to serve our customers and offer them a high level of satisfaction and success in all of their gardening endeavors.



Tell us a little about your background and experience:

I moved to the Vail Valley from Kansas City, Mo. in 1984, and have been involved in the fields of landscaping and irrigation for 20 years. During that time, I have worked for local golf courses and landscape companies, and have operated my own irrigation company.

Owning and operating a hydroponics business offers me a chance to be involved in a progressive offshoot of the lawn, garden and landscape business, and it allows me the chance to experiment with new and innovative products and meet new people who are also interested in horticulture and the environment.



What led you to start the business here?

I live in Edwards, and have watched the area grow rapidly over the last 15 years. As the population grew, I saw a distinct need for a hydroponics and organic store in the area. Until now, the users of hydroponic equipment and organic gardening supplies in this area have been forced to travel to the Denver metro area.

With the opening of Head Start, the time and expense of traveling to Denver is no longer necessary, and our customers have commented that our prices are lower than those found at the Denver area stores. In fact, we are currently offering a June special of 15 percent off on the purchase of a complete lighting system or any purchase of $500 or more.