Hydroponics is one the fastest rising sectors in the horticultural industry. It is, however, a contestedone. The problem with the industry is that the products sold by hydroponics entrepreneurs are not onlybeing used to grow tomatoes or cucumbers, but also potentially illegal produce, such as cannabis. In this paper, we explore the extent to which cannabis and hydroponics entrepreneurs have a symbiotic relationship. We firsttake a comparative look at the size and the development of the cannabis cultivation and the hydroponic retailindustries over a 30-year period (1977–2006). Findings show that both industries followed a similar growthcurve which started in the early 1990s, and slowed down in early 2000. A second set of findings shows that themutual relationship between both industries does not necessarily translate into deviant management practices forthe hydroponics entrepreneurs.

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