Pike Place Market Farmer Experiments with Hydroponic Growing

Long before the first tulips bloom across the Northwest, vibrant bouquets fill the stalls at Pike Place Market. These early blooms come from dedicated local farmers, many of whom rely on greenhouses or high tunnels to extend the growing season.

For Laura Cha of Va Cha Garden, a different solution took root. Without a greenhouse but with an empty barn, a supportive husband, and a desire to innovate, she embraced hydroponic growing.

This ancient yet cutting-edge technique nurtures plants in a nutrient-rich water solution instead of soil.

A Creative Solution for the Slow Season

“We knew that in December, January, and February, our income is at its lowest,” said Laura’s husband, Toucher Cha. “We figured this could be a great way to bring in a little extra income.”

Determined to test this method, the second-generation Pike Place Market farmers invested $6,000 in tulip bulbs, setting up their hydroponic experiment in a barn near Carnation, Washington. Their goal? Have fresh tulips ready to sell at Pike Place Market by Valentine’s Day.

And they did just that.

On Friday, February 14, Laura and Toucher were among the farmers selling bright, fresh-cut tulips at the Market. Just a few weeks later, their table overflowed with tall-stemmed pink, purple, and orange blooms—a testament to their hard work and willingness to try something new.

“It was a lot of effort caring for those tulips,” Laura said. “But it was a great learning experience.”

Overcoming Challenges

One key lesson from their hydroponic experiment? You don’t need as much space as you might think.

Their 1,500 sq. foot barn proved to be a bit too much.

“We couldn’t heat it the way we wanted. During the day, it reached 65 degrees, but at night, we struggled to maintain that temperature,” Toucher said.

Managing temperature, humidity, and water changes became a daily challenge. Eventually, they found a solution—storing most of the tulips in a cold storage locker within the barn helped regulate their environment, and the plants thrived.

Despite the hurdles, Laura and Toucher say they’d do it all over again.

“It’s a unique approach,” Toucher said. “It’s very different from growing tulips in the traditional way. A lot of people are only selling dried flowers this time of year, so this gave us an opportunity to bring in additional income.”

And the effort paid off. “We saw a spike in our income for January and February,” he added.

For Laura and Toucher Cha, who have been selling flowers at Pike Place Market since 1991, this experiment was more than just a way to boost sales—it was proof that with creativity and persistence, even a barn in the dead of winter can bloom with possibility.