Berlin The Sweet Spot – AutoPot at Mary Jane 2022

Our team have been bearing all in the German capital! Now that we’ve reduced the readership to ‘hardcore’ followers only, we should clarify that the bear in question is merely the symbol of Berlin and that the only exposure that took place was that of our guys to European cannabis culture – at this years’ instalment of Mary Jane!

Packed with product premieres, new configurations of popular favourites, and excellent technical advice from seasoned growers, MJ Berlin never fails to impress. Culturally, geographically, and meteorologically it also boasts a peerless location. Who wouldn’t want to come and bask in the sun, Spree, and sophistication of Berlin every July?

As a central spot in Europe, Berlin is easy-access from all directions, a factor that really shaped our experience of the show in 2022. Whether it happened in fact or whether we were just sensing it more, this year’s MJ Berlin seemed to have a strong ‘east-meets-west’ energy to it. Recent events have caused a surge in western orientation on the part of eastern European nations which was reflected in a great many of the conversations we had with distributors, wholesalers, and end-users. 

It wasn’t all war and economics either. Tips, tech, growing experience, and tales of everyday life poured forth from AutoPot-intrigued Ukrainians, Latvians, Estonians, Lithuanians, Poles, Slovakians, Czechs, and Hungarians. We gained a huge amount from their perspectives on how, where, and when cultivation works in their respective countries. 

Friendly, freewheeling confabs are a central part of cultivation and help to set growing apart as an industry, although even the word ‘industry’ seems a cold choice for what we all like to do. Take our wide-ranging chat with a fascinating Estonian contingent for example. AutoPot MD Jason Ralph-Smith was treated to an enticingly vivd picture of Estonia’s natural beauty, culture, and evolving cultivation rules.

In Estonia cultivation, public use, and possession of large amounts of cannabis remain criminal offences. Notwithstanding, medical exemptions are possible and a quiet relaxation of minor possession laws has led to gradually improving associations with cannabis across all adults age groups and both genders. Demographic groups not previously associated with cannabis are now embracing it as an effective, medically-prescribed means of relief for all kinds of pain, not least menstrual pain. This is an important point as many medical uses of cannabis are specific to conditions, whereas non-pharma menstrual pain relief could bring in just over 50% of any given population.

Equally inspiring was a meet-up with a Ukrainian retailer whose enduring activity in the face of great hardship really put our everyday trivialities into perspective. Their string of stores continues to serve growers as best they’re able despite the war out there. Abounding positivity and an undiminished interest in growing tech on their part made for a ‘humbling encounter’ in the words of Jason. We very much look forward to working with them as and when they’re ready. Whilst we were busy being spellbound by their outlook, our Ukrainian visitors were getting their teeth into our latest offerings. In all honesty we had to remind ourselves that we were supposed to be promoting products!

Having exhibited in-use performance beyond even our own stellar expectations, the CO2 Generator acquitted itself as a popular favourite in Berlin. Now available across Europe courtesy of AutoPot, the figures we were able to boast for this tub-o-love caused CO2 exhalations aplenty from our stand visitors. Questioning their own eyes (though for the most part not out loud) guests galore also espied a brand new and humongous module sensation – of which more in other parts! 

Sympathetically displayed alongside the full retinue of existing AutoPot Watering Systems we had a little something that goes down right-nice with your plants. A hitherto mysterious company that goes by the name ‘the Source’ is bringing forth a range of products developed with AutoPot but optimised for use with all methods of plant cultivation – we look forward to bringing you a lot more on this juicy treat in due course.

An outlier on our expo radar just a few years ago, Mary Jane is now showing as prominently as the many dumplings our trio of representatives filled up on during their time in Berlin. God-willing they’ll return next year (the team, not the dumplings) for more of the same (the show and the dumplings). A huge thank you to all who visited and made the show possible!