Tower Garden helps kids grow veggies at Lindbergh Schweitzer Elementary

A Tower Garden – a hydroponic system for growing vegetables – is now on in the campus garden at Lindbergh Schweitzer Elementary School.

Through grants from the San Diego Master Gardeners and the La Jolla Village Gardening Club, the Tower Garden was purchased for the school's teaching garden and will be helping kids learn where their meals come from, as well as the process of growing fruits and vegetables.

"When I ask my kids, 'where do fruits and vegetables come from?' the response is "the store!" said teacher Patti Read, the 2012 Elementary School Teacher of the Year. Read's goal is to put the school-grown produce on the menu in cafeteria.

The Tower Garden is a patented vertical aeroponic growing system developed by Tim Blank. The 5-foot tall Tower Garden will grow up to 20 plants at a time using a system of recycling nutrients and water. The plants will grow in less time than it would take in soil, so the children will see more produce for less work. Also, the design of the system will accommodate students using wheelchairs and walkers, as well as ambulatory children.

For additional information contact Media Production Assistant Julie Harris at jharris2@sandi.net or 858-496-8400.