A group of Fountain Hills residents took a trip to the True Garden Tuesday, May 13.

True Garden is an aeroponic urban farm in Mesa that offers gardening classes, tours and seedlings to the public. A tour was hosted by True Garden Manager Bryna Burton who showed the group around a patio with seedling tables and a 5,000-square-foot greenhouse with over 300 vertical towers.

Some plants can grow in different-sized towers and produce lettuce, basil, celery, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, peas, strawberries and flowers, according to Burton.

Organic mineral blends are used versus soil, consuming 90% less water and with the ability to grow produce in the towers three times more quickly than soil, Burton said.

The one-acre plot in Mesa also uses solar energy, advises international partners, ships seedlings across the country and provides fresh produce to local restaurants, schools and farmers markets.

“Although I am not a gardener myself, I was very interested in seeing how vertical gardens work and wondered about replicating this model in Fountain Hills,” said local resident and Fountain Hills Leadership Academy Class 5 participant, Zarrín Caldwell. “While a commercial operation like True Garden may not be realistic for us, some tour participants want to explore having a couple of demonstration towers at the FH Community Gardens — possibly to supply the local food bank.  Individuals can also use smaller towers in their own homes to beautify spaces and/or grow fresh, healthy food.”

For more information on True Garden, visit truegarden.com.