ALTO Garden for Schools
Several school districts around the country have ALTO Garden Towers in their classrooms. Hydroponic systems offer a modern and engaging way to teach students about plant biology, environmental science, and sustainability. They are a perfect tool for integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education into the classroom. Understanding the mechanisms that control water flow, lighting, and nutrient uptake introduces them to basic engineering and science concepts.
One of the primary benefits of hydroponic systems is the opportunity for hands-on learning. Instead of relying solely on textbooks, students can interact with real plants and observe how they grow. They learn about the biological processes that plants undergo, such as photosynthesis, nutrient absorption, and growth patterns. This tangible interaction with living systems makes complex concepts easier to grasp and retain.
Teaching sustainability in schools has become increasingly important, and hydroponic systems offer an effective platform for demonstrating eco-friendly practices. Hydroponic towers use significantly less water than traditional soil-based gardening, as water is recycled through the system rather than lost to evaporation or runoff. In a world facing water scarcity, this method of growing food is more sustainable and can inspire students to think critically about resource conservation. Furthermore, hydroponics does not rely on pesticides or chemical fertilizers, reducing the environmental impact of agriculture.
By learning about and practicing sustainable farming techniques, students develop an understanding of the importance of environmental stewardship and the role they can play in creating a greener future.
Educator FAQ
Our ALTO Garden towers are currently used in elementary schools, and all the way up to high school. We find that 4th grade is about the right grade for elementary school children to get introduced to hydroponic systems and learning about the essential things that make plants grow – water and light. As kids get into upper elementary school and middle school, they generally start learning about photosynthesis as part of their curriculum. And in high school, they can start learning about the essential macro nutrients for plant life such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium.
Certainly science-related classes have a lot of interest, from elementary school science up into specialty sciences like biology and chemistry. But you would be surprised by some of the teachers we’ve spoken with. We had a Spanish teacher who got a hydroponic tower for her Spanish class! So it’s definitely not limited to just science. Teachers like to teach regardless of the subject. Learning how to grow food is universal so it really applies to everyone.
The germination process is very educational for children, which greatly enhances the entire experience and learnings from hydroponic growing. We highly encourage educators to teach the germination process – what a seed is, the conditions a seed must have to germinate, moisture levels, temperature, and how different species have different germination times. We also find it’s more rewarding for the class, to grow from seed. You can learn more about germination in the germination section of our website.
We would suggest you start with lettuce. It is fast growing so you’ll see results fairly quickly. Lettuce is also very beginner-friendly. Kale is another good one. The impressive size and deep green color of kale is awesome, and it grows almost as fast as lettuce. The heartiness and robustness of kale also makes it very good for beginners. Herbs take longer to grow than lettuce or kale, but their harvesting window is longer. Herbs can be kept for “two seasons” meaning – you can grow a second season of lettuce while still harvesting your first season of herbs.
The ALTO Garden GX Tower with lights has two timers – one timer for watering and another timer for lighting. Both of these timers will need to plugged into a nearby electrical outlet. The base of the ALTO Garden GX Tower is 1’ 8” x 1’ 8” so about 3 square feet will be required. A water gauge comes included which helps monitor the water levels inside the reservoir. Periodic “topping off” of the reservoir will be needed a couple times a month.
Yes, the ALTO Garden GX Tower can be used outdoors. It is rated for both indoor and outdoor use.
If you plan to place your tower in the classroom next to a window, it should be placed in front of a south-facing window which gets at least 7 hours of full sun a day. 10 hours is ideal, but 7 hours minimum. However, for indoor use, the GX Tower with lights is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Young seedlings for example - require more light and by placing them next to a window, they can suffer from extended periods of cloudiness. The GX lights will provide much greater control and flexibility of your lighting schedule.
We do not charge sales tax outside the state of California. If your school district is in California, we’ll surely honor your tax-exempt status. Please contract us for our W-9 form and we’ll be happy to provide a copy. We can also fill out any vendor profile forms which may be applicable for your district.
To place your order directly on our website – you should pay with a credit card or with a PayPal account. You can also send us a check and we will process your order manually. For purchase orders, please contract us and we’ll provide an application. If you're already set up for invoicing on Amazon, here is a link to our Amazon listing.
