Rising Stars: Meet Garrett Hill

Today we’d like to introduce you to Garrett Hill.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Absolutely! and thank you very much for this opportunity to share my story as an Arizona native. Rewinding back to my childhood gardens, plants, and aquatics have always been an integral part of my life. Our small business Journey at Urban Hills began October 2018 located in the Town of Gilbert, AZ. After honorably serving 13 years in the U.S. Coast Guard and landing in the corporate world I knew there was so much more potential and fulfillment to offer that I was lacking. Having been in the telecommunications fast pace industry and the business model I supported was the integration of voice/data products. Those pillars were finding solutions and support for any business need. Working in that community and receiving the love and support of coworkers, family and friends truly propagate that seed something new and inspirational.

My discovery has been thru trial and error in one of the most unforgiving climates in the the world. I managed to perfect the integration of IFTTT ( If this then that) Ambient weather station and Rachio irrigation controller for water management. What’s also optional is the installation of fertigation, Fox Farm premium soils, and Root Pouch grow bags, and Rain Harvesting. The Root Pouch grow bags we use are BPA free, UV resistant, non-biodegradable, and made from recycled water bottles. I truly keep it simple from a time management perspective and water conservation which has been my goal all along. I don’t just focus on grow bag gardens but consulting is a large part of my business model. I take pride in mirroring my creation in order to help others achieve what they never thought was possible. With a little bit of patience I can help take your ordinary garden or scape to extraordinary.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I never had a social media account until my business was first established. I can personally tell you it’s a psychological war zone for a small business especially when first starting out. Marketing has definitely been the largest challenge especially in a greater city of more than 4.5 million people. Not everyone has social media either which is another obstacle. Any business owner can tell you marketing and advertisements aren’t cheap which can quickly get you into serious financial trouble. I figured out how expensive it was my first year of business and have been reluctant to go down that road with no known ROI. As of now, my business is still word by mouth and I use social media directing people to my website.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As an entrepreneur, my business model and strategic goal is to set you up for 21st Century Gardening. I enjoy consulting for DIY projects or even full custom farm to table setups. I take pride in using top of the line materials for all my projects and encourage the use of technology at your fingertips. My entire garden adventure and platform has been an investment. Anyone can tell you plants, fruit trees, and exotics aren’t cheap. The way I help connect you to your landscape and garden is unlike anything else you have ever experienced. Your investment is secure and will always look unbelievably amazing.

What im most proud of is that I took notice of IFTTT (If this then that) technology and its capabilities. I first started by integrating my very own IFTTT Wi-Fi irrigation controller and weather station synced together. This enabled me with complete control of not only my watering techniques but I was in the know of my exact microclimate simultaneously. Now tie that in a bow with fertigation which is a dosing tank for liquid organic fertilizers and you have yourself a garden that runs its self. Every watering interval gets a micro-dose of nutrients which builds healthy plants and root systems. Arizona has mineral rich soils but lacks in micronutrients. I take the labor of hand fertilizers out and replace it with fertigation. This is a well-known common practice in Agriculture and Commercial growing industry. My application is in residential which is almost unheard of. My urban garden and farm to table concept has been proven without a doubt very successful. I highly recommend this on all my grow bag gardens for ultimate success and ease for the customer.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Never be afraid to pursue your true passion and dreams. If you have an idea and it’s perfected then lay it all out on the table for others to experience. You have nothing to lose and only fulfillment to gain.

Contact Info:

• Website: Growbaggardens.com
• Instagram: Urbanhillsgrowbaggardens
• Facebook: Urbanhillsgrowbaggardens