The smart, connected home is a rapidly growing market, with home owners seeking ways to make the devices within their house communicate with their smartphones, PCs, and tablet. But what about around your home? Sure, having a connected doorbell is cool, but how about a connected garden? Turns out, a smart garden is completely possible, thanks to the devices we are going to take a look at today.
1. Greenbox
Price: US$249
Availability: Currently taking reservations with an estimated ship date of early 2015.
What it is: Greenbox is a really neat device designed to work with homes that already have a sprinkler system installed. It replaces the system’s controller with one that is far smarter. It allows you to take control of your watering schedule from a smartphone or computer, and by connecting to the Internet to track the weather, it knows exactly when it should and shouldn’t activate the sprinkler system. It’s looking quite promising, and it’s definitely a smart garden tool to keep your eye on if you already have sprinklers installed.
2. Edyn
Price: US$99.99 for garden sensor and US$59.99 for water valve.
Availability: Taking pre-orders with a Spring 2015 estimated ship date.
What it is: Edyn is a device built around providing you with information. You shove it into the ground, and it connects with your smartphones and tablets to give you all kinds of information about the soil. The device takes it a step further, recommending plants to grow based on the conditions. This takes much of guess work out of gardening, which is just fantastic. With the optional water valve, it will automatically control your sprinklers based on the the information it detects from your garden bed.
3. RainMachine
Price: US$249
Availability: Available for sale right now.
What it is: This device serves a similar purpose to the Greenbox, using weather data from the Internet to adjust an existing sprinkler system. It accesses its data from NOAA, which is quite accurate, and if for some reason it cannot connect to the Internet, it will use historical data to make watering decisions. It has been quite well-received by Amazon shoppers, so it looks like a great device to consider if you want to use the Internet to manage your watering schedule. [RainMachine at Amazon]
4. Koubachi Plant Sensor 2
Price: US$129 for outdoor, US$99 for indoor model.
Availability: Available now.
What it is: The Koubachi Plant Sensor 2 does a little bit of everything. It senses conditions from the soil and offers advice for managing your plants. It also integrates weather predictions to help you make the best decisions for your garden. Everything from soil conditions to sunlight data is available, and we all know that knowledge is power. Of course, it also connects with your smartphones and tablets, so you can keep track of your garden whether on the home or on the go. Additionally, the outdoor model is resistant to bad weather, which means you can leave it out there safely. If you don’t need that then get the indoor model, so you can keep track of how your plants in the house are doing. [Koubachi Plant Sensor 2 at Amazon]
5. Parrot Flower Power
Price: US$59.99
Availability: Shipping right now.
What it is: Parrot Flower Power is the most affordable of the plant sensor devices, but it’s still quite heavy on features. It has Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity for real-time monitoring of data; whether right where your plants are, or across the country. It detects moisture level, heat, sunlight, and more, so you’ll definitely be able to make an informed decision with the Parrot. It will even alert you if something needs to be adjusted right away (too much water, or if the soil is bone dry), which could actually save your plants, thus saving you money. Some users are complaining about the Parrot’s interface, so you might find that one of the other sensors on this list is a better option. [Parrot Flower Power at Amazon]
Now Get Planting!
Who says growing awesome plants in a garden can’t benefit from the conveniences offered by today’s technology. These slick products, some of which are available right now, will change the way you grow plants, manage your lawn, and more! If you want to have a completely smart home, you can’t neglect the outside, and these cool devices have you covered!
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