Believe it or not, you can now implement technology into your gardening. With the new wave of smart gardens, plant owners can automate their gardening. Being the perfect fit for busy people who don’t have enough time to water their plants or give them just the right amount of sunlight, smart gardens have become increasingly popular.
This post will give insights into how they work, whether they fit your needs and the best options in the market.
What are Smart Gardens?
A smart garden as the name implies is an indoor plant or garden that has inbuilt technology to take care of itself. Usually, it comes in a plastic box and has its lights so you don’t need to place it near a window or outdoors. This innovation allows you to grow peppers, tomatoes, herbs and salads with zero to minimal effort.
How Do They Work?
When you order a smart garden, you get an LED lamp, water storage and a pod which houses your seeds and soil. Once you connect the pod and add water to the water storage, plug your garden and connect it to your WiFi. The lamps usually act as sunlight and sometimes they come with an inbuilt timer that gives the illusion of night and day.
Most smart gardens come with an app that sends you occasional updates. For example, while the garden will water itself, you might get an update to fill up the water storage once it’s running low.
The Best Five Smart Gardens You Can Buy Right Now
Not sure about which smart garden to start with? Well, here are five smart gardens we recommend;
1. Click and Grow Indoor Herb Kit
Price: $99.05
This is a perfect garden for a first-time owner. You can choose from any of the 50 seed pod options including cilantro, basil, chilli peppers, and more. We love that the LED lights are energy-efficient which will save you some money on your electric bills. Once you turn it on, you can choose to hang it on a wall or place it on a stand. It’s easy to set up and it’s great value for money.
2. iDOO Hydroponics 12 Pod Growing System Kit
Price: $89.99
With more features and more space for plants, this gardening system is a great option if you want to grow many spices, herbs and salads. It is designed to grow your plants 20% faster than soil planting thanks to an upper fan that simulates the outside breeze.
This kit also comes with an adjustable height for more space between plants and two growing modes. So you can choose between the vegetable mode or the flower and fruit mode. It’s super easy to set up and the water tank is bigger at 4.5L so you don’t have to fill it up so frequently.
3. Serenlife Hydroponic Herb Garden with 6 Pods
Price: $49.99
If having 6 pods seems like a lot, this indoor herb garden has six pods with extensive features. It’s perfect for growing both flowers and vegetables indoors. Thanks to the 24W LED energy-efficient lights, you can save money on energy bills as well.
We love that you can adjust the brightness and rotate the lights based on your observations and discretion. The plant also comes with three timer modes to ensure that at different growth stages, your plants are getting what they need.
4. Ecogrower Smart Garden with 4 Pots
Price: $39.99
Ideal for beginners, this indoor herb garden comes with an automatic control panel and four pots. These plants grow only in water and you can choose to place it on a counter or window. It’s very simple with limited features and a high-efficiency light. We also love that the height is adjustable so you can provide the right amount of light for each plant.
5. Hydroponics Growing System Indoor Garden with 8 Pods
Price: $69.99
Our final recommendation is this simple indoor garden with 8 pods. Like most smart gardens on this list, it comes with an LED optimised for plants and herbs. This light can be adjusted in height and direction to ensure all plants are receiving the right amount of light. The water pump runs every 30 minutes ensuring that your plants are properly rooted. It’s super easy to set up and it’s also very detachable for cleaning.
Smart Gardens are fun to use as a side project and they also make excellent gifts for your loved ones. We hope that this post has helped shed more light on what they are and how to use them. Don’t forget to share it with someone you think would just love this.
