Smart gardens, are they worth it?
Surely now you are wondering if really having a smart garden or growing system is really useful. And, what can we do with them? Some of the advantages that they can bring us are the following:
- Control of humidity, temperature and nutrients: speaking of plants and their needs, these are some of the most important parameters that you need to keep under control if you want them to be in the best condition. Some of the accessories that allow us to have a smart garden will give us the possibility to control them from our mobile phone so, if we need it, act accordingly.
- Automated irrigation: this is another of the main functionalities that smart gardens can bring us. And, once again, we will have options to manage irrigation from the smartphone.
- Resource optimizationAlthough it may seem silly, knowing when your plants need you to water them, change the substrate or if the humidity or temperature is too high for them is a great advantage. We will be able to give them what they need only when they need it and therefore keep them in the best condition and maximize their growth. And, of course, save resources and money.
These are, in general, the benefits that a complete smart garden system can have. Then, depending on how far you want to go, you can maximize the results or even expand them. This just depends on you and your needs.
Smart all-in-one gardens
Now that you know a little more about the advantages of these cultivation and plant growth systems, it is time to show you some of the best options you can buy.
If you don’t want to “eat your head” by overthinking and buying different accessories, there are “all-in-one” smart gardens. That is, it is a planter that incorporates an automatic irrigation system, a UV light lamp, etc. Of course, the issue of being “smart” is mainly based on the fact that the daily watering will be done automatically and without too many complications for you.
The first all-in-one planter model that we want to talk to you about is this Click & Grow. Specifically, we are looking at the model Smart Garden 3, with a capacity for 3 floors. It incorporates a tank for irrigation, the automatic water dosing system and the LED lamp. In it we can grow practically everything through the capsules provided by the manufacturer. And, in addition, it has its own app in which they will give us tips and tricks for maintenance.
An alternative similar to the previous one is this iDoo orchard. But, in this case, use the technique of hydroponic crops, that is, without soil. It has a reservoir and water level so we can control it, high-performance LED lights for growth, and a smart growing system for vegetables, flowers, and fruits.
Accessories to create a smart garden
However, if what you want is to create your own system of smart gardening with house plants, we have compiled some of the best home automation accessories that we show you below.
Sensors
The first thing, of course, will be to know the needs of our plants at all times. We can do this, for example, with the WANFEI smart sensor. This accessory is injected into the soil of our pot and allows us to know the level of humidity, temperature, amount of light and the nutrients that the plant is receiving. We can see all this data directly on our smartphone through the Flower Care app thanks to its Bluetooth connectivity.
Automatic watering
On the other hand, another of the accessories of this type that most users need is a automatic irrigation system like this option Eve aqua. From it we can manage the sprinkler system or the irrigation of our pots and establish schedules to optimize the process. Of course, it is a device with protection for the outside and that we can control with the Android or iOS mobile phone.
An alternative to the previous model, somewhat more economical in addition, is this one IRRIGOLD. Something curious about this is that it can obtain weather information intelligently so, if we use it to water the lawn or outdoor plants, delay its operation. Of course, it is compatible with the main drip irrigation systems on the market and we can control everything from our mobile.
However, if you live in a flat or want an indoor automatic irrigation system without too many complications, one of your best options could be this Wanfei smart flowerpot. This allows us to know the moisture and nutrient levels of the soil. In this way, you can notify us of the needs of our plant via mobile phone with the Flower Care app.
Robotic lawnmower
Speaking of outdoor gardens again, if you want to keep the lawn at bay you should think about getting a smart lawn mower. The first model we want to talk to you about is this one from the Bosch brand. Specifically, it is the model Indego S + 500 which, as its name allows us to see, will be able to operate up to a maximum lawn area of 500 m². We can manage them through your smartphone app or even through voice commands with Alexa or Google Assistant. Of course, this team cuts the grass, it does not pick it up, so that you take it into account.
Another model of equipment to mow the lawn can be this of Gardena. A robot capable of covering a surface of 500 m², with control via app on the phone and quite silent. It incorporates protection against the rays of the sun and water. It adapts to our needs to work on slopes and cut the grass at the height we want.
Other accessories to improve your smart garden
In addition to all the equipment that we have shown you so far, there are some others that are more “conventional” home automation with which we can improve the experience in the smart garden.
As you can imagine, one of our best allies will be smart lights to see the garden even when there is no light. Specifically, this Philips model is the one that we want to recommend you now for several reasons: we can place it practically where we want, it adapts to the aesthetics of a garden and has enough protection to withstand the weather.
If you need a plug in your smart garden, this should be one of the options to consider. Not only because you will be able to control everything you connect to it like any other smart plug, but because it has protection to resist the elements.
If you buy any of the equipment whose connection is via WiFi, the signal may not be too good abroad. If you want to expand the scope of this, you can opt for a mesh WiFi system such as eero 6 that we show you on our YouTube channel.
But of course, if your garden has a large area, it may be a better option to opt for a WiFi signal repeater that can withstand outdoor weather like this one from Joowin.
All the links that you can see in this article are part of our agreement with the Amazon Affiliate Program and could bring us a small commission with your sales (without ever influencing the price you pay). Of course, the decision to publish them has been made freely under the editorial criteria of El Output, without attending to suggestions or requests from the brands involved.
