Nathaniel Fried
Technology is constantly changing year after year in all areas of our lives, in gardening it’s no different. Most innovations are made to help broaden the horizons of keen gardeners so they can grow more within the space they have. Read on as we take a look at the top must-have pieces of technology for gardeners in 2019.
Heated propagators
Most keen gardeners wish they could grow plants and vegetables from all around the world in their dream garden. But often, our climate doesn’t allow for it. That’s where the heated propagators come in.
Heated propagators allow seeds to germinate better and earlier which means that less gets wasted. When inventions like this first came out it was more heated benches and greenhouses that were on the market. But, they can add to your energy costs as the heat can quickly dissipate and therefore must be on all the time to be successful. Instead, the propagator has walls and a lid which can retain the warmth.
To grow a range of different plants and help your vegetable seeds thrive you can usually change the temperature between 5 and 30 degrees. More exotic hot chillies and seeds can require a warmer temperature and it could be impossible to grow these without the technology if the weather’s too cold. Being able to grow from seed is more cost-effective than buying an already germinated young plant too — saving you some pennies!
Many heated propagators have a light installed too. This can help seedlings and cutting grow healthily and provide high output for low energy as often the propagator contains a reflector that can reflect lost light and diffuse light deep into the plant leaves.
Handy apps
There’s an app for everyone and their hobbies nowadays! And as a lover of gardening, you’re no exception. Which apps should you consider downloading?
- GrowIt! — If you’ve just moved to a new house or are getting used to gardening in your area, this could be a useful app for you. It can connect you with local gardeners who are used to the climate and soil type and can give you some advice. You can also upload photos of your own plants to share your gardening knowledge with others.
- Garden Compass — If you’re looking for other like-minded individuals to share your gardening snaps with, this could be for you. With this app, you can upload photos to the website, ask questions to horticultural experts and crate your personalised garden care calendar.
Multi-pot watering
Although we don’t like to admit it, sometimes our busy schedules take over and we forget to water our plants outside. You don’t need to worry about letting your mind slip with the help of a watering pot.
This piece of technology can sense what time of day it is so it knows when to water your plants and can water up to 25 at a time! You can set up the gadget so that it slowly releases water to the root of the plant which will save you the effort! Connect it to your outdoor garden tap for even less hassle.
Olloclip pro-lens
The rising trend of sharing photos with followers over social media, you want to be able to capture the very best photos possible. Often the beauty of the plant is in the detail of its leaves or perhaps you enjoy watching the wildlife in the garden. Either way, to take the best photos in the garden you should invest in an Olloclip Pro Lens.
This lens fits nicely on your iphone. Simply clip it over the camera lens on your phone which will then combine itself to the digital zoom on your phone, which allows you to take photos with up to 100x magnification. It’s ideal for capturing the details that aren’t visible to the human eye or even monitoring insects as they enjoy your garden. You’re guaranteed to get some wonderful shots without the need for purchasing a professional camera.
Monitoring your plants requirements
Unfortunately, your plants can’t let you know what they need. You have to make the judgement yourself, based on the climate and soil-type in your garden. But there is one gadget that can help — the Parrot Flower Power plant monitor.
The device understands the essentials your plants need. It has a database of over 7,000 plants and has a battery life that lasts up to 6 months. All you have to do is place the monitor in the soil next to your plant and it will detect temperature, sunlight and fertilizer. This information then is sent straight to your smartphone, so you know when to water them or add more fertilizer.
Sources
http://fortune.com/2017/03/30/garden-gadgets-green-tech/
