Gardening can be rewarding work, but it can also be stressful. Fortunately, modern technology has stepped in to make things easier for the average green thumb. To help out with your garden this summer, check out some of these great gadgets.
Vegibee
Pollination is key for your garden to grow and produce plump and tasty fruit. Unfortunately, nature doesn’t always cooperate, leaving you with a barren harvest. The Vegibee is a simple system that allows you to pollinate your plants by hand and improve your garden’s yield. The device produces a high-speed vibration that gently shakes the pollen from a flower, allowing you to collect and redistribute it. The Vegibee is a particularly useful tool for indoor and greenhouse gardeners, where helpful insects like bees don’t have access.
Contech ScareCrow
It’s a fate too many gardeners are familiar with: A summer’s worth of work disappears overnight when pests make a midnight snack of the vegetable patch. Prevent unwanted visitors from chowing down on your greens this summer with the Contech ScareCrow. This motion activated sprinkler greets unwanted guests with a sudden blast of cold water, the prefect detetent for rabbits, deer, raccoons and other animals.
Parrot Flower Power
Take some of the guesswork out of gardening this summer with the Parrot Flower Power. Simply stick the stylish sensor into the ground and download the app to your smartphone. The sensor measures soil quality, moisture, sunlight and temperature. When your plants aren’t getting the things they need, the app notifies you, allowing you to correct the problem before the garden wilts away in the mid-summer sunshine.
Green IQ
In-ground irrigation systems are a great way to take the grunt work out of watering your lawn and garden. However, relying on a simple timer for your watering schedule can lead to a lot of wasted water. The Green IQ is a smart watering controller that hooks up to your in-ground irrigation system, allowing you to water more wisely. The device looks at current weather conditions and takes into account the forecast for the coming days, which means it won’t water your lawn right before a big rainstorm. You can also link the Green IQ to other smart gardening gadgets that you have, like the Parrot Flower Power, giving it precise data on soil moisture levels.
Herb Garden Markers
If you’ve ever started a garden from seed, you know how important it is to mark your seedlings and keep things organized. Many gardeners rely on popsicle sticks and permanent markers, but rain and sunshine will cause those markers to fade over time. Williams-Sonoma has a more long-lasting solution with its Herb Garden Markers. These ceramic sticks have the name of common herbs stamped on them, which will keep your garden organized for seasons to come.
Suncast Aquawinder
Getting the hose back onto the reel can be one of the least pleasant aspects of tending a garden. Spend less time fighting with your hose this summer by getting the Suncast Aquawinder. This self-reeling hose powers itself with the water pressure from the faucet, so it doesn’t require batteries or a plug. Simply flip the switch and the hose reels itself back in.
Miracle-Gro Liquafeed
Fertilizer is the key to a lush garden and using a feeder attached to the hose is one of the most convenient ways to get plants the nutrients they need. However, attaching and removing these systems from the hose can be a chore, which is why Miracle-Gro flipped things around with its Liquafeed system. Rather than attaching to the end of the hose, the Liquafeed is hooked up to the faucet. Pop in a bottle of Miracle-Gro’s liquid plant food and the system automatically mixes the right amount of fertilizer and water. With the flip of a lever, you can switch between feed and fresh water, allowing you to leave the system permanently in place.