Garden smart
Green fingers with robots and voice control
Once the smart gardening system has been set up, it takes care of the garden almost by itself.
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Smart gardeners are convinced that the future of garden care is electric and digital. These systems monitor weather and plants.
In recent years, our lives have become increasingly digitized and automated. This trend does not stop at our gardens. Smart gardening is the name of the method that is designed to make our green oases more efficient and at the same time reduce environmental pollution. Technologies and smart devices are used to make gardening easier and optimize plant care. This can usually be easily controlled via smartphones and tablets using smart home systems such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home. These are the most widely used devices, methods and systems.
Automatic irrigation systems
A big advantage of smart gardening is the automatic watering. Smart irrigation systems can measure soil moisture levels and adjust irrigation accordingly. This not only saves time and effort, but also prevents over- or under-supply of the plants. Some systems can be controlled via a smartphone app so that you can keep an eye on the garden from afar.
For example, the “RainMachine” smart water control system uses local weather data to automatically adjust irrigation. It also has smart sensors to monitor soil moisture levels. The system then ensures that the plants always receive the optimal amount of water, without you having to worry about it.
Weather data based control
Some smart garden solutions use weather data to optimize their activities. They take the predictions into account and adjust their watering and fertilization schedules accordingly. This enables a resource-saving Garden maintenance and the plants thrive better.
The smart “Netatmo” weather station, for example, is an ideal supplement for smart gardeners. It records precise weather data such as temperature, humidity and rainfall. This data can be synchronized with other smart garden devices, such as the “RainMachine” system, to tailor garden maintenance to the current weather conditions.
Sensor-based crop monitoring
With the help of sensors, important parameters such as light, humidity and temperature can be continuously monitored. Based on this data, the conditions for the plants can be optimized and possible problems can be identified at an early stage. In this way, diseases and pest infestations can be treated in good time before they spread.
Anyone interested in sensor-based crop monitoring should take a look at the “PlantLink” crop sensor. It is simply inserted into the ground and continuously measures the soil moisture. The data is sent to a smartphone app, which provides notifications about the plants’ water needs.
Efficient lawn care
Robotic lawnmowers are now widespread and a prime example of smart gardening. They mow the lawn automatically and adapt their working hours to the growth of the grass. As a result, the lawn is cut evenly and the garden always looks neat.
The most popular robotic lawnmowers include the “Husqvarna Automower” and the “Sileno” devices from Gardena. They mow the lawn fully automatically and adapt to the growth conditions. With a GPS-based system, some mowers recognize the areas that have already been mowed and thus ensure an even lawn care.
Energy efficient lighting
Smart lighting systems use LED technology and can be controlled by timers or sensors. This saves energy and the lighting can be adjusted to the needs of the plants to promote healthy growth.
For example, the “Hue” lamps from Philips can also be controlled as smart garden lighting via a smartphone app. It makes it possible to switch on the LED lighting as required or to set a timer that controls the lighting automatically. This saves electricity and creates an atmospheric ambience in the garden.
Conclusion
There are now many smart garden tools. When selecting and combining the systems, it is important that gardeners plan their system in advance and check its compatibility. Ideally, they not only set up automatic watering or connect smart LED lamps, but also couple all of this with voice control via Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home. Ambitious “smart gardeners” can then relax and watch the automated technology caring for their green oasis from their lounger.