7 Smart Tools That Can Save You Time Gardening

There are plenty of studies that show gardening to be therapeutic – but it’s not always sunshine and roses, as you still need to work hard for your garden to succeed. Fortunately, you can get help from smart gardening gadgets. When you leverage technology to your advantage while gardening, you can save time and money, increase your crop yield, and make gardening more enjoyable. In fact, these seven smart gardening tools can help you with everything from irrigation to knowing the right time to plant your crops.

Also helpful: if you’re working on home improvement projects, check out these impressive DIY apps for Android.

1. Best for Smart Irrigation: Rachio 3

Price: $196

The Rachio 3 smart gadget controls water flow to your plants in eight customizable zones. The internal sensors detect when it’s raining or windy and will skip the scheduled watering slot. You can easily control the sprinklers through the mobile app and get a detailed view of the estimated outdoor water usage and upcoming schedules.

Pros

• Detailed weather report
• Saves money on water and electricity costs
• No monthly subscription fees
• Robust and waterproof
• Compatible with 99% of current sprinklers
• Takes just 30 minutes to set up

Cons

• More expensive than other models
• Menu can be confusing

2. Best for Smart Sprinklers: RainPoint Sprinkler Timer

Price: $60

With a reinforced water inlet mold, the second-generation RainPoint Sprinkler Timer ensures your soil has the correct moisture. It can be controlled through the mobile app or manually operated by a button. It has three watering plans, two modes and can delay activation after rain.

Pros

• More affordable than smart sprinkler systems
• Can help you save up to 50% on water bills
• One Wi-Fi hub can be paired with up to four Wi-Fi sprinkler timers
• Robust design

Cons

• Only compatible with 2.4GHz networks.

Tip: keep an eye on your yard from anywhere with quality outdoor security cameras.

3. Best for Outdoor Plugs: Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug

Price: $20

Water and electricity don’t mix, so you need a complete outdoor plug for your gardening accessories. This Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug connects to a single wall socket and gives you access to two additional power points. Each socket has an individual power switch and is housed in a robust waterproof casing. 

Pros

• Connects to your Wi-Fi network from up to 300 feet away
• Control plugged-in devices through the Kasa mobile app
• Schedule devices such as lights, fans, or swimming pool pumps to activate at a specified time
• Waterproof
• Individual switches
• Voice controllable

Cons

• Doesn’t support 5GHz Wi-Fi networks
• Cable is only 3.1 inches long

4. Best for Weather Monitoring: Ambient Weather Smart Weather Station

Price: $189

You can save money when you know the exact time to plant, water or fertilize your garden. This Ambient Weather Smart Weather Station is the perfect gadget for that. The mobile app lets you view real-time information on wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rainfall, UV, and solar radiation.

Pros

• View data on your mobile phone
• Includes large LCD monitor
• Compatible with virtual assistants

Cons

• Batteries not included
• Additional mounting poles sold separately
• Complicated to set up

Also helpful: track the weather from anywhere with these top weather apps for Android and iOS.

5. Best for Making Taps Smart: Eve Aqua

Price: $149

If you don’t want to use a complex watering system, the Eve Aqua is perfect for turning your garden taps into smart gadgets. The small device connects to a tap like a garden hose but uses a mobile app to enable and disable the water flow. It is battery-operated, weatherproof, and UV resistant. 

Pros

• Compatible with all popular hose systems
• Integrates with Apple’s HomeKit
• Doesn’t require a monthly subscription

Cons

• Only compatible with iOS

6. Best for Smart Lawn Care: Gardena Sileno Minimo Automatic Robotic Lawn Mower

Price: $729

Everybody can do with a bit of help mowing the lawn, and the Gardena Sileno Minimo Automatic Robotic Lawn Mower is a perfect choice. It has enough power to cover 5,400 square feet and connects to your phone through Bluetooth. You can set boundaries for the mower to stay in and even go up slopes at a maximum 19 percent gradient.

Pros

• Quieter than traditional lawnmowers; about 57 decibels
• Built-in rechargeable battery
• Mows for about an hour
• Fully charges in 70 minutes

Cons

• Needs occasional supervision

• Bluetooth controller has a maximum distance of 33 feet
• Boundary lines are purchased separately
• Doesn’t store the cut grass in a container or bag

Good to know: smart doorbells can keep an eye on your yard as well as your doorway.

7. Best for Outdoor Wi-Fi: TP-Link EAP225 – Outdoor Access Point

Price: $69

All your Internet-connected gadgets and equipment will be useless if they can’t reach the Wi-Fi network. That’s where the TP-Link EAP225-Outdoor Access Point comes in, as it extends your current network’s coverage by more than 980 feet.  

Pros

• Supports dual-band frequency for 2.4GHz and 5GHz
• Provides speeds of up to 1200 Mbps
• Connects all your gadgets
• Extends 5GHz network by more than 900 feet

Cons

• Only extends the 2.4GHz network by 600 feet
• Requires mounting on a roof if line of sight is blocked

Frequently Asked Questions

What tools do you need for smart gardening?

In most cases, you’ll only need a reliable Wi-Fi connection and a mobile phone to view the data. If you have a large yard or a relatively weak Wi-Fi signal, you should get an extender like the one mentioned above. Power sockets shouldn’t be a problem, as most smart gadgets have batteries.

What is the most important smart gadget to get?

If you are starting out or on a tight budget, investing in a smart irrigation or sprinkler system is a good idea. Watering your garden is the most expensive resource for growing crops, and a smart gadget helps keep the costs down. To save even more money, installing a system that captures rainwater would be worth it.

Are there monthly subscriptions for smart gadgets?

Many Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets don’t require a monthly subscription, as they have built-in sensors that relay the information directly to your phone. However, there are a few apps and services that gives you additional data on your crops and gardening tips, yet they would be an additional cost.

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