Smart gardens for people who can't keep plants alive

Grow plants easily indoors. (Tim Gouw via Unsplash/)

Do you always forget to water your plants? Are you stuck in a dimly lit apartment with dreams of a lush, growing herb garden? Let these indoor smart gardens help you hack your way to a greener thumb. Smart gardens provide growing lights, watering reminders, and more for an (almost) foolproof way to grow plants, even if you’re stuck in a tiny apartment.

An indoor garden system for fresh herbs on your kitchen counter. (Amazon/)

The AeroGarden Elite will let you grow up to 6, 12-inch plants at a time. It comes with an herb seed kit that includes two kinds of basil, plus parsley, dill, thyme, and mint, along with a three-ounce bottle of plant nutrients to last you through a season of growth. The 20-watt LED growing light is designed to help your plants grow. A control panel will remind you when it’s time to add water or plant food, and automatically turns the lights on and off for your sprouting herbs. It’s a hydroponic system, which means your plants grow in water, not dirt (less messy, faster for growth), and it comes in an array of colors, like red, sage, or white.

Grow light? Check. Self-watering? Check. Attractive design? Check! (Amazon/)

The Click and Grow Smart Garden is designed to take all the hard work out of gardening for you: the LED grow lights are energy-efficient, the smart soil technology gives plants plenty of nutrients without you having to do a thing, and low water reminders tell you when it’s time to refill your water tank (the garden waters itself automatically). Drop in pre-seeded plant pods to grow herbs like cilantro, basil, lavender, or small items like chili peppers and strawberries. The garden comes with basil seeds, but you can buy new varieties on your own. It’s about the size of a loaf of bread, and fits perfectly on a kitchen counter.

A budget-friendly, minimalist herb or succulent planter with smart grow lights. (Amazon/)

You don’t have to spend a fortune on a smart garden: this easy-to-set-up planter uses a 4000K white LED light that helps plants grow in a modern white container. A smart timer tells the light to work: 16 hours on, 8 hours off. You’ll still have to manage the plant watering yourself, but the light is perfect to foster herbs like mint, sweetgrass, or succulents.

from Popular Science | RSS https://www.popsci.com/best-indoor-smart-gardens/