Best gardening supplies for the horticulturally hopeless
Can’t keep anything alive? You’re not alone.
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A lot of things can go wrong in the garden. Some seeds just won’t sprout. A plant’s leaves droop and turn colors they shouldn’t. Thankfully, inventive people are starting to tackle this problem, manipulating hot tech to help you keep things…less dead. Don’t fret about the color of your thumb; this stuff will bring you a few steps closer to becoming the 21st century’s Frederick Law Olmsted (or whatever landscape architect inspires you).
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For people that want to plant all year round, there’s the Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 smart garden. It has three separate slots for plant cartridges, so you can grow things like chili peppers, parsley, and wild strawberries. All you have to do is add water, turn on the power (6W of energy), and distract yourself. Its smart soil, inspired by some NASA technology, releases nutrients at the appropriate time during a plant’s growth cycle and keeps the pH balanced. The vessel’s sensors monitor oxygen, water, and nutrient levels.
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If you don’t have the outdoor space, hydroponic LED grow lamps will do the trick. The TaoTronics grow light has 12 ultra-bright bulbs to boost light for your indoor plants. There are two blue bulbs, which mimic daylight, and ten red lights, which mimic short autumn days and promote blooming and fruiting. The 36-watt light fits in any standard light bulb socket.
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For those with a sprinkler system on your property, try out the Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller. It is easy to swap for your old, wasteful system. The Rachio has a waterproof casing, easily connects to your Wi-Fi, and is EPA WaterSense certified. Because of the Wi-Fi connectivity, you can control the device from your phone or computer. What makes Rachio so smart is that it adapts to local weather changes and automatically optimizes your watering schedule. For example: if you water your plants earlier in the morning, you will need less water since cooler temperatures will result in less evaporation.
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The JS portable mini nut speaker can go wherever you plan to plant. It connects to phones, tablets, and computers using Bluetooth. Around the size of a golf ball, this speaker comes with a surprisingly loud volume. OK, so it won’t likely make you a better gardener, but it will make tending to your plants a lot more fun.
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Don’t rely on your roommates! Water your plants from wherever you are with a programmable faucet. This one lets you set the duration of your watering cycle as well as how often you want your plants to be watered. The Orbit single outlet has a rain delay button and will run for up to 240 minutes.
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Once the wood Sprout color pencil has been sharpened to the nub, plant the water-activated seed capsule in a pot to grow herbs like basil, thyme, and sage. Each pencil has a different herb at the end. This package comes with eight.
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Before you put your soil into a planter, add a Drain Smart disc to stop soil from leaking out of any holes on the bottom (and prevent stains on your windowsill). The 6-inch discs are reusable and easy to clean.
