A quick look at how gardening technology is revolutionising horticulture

Tech innovations have made our lives easier in every way over recent years.

From smart home technology to the tech tools we need to do our jobs better, there’s no end to the possibilities the latest developments provide. More recently, tech has also started to make its way into the natural world, and many of us are now embracing the possibilities of tech implementations in even traditional manual areas like gardening.

Far from requiring us to get in the dirt on our hands and knees, the latest gardening tech is revolutionising horticulture from its core, ripping out the roots of manual labour in place of simple, efficient practices. The result is an easier life and a better looking garden. But, what tech should you consider to enjoy those benefits at home?

# 1 - Outdoor AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) has made an impact in every area of our lives at this point, and the same can be said for horticulture. There are now multiple AI assistants for every element of your garden plan, including Hazel, a green-fingered Alexa-style tool that can answer any gardening question you might think of as you work.

And AI doesn’t stop at providing you with your own pocket gardening expert. With tools like Vegplotter, you can also plan out veg patches in real-time, complete with drag-and-drop models of your beds. Equally, Rescape AI is a garden design tool that supplements real design ideas onto photographs of your existing garden.

For obvious reasons, AI tools like these are fantastic for novice gardeners who don’t know where to get started. Gardening pros can also make use of the benefits on offer by utilising these tools for crucial processes like improving their understanding of climate and local soil types. Experts do, however, warn about the importance of using only respectable, well-researched AI tools to ensure accurate advice.

# 2 - App-Based Planning

Gardening planning can be one of the hardest things about getting started, especially for new gardeners who don’t know a great deal about details like potential plant types. App-based planning provides a fantastic way around this setback by making it possible to pre-place plants and play around with options.

iScape is a particularly popular option right now which, like Rescape AI, allows gardeners to supplement real ideas onto garden photos. With this free tool, it’s possible to experiment plants and features from an expansive built-in plant database.

Really, though, the possibility of app-based planning is endless. With tools like these, modern gardeners can plan everything from landscaping, to planting schedules, and even reliable watering plans. That stands to take significant thought from a gardening process that’ll feel more accessible for all.

# 3 - Accessible Smart Tools

The physical requirements of gardening have traditionally led to lacking accessibility, but smart tools are quickly addressing that issue. The most obvious of these in recent years is undeniably the robotic lawn mower, which stands to significantly reduce the manual strain of garden care. With many robotic options also mulching and spreading grass cuttings as they go, more people than ever will be able to ensure attractive lawn finishes with these tools in their arsenal.

And, easier mowing isn’t the only great accessibility-based gardening tech right now. Other smart accessibility-based options include robotic weeders and mobile-controlled sprinkler systems. In each instance, these tools stand to reduce the more back breaking elements of daily garden maintenance.

This is great for older gardeners, or gardeners who find it physically difficult to stand or bend for extended periods. It can also serve the double purpose of ensuring a well-cared for, simple garden, regardless of life commitments elsewhere.

# 4 - Automated Processes

Speaking of accessibility, the latest innovations in horticultural tech are also leading the way for automated processes that take the guesswork out of gardening. In some ways, this is by no means a new advancement – automated lighting has been a gardening go-to for some time. However, recent developments have taken that initial usage a few steps further.

Automated watering systems are attracting particular attention right now, and they don’t simply automate usage based on information input by the user. Instead, smart irrigation systems automate watering processes based on key indicators like soil moisture levels and even weather conditions. This is great for both simplifying processes, and avoiding fatal mistakes like over or under watering.

Aside from the basic use of automated pathway lighting, smart gardening lights have also evolved to include plant growth. These automated systems carefully time plant lighting to ensure environmentally friendly solutions that serve your entire garden well.

# 4 - A Matter of Monitoring

Technology is also evolving to master horticultural monitoring with peak plant performance in mind. Most notably, this is evident through the introduction of soil sensors, which can be planted directly into the soil to provide real-time data for metrics like moisture, pH, and nutrient levels. These devices eliminate the need for a great deal of gardening guesswork, and instead let you know exactly what your plants need and when, sent straight to your phone.

Soil aside, it’s also now possible to invest in plant sensors. These handy pieces of tech, which include options like smart watering pots, monitor priorities like moisture, light, and temperature. As well as sending you updates via a handy phone app, these metrics then trigger watering as and when it’s required.

Conclusion

This is by no means a comprehensive list of the gardening tech you could benefit from using in your outside space right now. It’s also not the end of what we can expect from the tech that stands to revolutionise horticulture overall. Advancements in this area continue, and soon look set to include drone-based gardening techniques and beyond.

However, these technologies provide a great starting point whether you’re keen to get into gardening at last, or are looking to reduce the amount of energy you have to put into this pursuit. Simply choose the technologies from this list that sound best for your gardening needs, then sit back and let that tech do the talking.