The best apps for gardening

It’s never a bad time to bring some more plants into your life.

Taking care of plants can be daunting, but thankfully we can get a little bit of help with technology. In order to help you be your best gardener or plant parent, so we found the best apps to simplify the process.

Whether you are starting a windowsill herb garden, buying some indoor plants, or planting a garden in your yard, these apps will help you figure out how to care for your plants and remind you to care for them.

There will be no dead plants on these app’s watch.

1. LeafSnap

LeafSnap uses artificial intelligence to identify plants. It currently can recognize 90 percent of all known plants and trees. You can take a picture or upload a picture of a plant to the app and it will tell you how to grow it, how much light and water it needs, and much more.

You can download LeafSnap for iOS in the Apple App Store or for Android in the Google Play Store.

LeafSnap collects user data to improve user experience. It may share user data using an anonymous identifier with Google Ad Services. You can read its full privacy policy here.

Once LeafSnap has identified the plant, it gives you basic information about the plant.

Credit: screenshot: leafsnap

LeafSnap also tells you how to care for plants.

Credit: screenshot: leafsnap

2. Smart Plant Home

Smart Plant Home is an all-in-one gardening app. The most helpful feature is the care calendar. Once you add a plant, the app automatically sets up a care calendar that reminds you to water it or complete other tasks depending on the plant. This can come in handy if you’re prone to killing plants. There is also a searchable problem solver, so you can troubleshoot plant diseases and pests. If that doesn’t work you can send images of plants and plant diseases to horticulturist experts across the world through the app.

You can download Smart Plant Home for iOS in the Apple App Store or for Android in the Google Play Store.

Smart Plant Home collects user data to improve user experience and “to communicate with you, either directly or through one of our partners, for marketing” among other things. You can read its full privacy policy here.

Smart Plant Home creates a care calendar for plants you add to the app.

Credit: screenshot: smart plant home

An example of the types of actions on the care calendar.

Credit: screenshot: smart plant home

3. iNaturalist

iNaturalist is a social network created by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic. Like LeafSnap, iNaturalist is a plant identifying app, but it also identifies other species such as birds and bugs. When the app can’t immediately identify a plant, it tags the image and then someone in the community can identify it. You can also choose to let the photos and videos you upload to the app be used for scientific purposes. Another fun feature of the app is its searchable map that shows you all the species that have been spotted in an area.

You can download iNaturalist for iOS in the Apple App Store or for Android in the Google Play Store.

iNaturalist does not sell user data and only collects data to improve user experience. You can read its full privacy policy here.

iNaturalist has a searchable map where you can see what species have been spotted.
Credit: screenshot: inaturalist

4. Planter

Planter helps you plan your garden. You choose the size of your plot and then you can add plants. When you select a plant to add, it tells you information like the depth the seeds needs to be planted, how long it takes to harvest, and how much water it needs. It also tells you which plants are companion plants and which are combative plants and common diseases of the plant.

You can download Planter for iOS in the Apple App Store or for Android in the Google Play Store.

Planter collects user data and shares anonymized user data with advertisers and third party advertising networks. You can read its full privacy policy here.

When you add a plant to your garden on Planter it tells you how to care for it.

Credit: screenshot: planter

Planter tells you which plants are good companion plants and which are combative.

Credit: screenshot: planter

5. Sun Seeker – Tracker & Compass

Sun Seeker is a comprehensive sun tracking app. It can help you track the sun in your yard to choose optimal planting locations for your plants depending on what kind of light they need.

Sun Seeker costs $9.99. You can buy Sun Seeker for iOS in the Apple App Store or for Android in the Google Play Store.

Sun Seeker does not sell user data and only collects data to improve user experience. You can read its full privacy policy here.

Sun Seeker is a sun tracking app.
Credit: screenshot: sun seeker

6. Planta

Planta is the perfect app if you’re just getting started on your gardening or plant journey. Planta will give you plant recommendations and care reminders for your plants. It also has a light meter so you can figure out what kind of light different parts of your house or yard have. Unlike Smart Home Plan, Planta organizes your plants by location.

You can download Planta for iOS in the Apple App Store or for Android in the Google Play Store.

Planta does not sell user data and only collects data to improve user experience. You can read its full privacy policy here.

Planta organizes your plants by location.
Credit: screenshot: planta

7. Terrarium Garden Idle

If gardening really isn’t for you, but you want to get in on the hype Terrarium Garden Idle is the perfect game for you. Terrarium Garden Idle is a relaxing gardening game where you have plants and they create oxygen which allows you to buy more plants.

You can download Terrarium Garden Idle for iOS in the Apple App Store or for Android in the Google Play Store.

Terrarium Garden Idle collects user data and may share it partners who provide users with personalized advertisements. You can read its full privacy policy here.

You can’t kill plants on Terrarium Garden Idle.
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