Clueless About Gardening? These 5 Smart Planters Can Help

Whether you're a novice gardener, a frequent traveler, or simply a forgetful caretaker, investing in a smart planter can help your home garden flourish. The following options range from small, countertop devices to flexible environments that work for both plants and animals—choose what's best for you, and then reap the rewards.

1. GROW Duo

Forge a closer connection to the food you eat by growing your own vegetables with the GROW Duo, a sensor-powered, learning garden that connects to your phone.

Just hook it up to your water and sync it to your phone to get started. Based on your location and season, the system (which also comes with starter seeds) recommends plants for your home—and as a bonus for new gardeners, GROW duo will suggest new plants after your first harvest. 

The system monitors factors like the microclimate of your yard and planter conditions, so you stay up-to-date while learning how to garden. You can pre-order now for $199.

2. Click & Grow Smart Herb Garden

Because they take up such little space, herb gardens are a great choice for people who live in urban environments—and because they're relatively simple to take care of, they're perfect for novice gardeners. 

Make it even easier on yourself with the Click & Grow Smart Herb Garden, offered at $99.95. You’ll receive complimentary, NASA-inspired Smart Soil that helps configure water, oxygen, and nutrients, and you'll be able to track your plant’s growth online so that you know exactly when to harvest.

3. Planty

Ideal for helping you maintain plants at home, the office, or the cafe, Planty is a smart planter that’s equipped with a remote watering tank and special sensors that feed you information about soil humidity, temperature, and light intensity.

The app even includes a social element, so you can invite friends to help you "raise" your greens. Planty retails for $129.

 4. Root

Billing itself as a hydroponic garden system that grows up to 12 plants in just one square foot of space, the Root Smart Indoor Indoor Gardening System is a tall stand that's sleek, modern, and functional. By watering and aerating plants directly at the roots, the system uses less water per cycle compared to other indoor gardens. Full-spectrum, energy-efficient LED lights mimic natural sunlight without running up the energy bill. A heftier investment at $699, the intelligent planter syncs to a mobile app to remind you when to add water or Root's All-In-One Plant Food.

5. BioPod 

A versatile, smart microhabitat, BioPod allows you to grow anything from a mini rainforest for your pet frog to a vegetable garden for your kitchen. When you get started, select the environment you'd like to create through the BioPod App, and the system will take care of everything else—including misting, aerating, lighting, heating, and humidity. Sensors continually monitor and optimize the environment, and an HD camera allows you to keep tabs when you're away.

BioPod is only available through nearby retailers, and prices average between $550 and $600.

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