Here's how you can use technology to improve your gardening skills without overdoing it.
PORTLAND, Maine — For countless people who find joy in gardening, the appeal is the opportunity to unplug from technology: no screens, no weird videos, no ringing phones.
But what if you want to use technology sparingly and unobtrusively to become a better gardener? 207's tech expert, Rich Brooks of Flyte New Media in Portland, has some tips on how to do just that. Here are the key points he shared:
207: “How can technology help you create a more successful garden?”
Rich: “Even if you don't have much experience in yard work, there are lots of ways you can quickly improve using technology.”
“Let's start with AI, one of the tools I've been using a lot lately. I opened ChatGPT and told them where I live and that I wanted to create a vegetable patch in my backyard. I asked for their advice, the pros and cons of raised beds, what plants would thrive in our area, and asked them to create a schedule for me to follow for the rest of the summer and fall.”
“After a few seconds, I had a plan. AI can “hallucinate” – make things up – but I don't think this is a high-risk use of AI. I was also able to “talk” to ChatGPT, so I could ask follow-up questions like “What is a nightshade?”, a term that was unfamiliar to me. ChatGPT gave me common examples (tomato, bell pepper, etc.) and also gave me nutritional information for those nightshades.”
207: “What other tech tools could help?”
Rich: “Of course, there are hundreds of apps that can improve your yard.”
“One category of gardening apps is those that help you plan and track your garden. I'm using Planter to plot out a 4 x 8 raised bed garden. The interface was a little difficult, but one useful feature is finding 'companion' plants – plants that help the plant you're trying to grow. For example, I bought some Carolina Reaper seedlings and found that while onions are great to plant near because they repel pests, they're combative with Brussels sprouts, as they both need more nutrients and share their diseases.”
“The app is free for one garden, but the Pro version costs $1 per month.”
“Another app that we've featured on the show before is Picture This, which is an app that allows you to take a picture of a plant and identify it. It's really helpful for knowing if what you have in your garden is a plant or a weed. It also gives you information like if the plant is healthy or sick and how to look after it. It costs $40 a year.”
207: “These are helpful apps, but sometimes you want advice from someone who's already been through the same thing. How can technology help you connect with other gardeners?”
Rich: “One of my favorite places to get non-Google/AI advice is Reddit. There are discussion groups, or “subreddits,” on all sorts of subjects, including gardening.”
“In fact, there are subreddits on yards, gardening, indoor gardening, veggie gardening, wild gardening, and even Savage Gardens, which focuses on carnivorous plants!”
“These groups are great for discussions, uploading photos, and soliciting advice from the hive mind. If Reddit isn't your thing, there are plenty of gardening groups on Facebook, including many focused on gardening challenges in Maine.”
“Finally, I'd like to thank the University of Maine Cooperative Extension website. I used it a lot when I first started gardening during COVID. It's a great resource.”
207: “What you've shared so far has been helpful in terms of advice and resources. Are there any tech tools that could help me improve my gardening?”
Rich: “If you like tech toys, you're sure to find a toy that will help you garden.”
Helpful tools
Soil sensors can tell you how moist the soil is and if your plants need watering; many cost under $10. There are also automatic watering systems to control your garden's watering while you're at work or on vacation; they include timers, tubes and sprinklers and can cost under $40. You can also invest in a weatherproof garden camera if you want to take time-lapse videos of your garden at the end of the season; the Brinno is a popular model, with prices starting at $249.
Download the NEWS CENTER Maine mobile app for the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts.
