"The Distinctive Life" presented by the Distinctive Collection

LIFE & LEISURE

INDOOR SMART GARDENS

Indoor smart gardens like the AeroGarden or the ēdn SmallGarden have also sought to take the benefits of the self-watering planter into a decidedly high-tech direction. Wi-Fi enabled, these indoor smart gardens can be programmed to regulate light, water, and nutrients for everything from small herb gardens to multi-tiered farm stands. The ēdn SmallGarden caught the eye of editors at Southern Living because this “nifty smart garden also integrates with the ēdn app, which allows you to control your garden’s lighting schedule, receive alerts, and enjoy detailed guidance on your plants’ progress.” Both the AeroGarden and the ēdn SmallGarden utilize seed pods that allow you to grow different plants at any given time – they are only restricted by the size of the units you order. The more extensive indoor gardens can be quite expensive, but you’ll love having the tools to produce the best garden-fresh herbs, vegetables, and flowers no matter what the season or weather conditions. GARDENING COMPANION APPS Some of the best garden tools available are the latest generation of apps that can turn your brown thumb into a green one. Martha Stewart Living raves about apps like the Plant Light Meter, available on Apple

devices. This gem takes the guesswork out of determining the quality of light available to your garden at any time of year. It can also be used indoors to judge whether your houseplants are getting enough (or too much) light where you currently have them perched. The Grow It! app caught Martha Stewart Living editors’ attention because the app “connects you with local gardeners in your community to get questions answered and hopefully, inspiration for future gardening endeavors.” The magazine applauds apps like the Plant Alarm (for Android users) that help you set fertilizing and watering alarms for all of your plants, inside and out. There are also numerous apps that will help you identify plants from their leaves and those that give you information about the best ways to care for houseplants and backyard seedlings. Sometimes the best garden tool truly is information!

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| THE DISTINCTIVE LIFE®

Volume 10