Written by Jessica Damiano
Are you in your garden and suddenly notice a beautiful new flower - grow it or leave it?
Or maybe an unknown garden pest has destroyed your tomato plants.
Or a grey-white crust is shrinking from your nursery tray.
Where do you go for help when you're not there? technique of course.
The latest range of gardening apps and mobile features will delight you with garden and crop planning tips, pest and disease troubleshooting, instant and insect detection, plus additional built-in artificial intelligence and augmented reality.
Reliable free apps like the ones below provide you with a wealth of valuable information.
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Search by iNaturalist
Developed as a joint initiative of the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society, this photo recognition and public image recognition app is as simple as it sounds. Snap a photo of – or point the camera at – a plant, insect, animal or fungus and get its taxonomic rating (kingdom for species), common name, seasonality and number of alerts recorded. in the application and a short description, mostly taken from Wikipedia.
Results are based on visually similar images submitted by users around the world, and if the app can't recognize your image, it will ask other users for IDs.
You can also find lists of plants, insects, and animals near you, add notes, and contact experts.
And if you like a game, you can earn badges by watching different genres and participating in challenges. You can find it in the Apple App Store and Google Play. free
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From seed to spoon
Scroll through the illustrated list of fruits and vegetables and add whatever you want to grow to your virtual grow box. Then have the sowing, planting and harvesting dates for these crops, as estimated by GPS, adjusted to your location.
The free version of the app also provides information on each crop's frost tolerance, sun, water, and fertilizer needs, as well as seed-saving guidelines, companion plant tips, common pests (including organic suggestions), recipes, and links to video tips.
Each plant profile screen also includes links to recommended products sold by Park Seed, the app's owners. The premium upgrade ($4.99 per month or $46.99 per year) offers instant answers to Growbot AI questions, a custom planting schedule, and more. You can find it on the Apple App Store, Google Play and app.seedtospoon.net. Free with optional paid upgrade.
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look here
Snap a picture and the app will identify your plant and provide a wealth of information about it. You'll instantly see the health rating, scientific classification, global distribution, general use, harvest time (if applicable), propagation methods, and sunlight, soil, water, and fertilizer requirements. You will also get answers to frequently asked questions about plants and you can easily share the photo and description of the plant with your friends via SMS.
After using your initial share of free IDs, you will be prompted to view ads or share the app to earn more unless you upgrade to the premium version ($29.99 per year). Worried about a sick plant? Take a picture and the free version will show you what's wrong. You need a price to see what treatments are recommended. The upgrade also comes with comprehensive plant care guides, 24/7 access to a team of botanists, and unlimited plant tagging. You can find it in the Apple App Store and Google Play. Free with optional paid upgrade.
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Google lens
This tool uses image recognition technology to quickly and easily identify plants, trees, shrubs, animals and insects. It also pulls up Google search results on the subject.
You can access it directly from the Google app or from the Google search bar in your mobile browser on Android and Apple devices. Then click the camera icon to the right of the search box, take a photo with your phone's camera, or select a photo from your photo library. Lenses can also be used to identify objects, places, and even other products for online shopping. free
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Visual Apple search
This AI-powered feature for iPhone and iPad recognizes plants, flowers, weeds, insects, birds and other animals in every photo. With an Apple device running iOS16 or iPadOS16, you can access the feature by tapping a photo in the photo library and then tapping the Info button below it (the letter "i" with a star in a circle).
The tool also works directly from the Mail, Messages, and Notes apps (tap an image to expand it, then tap the star "i") and the Safari browser (tap and hold any image). The app displays details about the image, including a "search" option, along with a leaf, stamp, or error code, depending on what the tool detected (other categories include art, landmarks, and books).
Click the Siri Knowledge icon for topic details and similar images found online (If you don't see a star over the information button, visual search isn't available for that image.) Free.
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Jessica Damiano is a regular gardening columnist for the Associated Press. Publish our award-winning weekly newsletter. Sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice.
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