Five Apps for Helpful Gardening Information

Five Apps for Helpful Gardening Information

There are many apps that use mobile phone cameras and other devices that might surprise gardeners.

They can provide expert gardening planning and planting advice. They may help with unwanted insects, diseases and to identify plants and insects. Some apps even use new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented¹ reality.

Jessica Damiano writes about gardening for the Associated Press. Recently, she identified some apps she considers useful for gardeners. Free, dependable apps like the ones she suggested can provide valuable information as you develop your garden. Here are some examples:

Seek by iNaturalist

Seek is an app from the website iNaturalist. Seek was created by the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic² Society. To use it, simply take a picture or point your camera at a plant, insect, or animal and you will get important information about it.

Information the app can offer is usually taken from Wikipedia. It includes target's scientific name, common name, seasonal³ nature, and a description of its appearance, among other information.

Results are based on similar pictures from users around the world. If the app cannot identify your photo, it will ask other users to identify it.

You can also find lists of plants, insects and animals in your area, add your observations, and connect with experts.

The app is offered for free in the Apple App store and in Google Play. It even includes games.

From Seed to Spoon

From Seed to Spoon helps users grow crops. You can add which fruits and vegetables you would like to grow on a virtual "Grow Box" from a list of images. It will then give seed-starting, transplanting, and harvesting dates for those plants based on your location using satellite data.

The free version of the app also provides information on each crop's requirements for temperature, sunlight, water, and fertilizer. It includes information on saving seeds, which plants work best together, dealing⁴ with unwanted insects, meal ideas, and links to videos.

Park Seed, which owns the app, will also suggest products for each plant sold by the company. There is also a paid version. The paid version provides real-time answers to your questions from an AI "Growbot," an individualized calendar and more.

Find it in the Apple App Store, on Google Play, and at app.seedtospoon.net.

PictureThis

PictureThis will identify your plant and provide information about it from a picture on your phone's camera. It will show health information, its scientific name, where it can be found, common uses, harvesting time, and how to produce new plants from your existing plant. It also will show sunlight, soil, water, and fertilizer requirements.

The app also provides answers to commonly asked questions about the plant. And you can share photos and plant descriptions with friends by message.

After using all the provided free identifications, you will be asked to watch advertisements or share the app to earn more. Or you can pay $29.99 a year for the paid version. The paid version provides treatment information for sick plants. It also includes plant-care guides, access to a team of experts at any time, and unlimited⁵ plant identifications. The free version will, however, identify a disease from a picture of a sick plant.

Find it in the Apple App Store or on Google Play.

Google Lens

Google Lens uses image recognition technology to identify plants, trees, animals, and insects. It shows Google search results from the Google search engine.

It can be found on the Google app or by the Google Search bar in your mobile browser⁶ on Android and Apple products. Then, touch the camera image and choose a photo from your phone's photo history. Lens can also be used to identify other objects, places, and to compare products to buy online. The tool is free.

Apple Visual Look Up

Apple Visual Look Up is an AI feature for iPhone and iPad. It will identify plants, flowers, insects, birds, and other animals shown in any photo. Using an Apple product running iOS16 or iPadOS16, you can use the feature by choosing a photo in your phone, then touching⁷ the "info" image below it. It is the letter "I" in a circle with stars above it.

The tool works directly with other apps like Mail, Messages and Notes. Just lightly touch an image to expand it, then touch the starred "i." The app also works in the Safari⁸ browser by touching and holding any photo.

The app will show details about the image, including a "Look Up" choice. It will place the photo in a grouping, like insects, or plants.

Choose Siri Knowledge for details about the subject and similar images found online. If there is not a star above "info," Visual Look Up is not available for that photo. The feature is free.

Words in This Story

garden – n. an area of ground where plants (such as flowers or vegetables) are grown

gardener –n. a person who cares for a garden

augmented –adj. increase, expanded, having added abilities

app – n. a computer program that performs a special function

virtual –n. on the internet, not actually a real thing

location –n. the physical place where something is

browser – n. a computer program that is used to find and look at information on the Internet

feature – n. an interesting or important part, quality, or ability

1 Augmented   

adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• 'scientists won't be replaced," he claims, "but they will be augmented." 他宣称：“科学家不会被取代；相反，他们会被拓展。” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
• The impact of the report was augmented by its timing. 由于发表的时间选得好，这篇报导的影响更大了。

2 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

3 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

6 browser   

n.浏览者

参考例句：

• View edits in a web browser.在浏览器中看编辑的效果。
• I think my browser has a list of shareware links.我想在浏览器中会有一系列的共享软件链接。

7 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

8 safari   

n.远征旅行(探险、考察)；探险队，狩猎队

参考例句：

• When we go on safari we like to cook on an open fire.我们远行狩猎时，喜欢露天生火做饭。
• They went on safari searching for the rare black rhinoceros.他们进行探险旅行，搜寻那稀有的黑犀牛。