Now that you’ve combed through seed catalogues all winter long, it’s time to get planning and planting. Of course, gardeners and landscapers have also been hard at work making tools and guides more accessible via your smart phone and tablet. You’ll want to check out options based on your specific needs, but here are some apps and podcasts we thought were particularly helpful:
Scott’s My Lawn App – This little app guides you through the seasons with helpful tips and reminders on when to feed, seed, and water your lawn. The app allows the user to create their own lawn program, and has a nifty way to use Google Aerial Maps to outline your lawn to determine square footage, which helps to inform seed and fertilizer purchases. The app also features a watering schedule and activities list to keep you on track.
Garden Compass Plant/Disease Identifier – If you love your neighbor’s flower bush or have a mysterious disease attacking your tomatoes, this app helps to identify the plant or disease through its expert member horticulturists. Take a picture of the plant or disease in question, and send it along with comments to the apps expert team. The app keeps you informed as the question passes up the queue. The answer for disease questions will also provide a specific product for treatment.
Landscapers Companion – As a reference guide, this app is well worth the $4.99 investment. In addition to assisting in identifying species, it also provides zone, watering, sun/shade, height, and other information. There are in-app purchases for online database access.
Gardenerd Tip of the Week – This podcast provides informative and seasonal advice and tips, with a light touch and sense of humor. The extensive archive is also available if you’re looking for a specific answer or suggestion.
Chicken Thistle Farm Coop Cast – A fun and informative podcast that follows a small organic farm through their daily and weekly tasks. In addition to gardening tips, podcasts cover pigs, cows and chickens.