Filed under: Gardening, How-To, Tools
Whether you're new to gardening or a seasoned expert, these apps will help your garden grow.I usually grow tomatoes in pots, but last summer I decided to plant them in the ground. I was about to start replanting them when I realized I didn't know how far apart they should be. Luckily, I could find out the answer without leaving the garden.
Enter garden apps. Whether you're a newbie or an old green thumb, you'll benefit from the encyclopedia of knowledge offered right on your iPhone or iPad. Here are some especially helpful sites.
Photo: Getty
iGarden USA, $4.99
The app offers information on recommended planting dates for various fruits, vegetables and herbs, and suggests good and bad planting companions. You can find out common pests for whatever you're growing. Best of all, the app asks you to add whatever you planted to "my garden" -- then it will begin counting down to the harvest date. Fun!
Botanical Interests, $5.99
A boutique gardening app that will appeal to anyone who loves heirloom varieties of veggies; there is information on dozens of varieties of popular summer tomatoes, peppers and more. Not only will you find in-depth growing instructions for hundreds of vegetables, there's a "Tips and Tricks" section as well as Hardiness Zone Maps. Since the app is designed by a seed company, if you find something you want to grow, you can buy the seeds.
IGrowIt, $.99 cents
Listed in the Sunday Times as one of the best 500 apps in the world, IGrowIt is a photo-driven app with lots of helpful gardening information. It's especially helpful for beginner gardeners, since you can tap a button for a list of everything you can plant in your zone that month. I love that there are recipes to go with every vegetable as well as detailed growing instructions.
Vegetable Gardening Guide, $2.99
Featured in the New York Times Home & Garden section, Vegetable Gardening Guide is a wonderful app for beginners and advanced gardeners alike. Not only will you find detailed planting info, but there are sections on gardening tools, canning and preserving, nutritional info and recipes.
The Plant Doctor, $1.99
Consumer Reports called this one of the 20 best home improvement apps, and we'd have to agree. If your plants are dying, the Plant Doctor app can help. The app features info on the 32 most common symptoms of dying plants, allowing you to examine yours and make a diagnosis. Then there is detailed solutions to bring your plants back to life.
For more great ShelterPop stories, don't miss:
Endless Gardening Tips
Tips For An Indoor Herb Garden
Decor Don't: Big Wall, Little Picture