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Planty monitors plants, makes sure they’re feeling well

Plants are an excellent way to brighten up any home. But they need lots of care in order to stay alive. Most plants die because their owners aren’t sure of how exactly to care for them.

Planty offers a solution to that problem. With a sensor that goes directly into the soil, Planty sends the plant’s information via Wi-Fi to an accompanying app. It monitors moisture, soil levels, temperature and light. If the plant is too hot, a notification will be sent to the app. When the soil gets too dry, the app informs the user who can then deliver water to the plant with the push of a button. Planty’s smart pot is simply designed with a white round base that plugs into the wall.

Backerjack has seen many other smart planters like the Daisy and GreenVase. Planty sets itself apart with a sleeker design and a more versatile sensor. One will cost backers a donation of $99 with delivery in November 2015. The company seeks $100,000 on Kickstarter by May 23.

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Give your plants a voice with the Daisy app and sensor

It’s said that talking to plants will help them grow both faster and stronger, but what most gardeners would actually enjoy more than talking to their plants is having their plants talk to them. Unless someone is an expert, the process of caring for all types of different plants would be made so much easier if each said exactly what they needed at all times.

Although the Daisy sensor and app doesn’t actually give your plants a voice per se, it does the next best thing. By sticking the sensor into the plant’s soil, the combination temperature, light, and water sensor uses Bluetooth LE to send pertinent alerts to a user’s smartphone whenever a plant needs water or is generally stressed.

The app also catalogs all of the greenery in a user’s collection, providing technical information through easily accessibly wiki pages and allowing personalization with customizable names and pictures. The Daisy PRO is available for those with larger plants and trees in their care, and retails for $69. For everyone else, two standard Daisy sensors goes for $34 with an expected delivery in June 2015. The campaign is looking for $50,000.

The Daisy is an engaging way to interact with the responsibilities placed on gardeners or just average people taking care of some green in their home or apartment. While other products like the Daisy.si actually waters the plants itself, the Daisy app actually provides users with valuable information which may prove to be more beneficial in the long run.

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GreenVase keeps indoor plants watered for up to three weeks

Studies show that having plants in the home can improve productivity and mood. Plants are a welcome addition to any room, but like any other living thing, require some maintenance. Without the proper amount of water, plants will wilt and die.

With GreenVase, watering is no longer a worry. This vase consists of three parts, a soil pot, a water tank and a rope. With four settings, it will keep the plant watered for up to three weeks. Plants that need tons of water get it on the highest setting, while more finicky plants won’t get over-watered with the lower settings.

It’s interesting to see a product like this that doesn’t involve Bluetooth or a smartphone app. The rope is what distributes the water to the soil. It’s incredible that the GreenVase can keep plants watered for up to three weeks. It must be said that smart planters, like the Daisy si, can monitor moisture levels and distribute water accordingly. However, if the plant never moves and the temperature remains relatively stable, there’s really no need for manual watering. GreenVase may not be as accurate as smarter waterers, but it doesn’t really need to be.

Backers can have their very own for a donation of $29 for estimated delivery in May 2015. GreenVase is looking to raise $101,000 by mid January on Kickstarter.

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Connected Objects Sensors/IoT

Smart Plant is a smarty pants plant monitoring system

Smart PlantFor those with only green-tinged thumbs, it can be difficult to gauge the health of your plant. Smart Plant is a device from Turkey that tells you whether your plant is good, thirsty, over-watered, too hot or too cold. The device is inserted directly into the soil and even hooks up with a smartphone app via Bluetooth. The Smart Plant can even be programmed to water your plant for you, much like the Daisy.si. However, unlike the Daisy.si, Smart Plant provides a bit more information regarding the plant’s health and does so with cute smiley faces. One of these intelligent plant monitors costs $185 with estimated delivery in January 2015. Smart Plant is going for $26,000 on Kickstarter.