These Smart Devices Can Keep Your Garden Alive When You're Away

Each summer, I am left to sympathize with the many posts of people who go on vacation, leaving their garden in the hands of someone paid to water, and return to a deathscape. It’s tough, because hey—you deserve a vacation. Also, your plant babies deserve to live and no one can care for them like you do. While I joke that I do not vacay between March and September (“the season”), it doesn’t matter what time of year I go away—I'm always obsessed with what is happening in the garden. Here’s how I cope, any time of year. 

Automated irrigation

Watering is the problem most of the time when we’re talking about garden homicide. The reality is that no one on earth will hand water the way you do, and so it’s yet another argument for you to put together either in-ground irrigation or an above-ground irrigation solution. This way, nothing is left to human error. When I say irrigation, I mean some sort of drip irrigation at the root of plants, not an overhead sprinkler attached to a hose. I like smart controllers for the drip because it means that the watering is synced to a local weather station, and your garden receives more or less water based on the local weather. 

Ideally, you have many zones in your garden, each with dedicated irrigation and cameras trained on those areas (see below). This means that if you see a zone that needs more water, you can remotely turn on irrigation in that zone from your phone, no matter where you are. Having a smart controller means that you’re not stuck with the program you set when you leave.  

Water turn-off sensor

My only concern when I head out and leave the irrigation to do its thing is that a leak or break in the irrigation line could mean endless amounts of water loss. Since I’m not there to see the leak, I need a way to know it’s happening and stop it. Enter smart turn-off valves. I’m currently using Flo, by Moen, which vigilantly monitors the water through my pipes and if there’s a leak, shuts off the water altogether.

Outdoor cameras

It turned out that the best tool in my gardening arsenal was the smart cameras I installed to keep an eye on my yard. So far, no crime, but I get extensive use out of monitoring my vegetables while away, able to zoom in to such a degree I can spot a leaf fungus. I also get to know the local wildlife, including raccoons. These cameras also alert me when a garden helper comes by (or not) and what they did while they were there. Mostly, though, it’s an exceptional way to get a sense of what is happening in my yard. My picks here are the Eufy Solocams, both wired and wireless. They are pan-and-tilt and have two lenses, the micro lens being exceptional for getting up close to my individual plants. 

Smart locks for access

If I need something done while away, whether that’s fertilization or raking or mowing, that requires access. Keeping a smart lock on my shed makes it easy to let people in and out for a limited period of time. It seems like such a small thing, but being able to grab trellis tape turns out to be important, if that’s what you need. You can get smart gate locks, as well. This means you don't have to pass off a key to someone, while still keeping your yard protected.

A weather station

I have always wanted a weather station, even though I can access stats from one a few blocks away. Tempest sent one to test this year and I swear it has become one of my favorite pieces of tech. When I’m away, the ability to know what weather is coming and what weather is happening right now becomes essential if the answer is a freeze or heat dome. Since those events require action on the part of my garden help, the more advance notice, the better. It also means my watering system is getting better, localized data to base the watering on. 

Set realistic expectations for help

Time is a factor. Are you leaving for a few days or a few weeks? My garden is autonomous for five days or fewer. If it’s a few weeks, you’re going to need reliable help to check in on your systems, regardless of how many smart checks you put into place. Instead of asking those support people to water (too important to leave to someone who isn’t you), I ask them to check in on the tech and make sure things are moving along. Personally, I like to set up a time for them to go over, and then have them FaceTime me from the garden so I can direct them to areas that need attention or they can point things out to me via video. I always pay for garden help, because it's real labor, and means that I can hope for accountability but also real eyes on the ground.