Our Favorite Gadgets for Plant Parents

how was it Can’t I, a professional gardener, keep her houseplants alive? There, in the reflection in the mirror, my peace lilies drooped, my begonias turned brown, my African violets pouted, and bugs hovered over their leaves like vultures. Despite living in a warm room by a bright window, my houseplants are disgusting to me. I’m an absent plant mom, never home, too busy pruning and organizing more important outside plants to give my own kids enough attention. It shows.

But I’m not going to give up my day job, or the home garden that I love to hang out on the weekends. “If only I had a houseplant babysitter,” I told my husband. “Like someone who knows a little bit about gardening taking care of my houseplants.” He frowned. “no you Plant sitter? “

He is right. Hiring someone to do what I do best is kind of ridiculous.Again, with a job, three kids, four pets, and a normal life, I barely have time for water, remember when I watered it, killed the eggs with alcohol, figured out lighting problems, etc. Just thinking about it makes me overwhelmed. There are ten more things for me to do. Well, maybe four, but hey, it feels like ten.

Finally, after months of anxiety-inducing, half-way houseplant care, I’ve found the key piece of the puzzle. I don’t need a human plant sitter. I need an artificial one. So I started experimenting with technology to maintain houseplants. Life has changed, to say the least. For a better way.

After a few false starts, I found six things that would work as a houseplant nanny kit. They now keep my plants not only alive but healthy and happy. Of course, that means I’m also healthy and happy.

We may earn a commission if you purchase something using a link in our story. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.

What did I just buy?

Say you’re at the grocery store, you see a really cool plant, lose your mind, pay $50, and take it home. Great, but now what? Plant identification apps can help. You just take a photo, upload it, and the app gives you plant names and common names. Why is it so important to know? Because if you know where your plants grow in the wild, you’ll know how to make them happy at home. You will provide the right light, water, soil and food. You are the god of earth and weather in indoor living spaces, so plan accordingly.