Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Gardeners, rejoice: GreenIQ has created a Nest for the garden

By Krystle Vermes Published May 5, 2015

You may have already fallen in love with Nest, the smart home controller of the future, but what if you could bring this level of control to your garden?

Israel-based GreenIQ is trying to do just that with its new invention, the Smart Garden Hub. The product was originally unveiled at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, and it is now available to consumers at Home Depot for $249. Can it really revolutionize gardening as we know it?

First, it’s worth noting that current irrigation systems (think lawn sprinklers) aren’t the best, and up to 50 percent of the water Americans use outdoors is wasted due to evaporation, wind, and other factors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This inefficiency inspired GreenIQ to develop its Smart Garden Hub, which is specifically designed to eliminate unnecessary waste.

You can control the Wi-Fi-enabled Smart Garden Hub via iPhone, iPad, Android, or the Internet. Through the GreenIQ app, users can remotely adjust irrigation settings and lighting at any time. The product also works with a large number of third-party sensors, such as the Weather Station and Rain Gauge from Netatmo. These sensors provide localized weather information, as well as forecasts, so sprinklers won’t turn on when it’s raining. Other notable sensors that work with the Smart Garden Hub include Flower Power from Parrot and Koubachi, which measure soil moisture levels.

Currently, GreenIQ is working with IFTTT to enhance the Smart Garden Hub and make it easier to control items such as sprinklers. The overall goal is to help users put connected devices on autopilot, creating a smarter garden with less work. The company claims it’s already helped users save over two million gallons of water since last summer’s the beta launch.

“We are aiming to be the ‘Nest for the garden,’” said Odi Dahan, the founder and CEO of GreenIQ.

Available at: Home Depot

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Krystle Vermes is a professional writer, blogger and podcaster with a background in both online and print journalism. Her…

Smart Home

The best high-tech gardening tools

high tech gardening tools husqvarna automower lifestyle grass

Gardening can be fun, but it can also be a grueling, time-consuming process to keep your plant life, herbs, vegetables, and flowers in your garden in pristine condition and flourishing.

There are plenty of high-tech gardening tools that can help make gardening easier for both pro gardeners and novices, by simplifying or automating tasks or even keeping an eye out for critters. We've rounded up some of the best high tech gardening tools on the market in 2020.
Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller

Smart Home

Expect lower video quality on your Nest cameras this week

Nest Cam IQ sitting on a desk next to car keys and books

Just when you thought that the pandemic had reached every area of your life, surprise! Your security cameras are being affected, too. In response to community issues caused by COVID-19 and requests made by internet service providers, Google has temporarily adjusted camera settings on its Nest cameras to help with internet strain. This means less video quality for your security system if you live in the U.S.

"With so many people working and attending school from home, we’re stretching our resources in ways we haven’t before -- including the internet," a Google representative stated in an email. "As local internet resources are stretched past their limits, you and many others may have noticed interruptions like dropped video calls or frozen screens. During this time, it’s critical for us to work together to ensure we find ways to help the community at large."

Smart Home

iKuddle tech will keep tabs on tabby to ensure your cat is healthy and hydrated

iKuddle Auto-Feeder press render

It was only a matter of time before our cats got their own health-and-wellness system. iKuddle, the pet-centric Intelligence of Things (IoT)-brand that made waves last year with the announcement of its smart litter-box, continues to lead the charge on innovative pet tech. Well, the brand is back at it again with two new additions to its growing lineup of IoT-products -- the iKuddle Water Fountain and Auto Feeder.

Anyone can shoot down to their local Petco and grab a water and food dispenser without spending more than $60; so what makes iKuddle's take on these two items so special? Quite a bit, actually.