The Ontario Broker - April 2019 - 28

5 APPS

TO HONE YOUR GREEN THUMB

A

GARDEN ANSWERS
Have a plant (moss, lichen and fungi included) growing
in your backyard you aren't quite sure how to care for, or
really what it is? Take a photo, upload it to the app and
receive a list of plants with matching characteristics from
an extensive database of over 20,000 species.

hhhh spring. The season of puddles and
never being able to properly plan outdoor
attire without being too hot or too cold.
But it IS the season to don your gardening
gloves and get out in the yard. Maybe your
New Year's resolution was to have a bigger
and better garden than your neighbour Bill who brags about
how perfectly ripe his tomatoes are every chance he gets. Or to
learn new gardening skills you can legally practice now that a
certain law passed last year. Instead of running out to buy the
latest gardening book to achieve horticulturist greatness, here
are five apps to help you harness your plant ambition.

GARDEN PLAN PRO
One of the most difficult things about starting a garden
is knowing how to plan the space around each plant.
Garden Plan Pro lets you define growing areas to scale,
then plan out what you want to grow accordingly. Each
plant includes seasonal growth info along with spacing
and area requirements. Perfect for both casual and serious
gardeners alike.
GARDEN MANAGER
One of the main reasons for failing as a plant parent is
forgetting to tend to plants properly (unless you have a
Pothos plant that can literally be brought back from the
dead). Garden Manager allows you to outline a plant's
progress, track its measurements and record weather
conditions each day. A logbook helps you create a plan to
care for your plants or garden by keeping notes and storing
photos as your plants grow. It will even display charts
when you measure a plant's height, just like a proud parent
tracking their child's height against the wall.
BEESMART POLLINATOR GARDENER
The bee population has been on a rapid decline - it's never
been more critical to do your part to help them survive.
With Bee Smart Pollinator Gardener you can browse a
database of nearly 1,000 native plants and filter by soil
requirements, bloom, colour and pollinators. If bees aren't
really your thing, it also gives you advice on how to attract
hummingbirds, beetles, bats and other pollinators to your
space.
MYSOIL
If you haven't guessed, this app is all about soil. It comes
from the British Geological Survey and allows you to
check the type, depth, pH and temperature of soil, which
can help you decide whether or not that type of flower
you've been eyeing will flourish in your garden.

APRIL 2019

28

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The Ontario Broker - April 2019

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