Whether you’re an experienced green thumb or a total gardening newbie, it never hurts to have some backup because there’s always a new plant to learn about or some funky bug to identify. That’s where these gardening apps come in handy! Many of our featured apps are free, while others have a minimal cost, ranging from a one-time purchase price to a recurring subscription fee. Some are web-based, so you don’t have to download anything—all you have to do is set up an account. These apps contain a wealth of information ranging from how to plan your garden layout to how to start seeds and everything in between. Some gardening apps connect you to horticultural experts or a community of like-minded plant lovers, so you can share tips or get information on a specific problem. Whether you’ve got a question about annuals versus perennials, full-sun perennials, shade perennials, or a million things about hydrangea care, these apps can help! Plus, they're a fun way to find and connect with other plant lovers or spend a rainy afternoon indoors with your hands in the virtual dirt! Here are a few helpful web-based and downloadable apps that will help your garden grow.
1
Garden Answers
Don’t know what that tree in your back yard is? Want to identify a flower you love in your neighbor's yard? Download and open this free app, and snap a pic with your smartphone. The app will compare your photo to those in a database to identify the plant in question and share basic care tips. You can also ask horticulturalists specific questions about pests and diseases for a small fee.
2
Garden Journal at Territorial Seed
The best way to learn about gardening is through experience. Use this free app to track what you've planted and when, as well as how often you’ve watered, fertilized, and harvested. There’s also a disease and pest database to help you better identify issues. The system also uses climate data to send specific planting advice for your area. Or upgrade for an annual fee to the Garden Planner, which allows you to draw vegetable garden plans of any size, receive email planting reminders, and interact with other gardeners.
3
Garden Manager
This brand-new app is all about helping you get more from your edible garden. This virtual gardening coach takes you from planting to harvest by leading you through a series of questions. It has three levels of subscription services to guide you through the season and sends reminders about what to do and when. It’s also tied into weather stations, so it can alert you when to cover tender plants if a frost is on the way.
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4
GrowIt!
If you’re someone who prefers to interact with other plant lovers for your information, this free mobile app is for you. You can upload your own images and have community members identify plants and troubleshoot problems, ask questions about garden design, or find a local botanical garden or nursery near you. Bonus: Periodic plant giveaways make it even sweeter!
5
iNaturalist
If you’ve ever seen a weird bug in your garden or wondered what kind of bird comes to sing to you every morning, you need this free app! While it's not designed specifically for gardening, there's a ton of information that's incredibly useful for anyone interested in nature, on any level. Created jointly by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic, this social network allows you to take a photo and get instant identification of plants, birds, and animals from other nature lovers. It's a great tool to get kids more connected to nature, too.
6
Johnny's Seeds Planting Calendars
Confused about how soon to start planting your seeds indoors or when it’s safe to set them out? This site has a ton of incredible info for the home gardener. The free seed-starting calendar lets you input the current date and then indicates when you should start seeds indoors and plant seedlings outdoors. Other handy resources, such as the Succession Planting Calendar, make it easy to figure out how many days apart to plant edibles, so you’ll have a steady harvest until the first frost.
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7
Plants Map
Document, organize, map, and share information about plants at this web-based community site, which includes home gardeners, plant collectors, and experts at public gardens. There is no need to download an app—simply set up your profile and start connecting. Tons of gorgeous photos help you identify plants or daydream about what to add next to your own garden. You can also order inexpensive plant tags if you really want to step up your garden game.
