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The CNET Smart Garden comes to life – CNET

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June 17, 2018
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  • garden-update-3
  • smart-garden-gif
  • smart-irrigation-3
  • orbit-b-hyve-faucet-timer-1
  • garden-update-1
  • garden-update-5
  • garden-update-4
  • garden-update-6
  • arlo-pro-2-1
  • garden-hue-light-1
  • garden-update-2

Planting time

We got our hands dirty the past couple of weeks. We built a smart garden bed and a smart irrigation system in the Spring, but we couldn’t plant much outside yet, it was too cold. 

This week, we dove back in, and brought our smart garden to life. Click through to see the CNET Smart Garden built from nothing to our current smart bed of veggie seedlings. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
1
of 11

Starting from scratch

We really did start with nothing. We built our smart garden bed from scratch using railroad ties and a whole lot of dirt. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
2
of 11

The completed garden bed

This is what the garden bed looked like at the start of Spring. Notice the small lines of hosing. That’s our customized drip irrigation system. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
3
of 11

The smarts of smart watering

Our drip irrigation system gets its smarts from this gadget connecting our hose to our outdoor faucet. This is the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Faucet Timer. You can control it with an app, set up schedules, and it’ll monitor the weather for you so it won’t water when it rains. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNET
4
of 11
Read Full Review

$68.94 at Amazon.com

Harvesting lettuce

We were actually able to plant lettuce at the start of spring. Here are the results. Everything else, we planted over the course of the past week. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
5
of 11

Growing veggies

Specifically, we planted seedlings of tomatoes, bell peppers and jalapeños. We also intend to plant the super spicy Carolina Reapers in our garden, but those seeds need a little more time to grow into seedlings. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
6
of 11

The completed smart garden

Here’s the garden now, complete with all of our veggies except for the Carolina Reapers. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
7
of 11

Testing time

The lettuce grew in fine over the course of a rainy spring. Now, the garden will get its real test to see if smarts can help us grow veggies over the course of a hot summer. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
8
of 11

Keeping watch

We’re also using a smart cam and smart lights to help scare away pests. The Netgear Arlo Pro 2 watches for motion at night. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
9
of 11

Illumination

If our camera senses any motion, it triggers our Philips Hue Outdoor lights to start flashing.

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
10
of 11

Smart garden living

We even met a couple of friends while planting in the smart garden. Hopefully, our garden will be smart enough to scare away any that want to snack on our growing veggies.

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
11
of 11
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  • garden-update-3
  • smart-garden-gif
  • smart-irrigation-3
  • orbit-b-hyve-faucet-timer-1
  • garden-update-1
  • garden-update-5
  • garden-update-4
  • garden-update-6
  • arlo-pro-2-1
  • garden-hue-light-1
  • garden-update-2

Planting time

We got our hands dirty the past couple of weeks. We built a smart garden bed and a smart irrigation system in the Spring, but we couldn’t plant much outside yet, it was too cold. 

This week, we dove back in, and brought our smart garden to life. Click through to see the CNET Smart Garden built from nothing to our current smart bed of veggie seedlings. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
1
of 11

Starting from scratch

We really did start with nothing. We built our smart garden bed from scratch using railroad ties and a whole lot of dirt. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
2
of 11

The completed garden bed

This is what the garden bed looked like at the start of Spring. Notice the small lines of hosing. That’s our customized drip irrigation system. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
3
of 11

The smarts of smart watering

Our drip irrigation system gets its smarts from this gadget connecting our hose to our outdoor faucet. This is the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Faucet Timer. You can control it with an app, set up schedules, and it’ll monitor the weather for you so it won’t water when it rains. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNET
4
of 11
Read Full Review

$68.94 at Amazon.com

Harvesting lettuce

We were actually able to plant lettuce at the start of spring. Here are the results. Everything else, we planted over the course of the past week. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
5
of 11

Growing veggies

Specifically, we planted seedlings of tomatoes, bell peppers and jalapeños. We also intend to plant the super spicy Carolina Reapers in our garden, but those seeds need a little more time to grow into seedlings. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
6
of 11

The completed smart garden

Here’s the garden now, complete with all of our veggies except for the Carolina Reapers. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
7
of 11

Testing time

The lettuce grew in fine over the course of a rainy spring. Now, the garden will get its real test to see if smarts can help us grow veggies over the course of a hot summer. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
8
of 11

Keeping watch

We’re also using a smart cam and smart lights to help scare away pests. The Netgear Arlo Pro 2 watches for motion at night. 

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
9
of 11

Illumination

If our camera senses any motion, it triggers our Philips Hue Outdoor lights to start flashing.

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
10
of 11

Smart garden living

We even met a couple of friends while planting in the smart garden. Hopefully, our garden will be smart enough to scare away any that want to snack on our growing veggies.

Published:Caption:Photo:Chris Monroe/CNETRead the article
11
of 11
Now Reading

The CNET Smart Garden comes to life

Up Next

32 outdoor cameras that take home security seriously

Latest Stories

We hop back into the CNET Smart Garden

http://www.cnet.com/

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by
Nintendo reveals Fortnite for Switch

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0:48

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by
Don’t have enough power outlets? Here’s what you can do

http://www.cnet.com/

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by
How to combat ‘phoneliness’

http://www.cnet.com/

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by
Incredibles 2 review: Pixar makes superheroes fun again

http://www.cnet.com/

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