As summer is approaching and the weather is warming, people begin working on and harvesting from their backyard gardens. But for some, me and my family for example, gardening is not a fun or relaxing hobby. From the deer munching on your tomatoes to the inconsistent watering and sunlight, dealing with weeds and pests, we find the work is not worth the yield.  We are also not a fan of poison ivy or ticks! However, there are now new smart indoor gardens that promise to eliminate the hassle and leave you with fresh produce and greens all year round.

Smart indoor gardening systems like Rise’s Garden is a solution not only for city dwellers but also for people who lack a green thumb, yet would like fresh veggies and herbs despite their natural inability to grow them. This indoor garden system will automatically water and fertilize your plants to prevent you from over or under watering. It contains LED lights to mimic the sun, so you can grow continuously all year long. One of the coolest aspects in the ability to check on your garden through the app or with Alexa through voice-control. The app alerts you to replenish the water or fertilizer, allows you to adjust the LED lights and informs you on when to harvest.

These products are quite niche, and at their price points may not have a large consumer market. However, with inflation, food is getting expensive, so this may be a worth-while long term investment. Moreover, you are assured of a harvest since pests and deer won’t be munching on your produce and it is much cleaner than gardening outside, as there is no soil involved. As a college student, this product in not on the top of my wish list, but for anyone interested in healthy eating for themselves or their families these smart gardens are attractive, innovative and make fresh produce accessible all year round.