In the classic Simpsons episode, “Bart of Darkness,” the subject of the episode’s title witnesses neighbor Ned Flanders burying his wife’s dead ficus and screaming that he’s a “mur-diddly-urdler.” Planticide. It’s more common than you think.
Recently launched on Kickstarter by Digital Spring LLC, the Daisy Sensor keeps track of your plants’ needs. Equipped with sensors that measure soil moisture, temperature, and light, the smart device takes all the guesswork out of keeping floral friends alive. The small device nestles near the plant in its pot, sending the vitals to your iPhone or Android device. You can get notifications when it’s time to water your poor little philodendron. It even works outdoors.
Once you download the app, you connect it to the sensor. Snap a picture of your plant, give it a name, and you’ll start receiving feedback about your fledgling. The plant database gives you more information about your plant species.
For the socially minded, you can even share your plant’s progress on Facebook. While no one outside your garden club will likely care, the shared stats can’t be any more annoying that all those FarmVille updates we used to get.
The Daisy Sensor team currently has a Kickstarter underway. A limited number of backers can get two sensors for $34. Sixty-four dollars gets you four sensors. The devices won’t ship until June 2015 at the earliest.
Perhaps if Ned had a Daisy Sensor, the whole ficus fracas could’ve been avoided.
