[Updated on 1 March 2025] Believe it or not, gardening is one of the best physical activities you can do. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) classify it as the best outdoor activity that may relieve stress and keep you healthy.
Apart from enjoying the beauty, you’ll also get fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) and enjoy resting on your Adirondack chairs in the garden with the family. In addition, you can get a little income from gardening by selling some of the fruits and vegetables you grow. These advantages come not only to the town gardener & those gardeners tilling wide pieces of land in the countryside but to every home gardener, no matter how small a garden they have.
The joy of gardening can be like no other. The problem is that gardens flourish only in the warm seasons, and so to enjoy them, you need to know when certain things will grow best. Spring and summer are the awesome seasons for you to grow in your garden. But there is much more to know about gardening to ensure you have a successful year. Where to get this information and how to keep it all straight can be mind-boggling. I have compiled a list of the top 10 gardening apps for beginner and advanced gardeners to enhance your gardening experience.
Why Use Gardening Apps?
Finding solid gardening info online can be an overwhelming process, especially given the variety of information to sort through. Gardening apps combine all the requisite services in one place, offering expert advice, plant care reminders, and interactive features, so they make great companions for gardeners.
Benefits of Gardening Apps:
- Plant Identifier — Use AI-powered recognition to instantly identify plants, flowers, and pests.
- Personalized Plant Care – Get however much notification for watering, fertilizing, and gradual removal.
- Garden Planning & Design – Design layouts and monitor plant health.
- Community & Expert Advice – Get in touch with fellow gardeners and professionals for support.
- Pest & Disease Control – Identify plant health problems and receive treatment suggestions.
Let’s look at the best gardening apps for all levels of the gardener.
Where do you get Gardening Information?
Some gardeners will search the internet for the information they need to make their gardening experience simpler. Searching online for plant dates, identification, and information for your garden can be tough and time-consuming. It may be time-consuming and frustrating, especially for new gardeners who are still building their knowledge and experience. For the green-thumbed professional gardener, this might work, but a person new to gardening would spend a lot more time searching for what they need.
What if all the gardening information you needed was in a single place to help both the beginner and seasoned gardener? That would be great, right? Absolutely! There are gardening apps packed with information to provide assistance for you in growing and maintaining an attractive garden the entire year round.
For this reason, I have gone above and beyond to compile a list of the top 10 gardening apps for gardeners of all levels to enhance your gardening experience. Read on…
Top 10 Gardening Apps
Garden Answers App
Every gardener needs an app that can identify the plants in and around their garden. This app turns you into a walking encyclopedia of garden plants, with information on virtually every species you might find in a garden. Garden Answers is a favorite among gardeners thanks to its easy-to-use interface. It can identify over 20,000 plants and provide additional useful information for users.
Simply click a photo of the plant you want to identify, hit “‘submit,'” and watch the magic happen! The plant’s identity pops up instantly, letting you dive right into discovering the next one. The app works on Android and iOS, so you may stay connected no matter which device you use.
- Plant identification
- Access to previous questions and answers
- Advice and recommendations from experts
- Identify pests and diseases affecting your plants
- Instant plant identification
- Expert recommendations
- User-friendly interface
- Some features require a premium subscription
- May struggle with rare plant species
SmartPlant App
Just like many other gardening apps, the SmartPlant app identifies plants. However, it includes an additional feature – a digital care calendar that knows the care that the plant needs. You can also personalize the app depending on the plants you have and get notifications whenever they need particular attention. This application is available on both Android and iOS.
- Custom homepage for plant concerns
- Monthly care tips
- Plant identification
- Plant expert availability
- Plant Library
- Device care availability
- Plant care recommendations every month
- Customized plant care reminders
- Expert assistance available
- Large plant database
- Premium subscription required for expert advice
- Limited free features
Gardening Companion App
It is available on both Android and iOS and can keep track of your garden’s progress. Gardening requires it as a lot of information on gardening is available that indicates you simply exactly what you have to do to keep your plants healthy. Gardening Companion is all that you need to be an expert gardener [or even a newbie]. This info is presented well and in a simple manner so that you can get a look in there and quickly get what you want. Also, there’s a forum feature on the app where you can get help and give it.
- Custom garden magazine
- Plant information
- Garden progress monitoring
- Reminders for plant care
- Sharing with other gardeners
- Tracks garden growth over time
- Reminders for plant care
- Interactive gardening community
- Lacks AI-powered plant identification
- Some users report occasional bugs
Leafsnap App
The Natural History Museum (NHM) runs in this application. This is a way of having an idea of what Leafsnap can do and how beneficial it will be for gardeners such as you. It is a project of the University of Maryland, Columbia University, and the Smithsonian Institute. This plant identification app has beautiful, high-resolution photos of leaves, petioles, seeds, bark, and flowers. As the app name implies, you will use the plant leaves to identify the leaf. However, the app is currently only available for iOS; an Android version is on its way.
- Species finder
- High-resolution image provision
- Plant identification
- High-quality plant images
- Identifies trees and leaves accurately
- Educational and easy-to-use
- Limited to tree and leaf identification
- No Android version yet
My Soil App
The name tells you exactly what this app is all about soil. This app was developed by the British Geological Survey (BGS) to provide information on soil depth, soil type, pH, organic matter, and soil temperature. When you understand the type of soil you have, you can determine appropriate plants that will thrive in your garden, and it works on iOS and Android devices.
- Ability to know a range of information about your garden’s soil
- Plant identifier
- Organic matter identifier
- Helps determine soil quality for planting
- Provides region-specific soil data
- Easy-to-use interface
- Requires GPS for accurate data
- Limited plant care features
Garden Plan Pro App
There is more to planting a garden than just plopping seeds in the ground, and many gardeners don’t take into account the many factors that can help or hurt a garden. Others might simply play gardener, not revealing the beauty of the garden, or even worse, creating arrangements that might hinder the growth of some of the plants. Garden Plan Pro gives you the know-how to plan a fruit, herb, and veggie garden and make the most of a small space. This easy-to-navigate application offers you tools to lay the garden, organize the plants, and advance throughout its growth. It works on both Mac and PC desktops but only on iOS phones and tablets.
- Planting reminders
- Intelligent advice
- Location adaptation
- Flexible tools
- Design tools
- Desktop versions
- Professional support
- Intelligent garden planning tools
- Personalized plant recommendations
- Works on desktops and mobile devices
- Not available on Android
- Paid app
GardenTags App
Sometimes, you can’t wrap your brain around some issue in the garden, and often, it’s a gardener who has experienced a similar predicament who can help. In addition to providing advice, inspiration, and task reminders for a gardener, this app also connects gardeners with each other to exchange tips and information. It also includes advice on how to minimize pests and weeds. This is everything you need to become a successful gardener with this garden planner for Android and iOS.
- Other gardener’s advice and inspiration
- Plant identification
- Plant care instructions
- Garden and plant discovery around the globe
- Garden management
- Plant encyclopedia
- Interactive gardening community
- Plant care instructions
- Inspiration from other gardeners
- Requires an internet connection
- No built-in AI plant identifier
Into Garden App
This is for a gardener who is tired of the same garden design and wants something new for the next garden. Or are you merely starting a fresh plot with a garden that needs a proper layout? The answer is in the garden. The genius of this app is those British garden designers who know exactly which plans will suit a given space. Into garden also encourages you to eat your garden. However, we should have fresh vegetables and fruits, and one should make sure to have them in the summer. It is available on Android and iOS.
- Garden layout templates
- Custom advice
- Helps design stunning garden layouts
- Encourages homegrown food consumption
- Simple interface
- Limited plant care features
- Occasional layout bugs
Flower Checker App
When identifying plants, Flower Checker tops the list. It is created by real botanists who are experts in the field, so the chance of errors is minimal. This application can identify more than 90 percent of plant species. It is also advertisement-free. Works on both Android and iOS.
- Plant identification
- Flower identification
- No advertisements
- Expert-reviewed plant identification
- No advertisements
- High accuracy rate
- Paid app
- No instant identification (requires expert review)
Plantifier App
There are many gardening apps out there, but only Plantifier functions in a unique way from the rest. Other plant identifiers depend on experts, & the information is fed into the app to identify the plant. Plantifier involves the user taking a plant’s picture in question and uploading it for other users to help identify it. You will also get the additional benefit of tracking how your plants & flowers are fairing. You can use the Plantifier app on both iOS and Android devices.
- Free access
- Plant recognition
- Gardener to Gardener sharing
- Plant growth and flowering monitor
- Free to use
- Engages with fellow gardeners
- Tracks plant growth
- Slower identification process
- Dependent on community responses
Gardening and Application Technology
Clearly, with the numerous gardening apps above, technology does not stop at the garage door of your house but even goes a long way in making your garden a place to behold.
However, finding the right app for your use can prove to be mind-boggling. Once you understand your options, you can save time, learn from experts, gather data, share with other gardeners, battle pests, and monitor your plants. While these apps can help support your gardening efforts in an easier and more productive manner, what are some of the things you need to consider when choosing a gardening app?
What are Your Needs?
Similar to the indoor ones, your garden app would sense the environment you are in and provide tasks that might help improve the vibe of your garden, educate(ing) you about the plants, or offer you a connection with professionals and gardeners.
You will want to understand your needs because these apps can do a lot. Some will help you plan your garden, others will match names to your plants, and others will give you tasks that can make your garden productive. Since there are already apps that can integrate these two features, you can choose one based on your specific needs. It all comes down to the features offered on a specific app and how easy they are to use.
Compatibility is Key
Each app has devices it supports. The majority of them can function on iOS and Android devices. Many of these gardening apps are free of charge, and you can always download them and try their effectiveness on your device to see if they will work well for you. This would be, for example, an app providing care advice. You should make sure its database has information on those plants that you are planting.
For those apps that share with other users, their ability to match you with other gardeners is vital. Connecting with multiple gardeners gives you the chance to have quick access to solutions when you need them.
One more key consideration is online and offline workability. Some apps will require you to continually use them online. Some, on the contrary, will let you use online and offline options, and some will work 24/7 offline. This is a consideration if your garden is beyond your wifi range or if you are worried about data usage on your cell phone plan.
Affordability
As mentioned previously, most apps are free, but there are others that you have to pay for. Others will require a first payment when subscribing you to monthly payments for their service. Whether or not the app is worth the charge is subjective.
There you go. These 10 apps will change the way you care for your garden. From planning, plant identification, garden activity suggestions, and pesticide control, you can ask the garden whiz for advice; you have everything you need right there. Then, select the ones that suit you and start enjoying your garden more than ever.
Comparison Table: Best Gardening Apps
App | Best For | Free/Paid | Platform |
---|---|---|---|
Garden Answers |
Plant Identification |
Free |
Android & iOS |
SmartPlant |
Personalized Plant Care |
Free/Paid |
Android & iOS |
Gardening Companion |
Tracking Garden Progress |
Free |
Android & iOS |
Leafsnap |
Identifying Trees & Leaves |
Free |
iOS |
My Soil |
Soil Analysis |
Free |
Android & iOS |
So, which gardening app will you try first? Download one today and start growing your dream garden!
Conclusion
Technology has transformed gardening, making it easier for both beginners and experienced gardeners to plan, plant, and maintain their gardens. Whether you need plant identification, soil analysis, garden planning, or pest control, there is an app designed to help.