Automated Landscaping Technology: The Future of Home Gardening

Maintaining that curb appeal is hard work. Yet thanks to advances in technology, there are innovative solutions to landscape for you so that you can spend more time enjoying your yard instead of working on it. In our guide, we’ll tell you all about automated landscaping technology. We also included a video featuring This Old House’s home technology expert Ross Trethewey, who demonstrates some of these cutting-edge tools.

*Unless otherwise noted, costs in this article reflect an average of prices that our team found from hardware stores like Lowes and Home Depot, and on Amazon.com.

Robotic Lawn Mowers: Effortless Lawn Maintenance

Looking for a more hands-off approach to mowing your lawn? Robotic lawnmowers can help with that. These automated devices can mow up to an acre. Read on to learn more about how they work and their benefits.

How Robotic Lawn Mowers Work

Robotic lawnmowers cut small amounts of grass daily. The clippings fall back onto the lawn in a process called grasscycling. The clippings are a natural fertilization as they decompose, which leads to a healthier lawn. 

Robotic lawnmowers have advanced sensors that detect obstacles and help them to operate safely. To set up a robotic mower:

1. Install a low-voltage perimeter wire along the lawn’s edge and obstacles.
2. Connect the wire to a docking station.
3. Plug in the docking station and let the mower do the work for you.

Benefits of Robotic Lawnmowers

Robotic lawnmowers have several advantages over traditional lawnmowers, which include:

• Consistent results: Daily mowing maintains an even lawn height
• Environmentally friendly: Promotes natural fertilization
• Quiet operation: Most models are significantly quieter than gas-powered mowers
• Time-saving: Once you set up your robot, it won’t need a lot of human intervention

Smart Irrigation Systems: Water-Efficient Landscaping

Another example of effective landscaping technology is a smart irrigation system. You can now take a more efficient and environmentally friendly approach to watering your lawn and plants.  

Features of Smart Irrigation Systems

These systems have several advanced features, including:

• Remote control: You can manage many of these systems via smartphone apps, which means it’ll be easy for you to make adjustments to when, where, and how you water your lawn.
• Soil moisture sensors: Sensors can prevent overwatering by detecting the actual moisture levels in your yard.
• Weather data integration: By integrating historical and real-time weather information with your system, you can adjust watering schedules.

Installation and Operation

The way you set up your smart irrigation system is similar to how you install a traditional one. If you already have an existing system, you can upgrade it by replacing the controller and adding sensors. Once you’ve installed them, the system automatically adjusts watering based on weather conditions and soil moisture levels for optimal watering.

Automated Weeding: The Future of Garden Maintenance

Weeding is considered the most tedious gardening task by many, but luckily, you won’t need to get down on your hands and knees to pull out those pesky plants any longer. In the video, automated weeding robot inventor Joe Jonas shows us how it works. We’ll highlight a few important points in this section.

How Automated Weeding Robots Work

These devices use sensors and mechanical action to target and eliminate weeds. Here’s how:

• Continuous operation: Patrols the garden area regularly to prevent weeds from growing
• Height detection: Can tell the difference between weeds and desirable plants based on height
• Solar power: Self-sufficient and doesn’t need an external power source

Setting up an Automated Weeding Robot

Here are the steps to using an automated weeding robot:

1. Create a barrier, such as chicken wire, around the garden area to contain the robot.
2. Remove the existing weeds and rake the soil flat.
3. Use plant guards to protect seedlings and delicate plants.
4. Activate the robot and watch it patrol your garden.

The Impact of Automated Landscaping Technology

Automated landscaping technology has changed the way homeowners maintain their yards. These innovations offer several benefits:

• Accessibility: Gardeners with physical limitations can manage their landscaping by themselves
• Consistency: Homeowners don’t need to put in a lot of effort to maintain their yards
• Time savings: You don’t spend hour after hour completing routine landscaping tasks
• Water conservation: Smart irrigation systems significantly reduce water waste

Considerations When Adopting Automated Landscaping Tools

There are a few things you need to consider before you choose to use these automated landscaping tools. Those include:

Initial Costs and Investment

You will likely have many upfront costs if you decide to use advanced landscaping technology. Assess your budget to figure out which of these tools you can afford. To do this, try to break down the costs compared to long-term savings and labor reduction to determine the best devices for your situation.

Learning Curve and Maintenance

It may take some time to set up and learn how to use these tools, but you can read manuals, watch videos, or attend demonstrations to alleviate this learning curve. You will also need to perform regular maintenance, especially for devices that spend a lot of time in the elements, such as robotic mowers and sensors.

Landscape Compatibility and Suitability

Before you decide which tools to use, you need to evaluate your landscaping needs. Consider your yard’s characteristics and existing landscape, such as slopes or unique plants. From there, you can determine which devices will maximize efficiency and productivity.

The Future of Automated Landscaping

Technology is always advancing, so you can expect to see even more solutions in the landscaping industry. We’ll cover a few potential developments that could change the way we think about and interact with our outdoor environments. Keep an eye out for the following innovations.

Integration with Smart Home Systems

Broader home systems could advance the way we mow, weed, and water. By connecting devices with platforms, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home, you could have seamless control and monitoring.

Enhanced AI for Plant Care

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, we may have improved plant identification and care. New algorithms could allow robots to diagnose plant health issues. They could also predict watering needs more accurately in the future.  

Expanded Automated Solutions

There’s more technology in the works. Future devices may automate fertilizing, pest control, and even harvesting. Stay tuned for more comprehensive support for gardening enthusiasts of all skill levels.

Resources

Trethewey explored a variety of different technologies that could change the way people approach landscape maintenance.

The robotic lawnmower is an Automower 450x, which is manufactured by Husqvarna. The installation involved running a low-voltage wire around the perimeter of the yard and around any obstacles, which all connects back to a charging station.

The smart irrigation system shown is manufactured by Rain Bird. The components of the system in that particular setup were the 1800 High-Efficiency Sprays, 42SA Simple Adjust Rotors, Emitter Conversion Kit for Drip Irrigation, and a WiFi Controller (Model ST8i).

The weeding robot is a Tertill Weeding Robot, which is manufactured by Tertill Corporation.