Gallery: Use Science and Tech to Build the Ultimate Automated Garden
Photos by Zachary Zavislak | Craft Styling by Helen Quinn | 3-D Printing by Shootdigital01ff-garden-1
Photos by Zachary Zavislak | Craft Styling by Helen Quinn | 3-D Printing by Shootdigital02garden-2
Ring your lawn in low-voltage wire and unleash the [Husqvarna Automower 230 ACX](http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/robotic-mowers/automower-230-acx/) ($3,500). The robot moves about in random patterns, distinguishing between trimmed grass and longer blades that need attention. Sensors tell the supercutter to avoid obstacles, and the chopper snips the tips so fine that they fall back into the lawn, decompose and provide nitrogen.
Photos by Zachary Zavislak | Craft Styling by Helen Quinn | 3-D Printing by Shootdigital03garden-3
Plants soak up energy from visible light. Sick ones soak up less. To see the difference, replace the infrared filter in a digicam with a blue one from [Public Lab](http://publiclab.org/) ($10). Then upload your shots for processing at *infragram.org* and pinpoint failing plants before their problems start.
Photos by Zachary Zavislak | Craft Styling by Helen Quinn | 3-D Printing by Shootdigital04garden-4
The thrifty [Cyber Rain Pro Controller sprinkler system](https://www.cyber-rain.com/residential-irrigation-pro-controller.html) ($700) connects to the web to check the weather and updates your lawn-hydration schedule accordingly. Add a flow meter to get emails if there's a broken sprinkler head or a ruptured pipe.
Photos by Zachary Zavislak | Craft Styling by Helen Quinn | 3-D Printing by Shootdigital05garden-6
Take dirt and weeds out of the equation (and grow stuff faster, to boot) with the [Fizzy Farm outdoor hydroponic system](http://www.zeromilefarms.com/fizzy-farm/) ($500). Roots sit in a pump-aerated nutrient bath; bring the rig inside and attach a grow light to keep you in lettuce through the winter.
Photos by Zachary Zavislak | Craft Styling by Helen Quinn | 3-D Printing by Shootdigital06garden-5
Nibbly deer! Pesky raccoons! Cower before the [Garden Gnome Drone](http://www.gardengnomedrone.com/)! It's a Parrot AR.Drone ($300) linked to infrared motion detectors and a computer-vision nav system on an Arduino microcontroller board. When invaders trip the detectors, the drone executes a defensive pattern, then returns to its base to recharge. DIY instructions at *[gardengnomedrone.com](http://www.gardengnomedrone.com)*.
Photos by Zachary Zavislak | Craft Styling by Helen Quinn | 3-D Printing by Shootdigital07garden-7
Inventor Luke Iseman built an automated garden monitor, a "garduino," using an Arduino board and a few sensors. Now he offers the [Growerbot kit](http://www.growerbot.com/2013/02/03/growerbot-kit-assembly-videos/) ($195), a network of probes that measures soil-moisture level, air temp and humidity, and sunlight. (When a probe senses that the dirt in your kale bed is getting dry, say, it activates your irrigation system.)
Photos by Zachary Zavislak | Craft Styling by Helen Quinn | 3-D Printing by Shootdigital08garden-10
Photos by Zachary Zavislak | Craft Styling by Helen Quinn | 3-D Printing by Shootdigital09garden-9
Photos by Zachary Zavislak | Craft Styling by Helen Quinn | 3-D Printing by Shootdigital10garden-8
