Five Apps for Helpful Gardening Information
2023-04-11
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1There are many apps that use mobile phone cameras and other devices that might surprise gardeners.
2They can provide expert gardening planning and planting advice.
3They may help with unwanted insects, diseases and to identify plants and insects.
4Some apps even use new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality.
5Jessica Damiano writes about gardening for the Associated Press.
6Recently, she identified some apps she considers useful for gardeners.
7Free, dependable apps like the ones she suggested can provide valuable information as you develop your garden.
8Here are some examples:
9Seek is an app from the website iNaturalist.
10Seek was created by the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society.
11To use it, simply take a picture or point your camera at a plant, insect, or animal and you will get important information about it.
12Information the app can offer is usually taken from Wikipedia.
13It includes target's scientific name, common name, seasonal nature, and a description of its appearance, among other information.
14Results are based on similar pictures from users around the world.
15If the app cannot identify your photo, it will ask other users to identify it.
16You can also find lists of plants, insects and animals in your area, add your observations, and connect with experts.
17The app is offered for free in the Apple App store and in Google Play.
18It even includes games.
19From Seed to Spoon helps users grow crops.
20You can add which fruits and vegetables you would like to grow on a virtual "Grow Box" from a list of images.
21It will then give seed-starting, transplanting, and harvesting dates for those plants based on your location using satellite data.
22The free version of the app also provides information on each crop's requirements for temperature, sunlight, water, and fertilizer.
23It includes information on saving seeds, which plants work best together, dealing with unwanted insects, meal ideas, and links to videos.
24Park Seed, which owns the app, will also suggest products for each plant sold by the company.
25There is also a paid version.
26The paid version provides real-time answers to your questions from an AI "Growbot," an individualized calendar and more.
27Find it in the Apple App Store, on Google Play, and at app.seedtospoon.net.
28PictureThis will identify your plant and provide information about it from a picture on your phone's camera.
29It will show health information, its scientific name, where it can be found, common uses, harvesting time, and how to produce new plants from your existing plant.
30It also will show sunlight, soil, water, and fertilizer requirements.
31The app also provides answers to commonly asked questions about the plant.
32And you can share photos and plant descriptions with friends by message.
33After using all the provided free identifications, you will be asked to watch advertisements or share the app to earn more.
34Or you can pay $29.99 a year for the paid version.
35The paid version provides treatment information for sick plants.
36It also includes plant-care guides, access to a team of experts at any time, and unlimited plant identifications.
37The free version will, however, identify a disease from a picture of a sick plant.
38Find it in the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
39Google Lens uses image recognition technology to identify plants, trees, animals, and insects.
40It shows Google search results from the Google search engine.
41It can be found on the Google app or by the Google Search bar in your mobile browser on Android and Apple products.
42Then, touch the camera image and choose a photo from your phone's photo history.
43Lens can also be used to identify other objects, places, and to compare products to buy online.
44The tool is free.
45Apple Visual Look Up is an AI feature for iPhone and iPad.
46It will identify plants, flowers, insects, birds, and other animals shown in any photo.
47Using an Apple product running iOS16 or iPadOS16, you can use the feature by choosing a photo in your phone, then touching the "info" image below it.
48It is the letter "I" in a circle with stars above it.
49The tool works directly with other apps like Mail, Messages and Notes.
50Just lightly touch an image to expand it, then touch the starred "i."
51The app also works in the Safari browser by touching and holding any photo.
52The app will show details about the image, including a "Look Up" choice.
53It will place the photo in a grouping, like insects, or plants.
54Choose Siri Knowledge for details about the subject and similar images found online.
55If there is not a star above "info," Visual Look Up is not available for that photo.
56The feature is free.
57I'm Faith Pirlo. And I'm Gregory Stachel.
1There are many apps that use mobile phone cameras and other devices that might surprise gardeners. 2They can provide expert gardening planning and planting advice. They may help with unwanted insects, diseases and to identify plants and insects. Some apps even use new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality. 3Jessica Damiano writes about gardening for the Associated Press. Recently, she identified some apps she considers useful for gardeners. Free, dependable apps like the ones she suggested can provide valuable information as you develop your garden. Here are some examples: 4Seek by iNaturalist 5Seek is an app from the website iNaturalist. Seek was created by the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society. To use it, simply take a picture or point your camera at a plant, insect, or animal and you will get important information about it. 6Information the app can offer is usually taken from Wikipedia. It includes target's scientific name, common name, seasonal nature, and a description of its appearance, among other information. 7Results are based on similar pictures from users around the world. If the app cannot identify your photo, it will ask other users to identify it. 8You can also find lists of plants, insects and animals in your area, add your observations, and connect with experts. 9The app is offered for free in the Apple App store and in Google Play. It even includes games. 10From Seed to Spoon 11From Seed to Spoon helps users grow crops. You can add which fruits and vegetables you would like to grow on a virtual "Grow Box" from a list of images. It will then give seed-starting, transplanting, and harvesting dates for those plants based on your location using satellite data. 12The free version of the app also provides information on each crop's requirements for temperature, sunlight, water, and fertilizer. It includes information on saving seeds, which plants work best together, dealing with unwanted insects, meal ideas, and links to videos. 13Park Seed, which owns the app, will also suggest products for each plant sold by the company. There is also a paid version. The paid version provides real-time answers to your questions from an AI "Growbot," an individualized calendar and more. 14Find it in the Apple App Store, on Google Play, and at app.seedtospoon.net. 15PictureThis 16PictureThis will identify your plant and provide information about it from a picture on your phone's camera. It will show health information, its scientific name, where it can be found, common uses, harvesting time, and how to produce new plants from your existing plant. It also will show sunlight, soil, water, and fertilizer requirements. 17The app also provides answers to commonly asked questions about the plant. And you can share photos and plant descriptions with friends by message. 18After using all the provided free identifications, you will be asked to watch advertisements or share the app to earn more. Or you can pay $29.99 a year for the paid version. The paid version provides treatment information for sick plants. It also includes plant-care guides, access to a team of experts at any time, and unlimited plant identifications. The free version will, however, identify a disease from a picture of a sick plant. 19Find it in the Apple App Store or on Google Play. 20Google Lens 21Google Lens uses image recognition technology to identify plants, trees, animals, and insects. It shows Google search results from the Google search engine. 22It can be found on the Google app or by the Google Search bar in your mobile browser on Android and Apple products. Then, touch the camera image and choose a photo from your phone's photo history. Lens can also be used to identify other objects, places, and to compare products to buy online. The tool is free. 23Apple Visual Look Up 24Apple Visual Look Up is an AI feature for iPhone and iPad. It will identify plants, flowers, insects, birds, and other animals shown in any photo. Using an Apple product running iOS16 or iPadOS16, you can use the feature by choosing a photo in your phone, then touching the "info" image below it. It is the letter "I" in a circle with stars above it. 25The tool works directly with other apps like Mail, Messages and Notes. Just lightly touch an image to expand it, then touch the starred "i." The app also works in the Safari browser by touching and holding any photo. 26The app will show details about the image, including a "Look Up" choice. It will place the photo in a grouping, like insects, or plants. 27Choose Siri Knowledge for details about the subject and similar images found online. If there is not a star above "info," Visual Look Up is not available for that photo. The feature is free. 28I'm Faith Pirlo. And I'm Gregory Stachel. 29Yiannis Kourtoglou reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. 30________________________________________________________________________ 31Words in This Story 32garden - n. an area of ground where plants (such as flowers or vegetables) are grown 33gardener -n. a person who cares for a garden 34augmented -adj. increase, expanded, having added abilities 35app - n. a computer program that performs a special function 36virtual -n. on the internet, not actually a real thing 37location -n. the physical place where something is 38browser - n. a computer program that is used to find and look at information on the Internet 39feature - n. an interesting or important part, quality, or ability 40________________________________________________________________________ 41What do you think of this story? 42We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 43Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.