Jun. 23, 2020
U.S. Cellular offers smartphone tips and apps to create a summer garden or backyard retreat
With social distancing part of our routine, smartphones like the Apple iPhone 11 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G can be helpful to shop online for plants to incorporate into your summer garden. And, let your green thumb be your guide while searching for gardening apps and looking up DIY videos for ideas to add curb appeal or design your backyard oasis.
“Smartphones are a great tool for helping to choose the right seeds for your climate, researching the type of plants for your landscaping needs and even with ordering online for delivery right to your door,” said Nathan Waddell, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in East Tennessee. “Mobile devices can definitely simplify and enhance your gardening experience or help find inspiration for your next landscaping project.”
For those looking to maintain a summer garden or get a little dirty enhancing their outdoor living space, U.S. Cellular recommends several apps and websites ideal for use with smartphones and tablets:
DIY Landscape Design
If you’d like to try your hand at designing your own landscape, there are apps that can help. The PRO Landscape Home app lets users visualize their dream garden by starting with a picture of their house then adding plants, grass and mulch to create a design they will love.
Houzz and Pinterest are very popular apps for design inspiration. Houzz has amazing photos with landscape ideas for patios, decks and links to find where to buy accessories to complete your look. Pinterest is the ultimate app for collecting ideas and researching design online. Users can browse from thousands of pins for landscape design ideas and add them to their own board for future reference.
Gardening
There are several apps that offer a plant identification service. Share your garden and connect with others through the GrowIt! app. Send photos of your plants and ask the community for help identifying them. The information tab tells you how big the plant can get, how often to water and feed it, and when it will bloom. The Garden Answers app lets you snap a picture, tap submit and instantly get the accurate identity of the plant and detailed information about it by garden and horticulture experts. A keyword search feature has answers to over 200,000 commonly asked plant questions. 
If you’re new to gardening or want to tackle growing your own food, the My Green Space app customizes your garden plan based on your city, sunlight exposure, size of space and season. Daily reminders and easy tutorials keep you on track from seed to harvest. You choose your seed bundle and container to fit your needs. Your order will be delivered straight to you, including the soil.
Gardenate uses your location to show what is best for you to plant each month. Access plant descriptions and growing tips to become a pro. Record planting dates, harvest dates and notes about your plants. Save the details in the My Garden section. The app will send calendar reminders when it’s time to harvest your produce.
Lawn Care
The My Lawn app powered by Scotts® Miracle-Gro Company makes lawn maintenance understandable and creates an easy-to-follow care plan so you know which products to use and when. The app gives recommendations based on your lawn size, location and climate. You’ll get an alert when it’s time to feed, seed and water your lawn, so you will never have to guess. You can also create a custom lawn care plan.
Non-App Inspiration
YouTube videos are full of great tips and easily accessible from a smartphone or tablet. You can type in the gardening or landscaping keyword you are interested in and find informative and sometimes humorous videos to guide your planning.
Throughout the prime gardening season, the weather can be unpredictable. The Weather Channel will help keep an eye on those changing weather conditions to make sure plants are getting plenty of water and are protected from frost and cold that can be threatening for new plants.
About U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular is the fourth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier is building a stronger network with the latest 5G technology and offers a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers’ lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or www.uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.
