Tove Westlund, co-founder of Planta, shares the story of her new app and how to keep your plants thriving thanks to a little help from technology.
Most people would usually agree that plants are a nice addition to any home or office. But the challenge is, a lot of houseplants are not that easy to take care of, and, despite trying hard to keep them alive, many people have short lived relationships with their flora, simply because they just didn’t have the right tools and information to keep them thriving. That’s why we created the new app called Planta, to enable anyone, but particularly plant novices, to keep their collection of house and garden plants at optimum health.
To do this, we equipped the Planta app with all the necessary tools a new plant parent might need. These include:
- Plant Identifier
Planta’s in-app plant identifier can identify 90% of all known plant species. The user simply takes a picture of their plant, which is submitted in-app, and then Planta instantly reveals the name of the plant, providing information on the plant itself, as well as in-depth care instructions. This tool is particularly handy for new plant parents, those who have been gifted plants and aren’t sure exactly how to care for them, or those with pets (who need to check whether a plant might be toxic for their furry friend).
- Smart Care Reminders
For those new to plant ownership and unsure of how to best care for their plants, Planta offers smart care reminders, based on the exact requirements for each plant, depending on the environment it’s in. This includes a smart watering schedule which is tailored to the needs of each plant and notifies users when it’s time to fertilise, mist, clean, and repot, all with a simple in-app notification.
- Light Meter
Planta’s in-app light meter also helps users better understand which plants are suitable for their home or office environments, based on the different light conditions within each room. A common error is to fail to match plants with an appropriate level of light: some plants preferring shade; others thriving only in sunlight. Planta’s light meter tool solves this problem ensuring that users no longer have to guess.
- Dr. Planta
Finally, Dr. Planta is our plant diagnosis tool for unwell plants. From yellow leaves to brown spots, it can be hard to identify what’s making your plant wilt. However, a quick chat will enable Planta to identify any plant issues and, once a diagnosis has been confirmed, share a treatment plan with the user. If the case is particularly complicated or severe, users are redirected to one of the Planta in-house plant experts who will be able to identify the issue and help your plants to thrive once more.
Whether you’re a plant beginner or a green-fingered veteran, Planta is here to help. Anyone can download Planta from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for free. The free version of Planta offers users access to some of the app’s key features, including the ability to add their houseplants to the app, check our personalised care information, and access the smart water schedule. For users keen to take plant ownership to the next level, be sure to try Planta’s premium subscription.
