EasyBloom 1000 Plant Sensor Review.
"Save Your Plants - Make The Right Decisions!" 2008-11-29
By Martin A Hogan (San Francisco, CA. (Hercules))
I'm a landscape architect specializing in design, construction and planning. I am not an expert in plant materials like a botanist. The `easy Bloom' was a real eye opener for me. It has a library of thousands of plants with detailed descriptions of anything a botanist or ordinary `garden-variety' gardener would want to know. It is virtually an on-line encyclopedia and more expansive than the Western Garden Book.
Some of the options were: Plant recommendations, Environmental Conditions, Edit (later info) and Notes (personal). Searching for a certain plant, you can choose: Bloom Color, Bloom Season, Foliage, Characteristics, Special features, Height, Plant Type, Shape/Form and Soil Type.
There are SO MANY options. I decided to try it on indoor and outdoor plants, but finally decided to share just one problem spot I have. On my deck I have a large potted barrel about two feet high by three feet in diameter with good loamy soil. Oddly, nothing seems to really do well there. So I planted the `easy Bloom' in the dirt for 24 hours. Then I placed the USB stick into my computer and was asked to refine my plant choices by: Bloom Color, Bloom Season, Foliage characteristics, Special features, Height, Plant Type, Shape/Form and Soil Type.
I picked through all the options of what I wanted and within a few seconds, the `best' plants choices for my barrel were for:
Height: fern (American Maidenhair), Hyacinth, Tulip, Carpet Bugle, Lily, Coleus.
Bloom (of nine colors I chose red): Coleus, Tulip, Geranium.
Environmental Conditions told me for that 24 hour period: Average temp was (51-55 degrees) with mostly midday sun and moderate to fairly high humidity.
The final plant choices for my outside deck barrel for all options were: Coleus, Geranium and Friendship Plant. Now that I know what will look best year round for my barrel, I can just move to each pot, garden area or indoor pot and get several great choices.
Next I plan on choosing why my indoor `Climbing Onion' that is going through dormancy, will need to survive and thrive. I'll be ready for the spring!
I have never seen a plant monitor like this that is so extensive or thorough with thousands of plants and analysis. This is a must for any serious gardener - especially those who think they know it all (and I know quite a few of those). Just be prepared - after owning one of these, they WILL know it all!
"A greenthumb for all of us!" 2008-10-28
By Ryan Aelish (San Francisco, CA)
I can't tell you how embarrassing it is to be given a houseplant as a gift and watch it die right when your friend makes his way back for a visit. Not fun. The easybloom plant sensor is really easy to use right out of the box (just plug it into your usb port on you pc, install the software, and create an easybloom user account - all within 5 minutes). I used it in water mode first to check my potted plants, and it promptly beeped at me telling me I needed to water some plants. Now I'm using it in monitor mode which should give me feedback on my poor freesia to figure out what's wrong with it. I think the sensor works well with the easybloom.com website and I'm excited to get this sensor to work in my garden!
"Finally!" 2008-10-27
By D. Gasiorek (San Francisco, CA United States)
Finally someone invented this product! I cannot tell you how many plants I have killed in my lifetime. I never know if they die because I watered them too much, too little, or if it wasn't getting enough light, etc. Now there is actually a device that can tell me the answer! Thank you thank you. No more throwing dead plants and $$ down the drain. Love it!
"Very useful product" 2008-10-28
By Matt Barletta (Campbell, CA)
I have found this product very easy to get started with and get useful data about my yard. I've got a lot of shade in the front and too much sun in the back all on top of California clay. Life has been a "hit or miss" set of plant experiments.
This product is now shedding some light on what works where and why. This is very useful and I will be shifting my strategy going into the spring for sure.
Very cool stuff.
"Finally..." 2008-10-31
By Gregory Barbee (Los Angeles, CA)
I was eager to see this product when I came across related news about a month ago, and I must say, I have not been disappointed. What an easy to use, intuitive gift this product is -- finally, I'm not playing hit or miss with my backyard and garden. Works great, and gives cogent advice for those of us who weren't born with what seems like the mystical ability to make plants grow. Thanks. Rest assured, several of my extended family will be receiving this for a (much welcome) holiday gift.
By Martin A Hogan (San Francisco, CA. (Hercules))
I'm a landscape architect specializing in design, construction and planning. I am not an expert in plant materials like a botanist. The `easy Bloom' was a real eye opener for me. It has a library of thousands of plants with detailed descriptions of anything a botanist or ordinary `garden-variety' gardener would want to know. It is virtually an on-line encyclopedia and more expansive than the Western Garden Book.
Some of the options were: Plant recommendations, Environmental Conditions, Edit (later info) and Notes (personal). Searching for a certain plant, you can choose: Bloom Color, Bloom Season, Foliage, Characteristics, Special features, Height, Plant Type, Shape/Form and Soil Type.
There are SO MANY options. I decided to try it on indoor and outdoor plants, but finally decided to share just one problem spot I have. On my deck I have a large potted barrel about two feet high by three feet in diameter with good loamy soil. Oddly, nothing seems to really do well there. So I planted the `easy Bloom' in the dirt for 24 hours. Then I placed the USB stick into my computer and was asked to refine my plant choices by: Bloom Color, Bloom Season, Foliage characteristics, Special features, Height, Plant Type, Shape/Form and Soil Type.
I picked through all the options of what I wanted and within a few seconds, the `best' plants choices for my barrel were for:
Height: fern (American Maidenhair), Hyacinth, Tulip, Carpet Bugle, Lily, Coleus.
Bloom (of nine colors I chose red): Coleus, Tulip, Geranium.
Environmental Conditions told me for that 24 hour period: Average temp was (51-55 degrees) with mostly midday sun and moderate to fairly high humidity.
The final plant choices for my outside deck barrel for all options were: Coleus, Geranium and Friendship Plant. Now that I know what will look best year round for my barrel, I can just move to each pot, garden area or indoor pot and get several great choices.
Next I plan on choosing why my indoor `Climbing Onion' that is going through dormancy, will need to survive and thrive. I'll be ready for the spring!
I have never seen a plant monitor like this that is so extensive or thorough with thousands of plants and analysis. This is a must for any serious gardener - especially those who think they know it all (and I know quite a few of those). Just be prepared - after owning one of these, they WILL know it all!
By Ryan Aelish (San Francisco, CA)
I can't tell you how embarrassing it is to be given a houseplant as a gift and watch it die right when your friend makes his way back for a visit. Not fun. The easybloom plant sensor is really easy to use right out of the box (just plug it into your usb port on you pc, install the software, and create an easybloom user account - all within 5 minutes). I used it in water mode first to check my potted plants, and it promptly beeped at me telling me I needed to water some plants. Now I'm using it in monitor mode which should give me feedback on my poor freesia to figure out what's wrong with it. I think the sensor works well with the easybloom.com website and I'm excited to get this sensor to work in my garden!
By D. Gasiorek (San Francisco, CA United States)
Finally someone invented this product! I cannot tell you how many plants I have killed in my lifetime. I never know if they die because I watered them too much, too little, or if it wasn't getting enough light, etc. Now there is actually a device that can tell me the answer! Thank you thank you. No more throwing dead plants and $$ down the drain. Love it!
By Matt Barletta (Campbell, CA)
I have found this product very easy to get started with and get useful data about my yard. I've got a lot of shade in the front and too much sun in the back all on top of California clay. Life has been a "hit or miss" set of plant experiments.
This product is now shedding some light on what works where and why. This is very useful and I will be shifting my strategy going into the spring for sure.
Very cool stuff.
By Gregory Barbee (Los Angeles, CA)
I was eager to see this product when I came across related news about a month ago, and I must say, I have not been disappointed. What an easy to use, intuitive gift this product is -- finally, I'm not playing hit or miss with my backyard and garden. Works great, and gives cogent advice for those of us who weren't born with what seems like the mystical ability to make plants grow. Thanks. Rest assured, several of my extended family will be receiving this for a (much welcome) holiday gift.
