Technology for the Garden and Landscape

By Jaime Staufenbeil - Milorganite Agronomist
September 13, 2025

Technology continues to transform how we live, work, and play. Artificial intelligence (AI) is still an emerging technology and will continue to impact us in unimaginable ways. But the question is: Are there new technologies that can help with lawns and landscaping? Yes.

Garden and landscape technology can conserve water, save time, and, in the long run, save you money. I looked at some new technologies currently available that can help with ongoing yard and garden chores. The landscape technology I looked at includes weather and moisture sensors to regulate automatic irrigation systems, automatic lawn mowers, as well as what to consider if you’re purchasing an automatic lawn mower, yard and garden weeding and, composting.

Using Technology to Water Your Lawn and Garden

Smart Irrigation with the Addition of Moisture Sensors 

You can save time, increase efficiency, conserve water, and keep your property watered with the addition of a little smart technology. Upgrade your automatic irrigation system with the addition of weather and soil moisture-measuring systems.

You program automatic irrigation systems to run when and for how long in designated zones. Moisture sensors consider how much rain has fallen and the weather conditions. Based on the data gathered, the irrigation schedule is automatically adjusted. These systems only run when your landscape requires more water, which significantly conserves water. Rain and moisture sensors can be included when an irrigation system is installed or added to existing systems. 

In addition to rain sensors, there are soil-moisture sensors. Sensors are placed into the soil at the level of the plants’ roots. There are also sensors that can measure moisture levels at various depths. Soil sensors can be integrated into an automatic irrigation system. Sensors can also be used independently of an irrigation system.

Hose timers are battery-operated and attach to outdoor faucets, controlling a single hose. It allows you to take advantage of setting the time and duration of watering, like you would for an automatic irrigation system. In addition to a standard hose, you could attach a soaker hose or drip line to the timer. Both irrigation methods deliver water to small areas and individual plants using significantly less water than yard-wide irrigation.  To help avoid excess evaporation, keep plant roots cool, and suppress weeds, mulch landscape beds with 2 to 3-inches of shredded-bark or wood-chip mulch.

High-tech solutions sometimes require low-tech support. There are two low-tech options to help you conserve water by monitoring soil moisture levels. A $20 hand-held soil moisture sensor may be all you need. If you surface irrigate your yard and garden with a hose and sprinkler head, this is an economical and effective tool. You can adjust your watering schedule based on your findings.

Other low-tech additions to your irrigation system are rain gauges, either purchased or home-made. Use them to determine how much rain has fallen and adjust your watering accordingly. It can also use rain gauges to help you determine if each irrigation zone is being over- or under-watered and identify gaps that aren’t getting any water. You can then adjust the timing and duration of the system accordingly. 

Automatic Lawn Mowers

Robot or automatic lawn mowers are still relatively new to the market. Even Popular Mechanics admits that reviewing them is fairly new to the magazine. Automatic lawnmowers are based on the same concept as robotic vacuums but use significantly different technology.

Automatic lawn mowers don’t work like standard walk-behind mowers. Instead of a large blade cutting grass to the desired length, there are multiple blades about the size of razor blades.

Rather than cutting the lawn in a single pass, the automatic mower shaves off a short length of the grass with every pass. To achieve the desired length, it may take several passes. When using a push mower, you want to cut the lawn quickly, in a single pass. But the automatic mower can make as many passes as it needs to, which is better for the lawn and no extra work for you.

Some may worry that an automatic mower is going to run  rogue and go on a rampage through the flowers or vegetable garden. Some models can be programmed with “no-go zones,” which keep the mowers out of designated areas. 

Automatic mowers use a variety of technologies to sense an obstacle and then go around. However, it’s suggested that items that may be easily damaged be removed from the lawn. Automatic mowers can’t do everything.

As automatic as these mowers may be, they still need a helping hand. It’s almost inevitable that at some point it’s going to get stuck in a divot, small hole, or muddy area, and it’s up to you to come to the rescue. Some models can free themselves. Items such as branches, pinecones, fruit, and nuts can get lodged under the unit. 

Although automatic, these mowers still require regular maintenance, just like a gas-powered mower. Clean the undercarriage regularly. The blades will regularly need to be sharpened or replaced. 

Considerations when Choosing an Automatic Lawn Mower

Terrain and property size will narrow down whether a “light-duty” or “heavy-duty” automatic mower is required. Some models are made for small yards, generally a quarter acre or smaller, that are mostly flat. Significantly large properties, up to a few acres, with challenging terrain and slopes, are going to require a heavier-duty model. 

There are automatic lawn mowers that can do much more than just mow the lawn. There’s one manufacturer, Yarbo, that offers a number of modules that can be individually added to automate other lawn and landscape tasks. In addition to the mowing module, you can add mulching blades, a trimmer, a snow blower, a snowplow, or a leaf blower. A hitch can be attached to haul up to 1.75 tons and can accommodate a yard cart, spreader, lawn roller, dethatcher, aerator, and more. The manufacturer claims that it can handle hilly and uneven lawns of up to six acres. The manufacturer’s pro model, along with the interchangeable modules, will set you back nearly $8,000. A replacement battery alone costs $1,200.

There are many models of automatic lawn mowers on the market that range from small and relatively inexpensive to more advanced models that require a small investment. 

The features of automatic lawn mowers can greatly differ, although they have some general features in common. Following is a description of many of those features, as well as other considerations when selecting an automatic lawn mower.

Electric or solar? There are some gas-powered, automatic mowers, but these are reserved for special circumstances and large areas, mostly for commercial or agricultural use. Most models have recharging stations or are recharged using a plug-in adaptor. Although not common, there are automatic lawn mowers that are fully solar powered and solar-assisted mowers that supplement electric recharging with solar power. 

Automated vs. remote control? Most models I found were fully automated. If you’re looking for hands-free operation, avoid remote control models.

How is it powered? Most models run on batteries that are recharged either using an electrical connection or solar power. Most models have docking stations where the  unit returns  before completely running down the battery. 

How long does it take to recharge? The time to recharge can significantly vary, often from one to three hours. If you want the automatic mower to keep working with little interruption, especially for larger properties, you may want a model that charges quickly. If the model has a removable battery, you may consider purchasing an additional battery and keeping it fully charged to switch it out like you would for a power drill.

What area is covered on a single charge? Some models only run for an hour before needing to be recharged. The running speed of the mower and its cutting width need to be considered. All of these factors come into play. That’s why the area an automatic mower cuts on a single charge are a better guide than how long it runs on a single charge. 

Does it require a ground wire, or does it rely on GPS and geofencing? Don’t let automatic mowers run away. To keep them in their place, systems generally use either a ground wire or GPS and geofencing. A ground wire works like those used for wireless, electric dog fences. They are just prone to being accidentally damaged or cut. Ground wires may require professional installation. GPS-based systems eliminate the possibility of wire damage and may be used to track stolen units.

Would add-ons be helpful in maintaining my property? Add-ons may cover tasks such as trimming, leaf blowing, snow blower or plow, or a hitch to help haul yard carts and heavy equipment. Add-ons, if available, will come at a cost.

What’s the maximum range of the model? Some models only cover small areas up to ¼ acre, which would work for smaller properties. Other models can cover up to six acres.

How much of an incline can the model handle? Choose a model that will effectively mow hills and inclines of your property. You may need to calculate the degree of inclines on your property to ensure the model you’re considering can accommodate. 

Is the model adjustable to the required height for my turf? Different grass species require varying mowing heights for turf to maintain optimum health. Identify the species of grass in your lawn to determine its optimum mowing height. Ensure the automatic mower under consideration can accommodate.

Can the cutting pattern be changed? Some models only cut in random patterns. Others can be programmed to either cut in random patterns, or in stripes, or a checkerboard pattern if you enjoy greater precision.

How loud is it? Decibel levels vary. You may be able to let quieter models run throughout the evening without disturbing you or your neighbors. This may be a good feature to keep large properties well-mowed.

What’s your budget? Prices for automatic mowers vary greatly. A basic model is about $500. A step up, you’ll find models in the $1,000–$1,500 range. Models with added features or the option to add modules to handle additional maintenance tasks can range from $5,000 to $8,000. If you’re currently using a lawn service, the cost of an automatic lawn mower may be recovered in only a season or two, a factor worth considering.

Weeding Robots for Your Vegetable Garden? Nope.

The dream of every gardener is for someone or something else to do the weeding. It’s a thankless, never-ending task, but always necessary. Weeds can inhibit the growth of plants by competing for resources and space.

Here’s the bad news: there isn’t a weeding robot for your vegetable garden, at least not yet.

There was a manufacturer that created an automatic garden weeder—Tertill. It was on the market for a period, but the company has discontinued production and customer support. It was created by Joe Jones, the inventor of the Roomba! 

Robot-weeding technology is increasingly being used in agricultural settings, is slowly making its way to design products for residential use. In agricultural settings, weeds are removed through several methods, including heat and lasers. Hopefully, what manufacturers are learning in the process of developing agriculture equipment will be used to design residential models.

Can Composting be Automated?

Composting is a natural process where microorganisms break down organic materials, such as vegetable scraps and dead leaves, that’s used as a nutrient-rich soil amendment. Depending on how the compost process is maintained, it can take weeks, months, or even a year or more for the organic matter to break down. The process requires a balance of carbon-rich and nitrogen-rich organic materials, oxygen, and moisture for the microorganisms to do their job. 

Speeding up the process of making compost would be helpful to every gardener. So, I started looking at countertop composting units. Although  small-scale, it would still be a help for those without much outdoor space to compost.

I was disappointed by what I learned. 

Most manufacturers claim their systems “compost” kitchen scraps. This is misleading. They use the term compost because it resonates with consumers. 

Counter-top composters aren’t composters at all. It’s more accurate to call them “waste reducers”. They use heat to dry the kitchen scraps, then grind them into small pieces. It significantly reduces the volume of kitchen scraps, but it’s not turned into compost. There was a unit I saw that included the addition of microorganisms. It’s a step toward making compost, but the process takes longer than one night. 

Some manufacturers suggest adding the resulting dry, chopped kitchen waste directly to the garden. I can’t recommend this either. Decomposing material requires nitrogen that will be pulled from the soil and no longer available to plants.