10 more garden apps for the iPhone and iPod touch

November 6, 6:45 PMSan Jose Gardening ExaminerSonja Smith

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Eden Garden Designer by Herbaceous Software, Inc. invites gardeners to step inside.

As the year winds down and temperatures get chilly, gardening continues to be a hot topic. Developers are continually releasing new garden-related apps for the iPhone and iPod touch. 

10 garden apps for the iPhone and the iPod touch

Here's a recent batch of fun and informative apps for the gardener : 

• Master Gardener by MobileWorks LLC
  Released: Nov. 12, 2009
  Version 1.0
  Cost: $3.99

Why it's cool:  Developers collaborated with gardeners on this design; the database holds 40,000 plants unlike some apps which start out with a meager number and then you spend precious time adding more.  You can make to-do lists, track and learn more about plants through the built-in Wikipedia access and peruse time-stamped journal entries; also, upload photos.  If you have multiple garden areas (herb, rose, veggie, natives) they can all be documented and tracked with separate journals.   

•  Garden ToDo - Gardening Application by Building Rainbows Software
  Released: July 19, 2009
  Version:  1.01
  Cost: $1.99

Why it's cool: This was recently included in the Unofficial Apple Weblog as one of its featured weekend home garden productivity apps.  If you're disorganized, Garden ToDo could help as it organizes garden tasks by priority, time or any custom metric of your choosing.  Can be used for inside tasks as well.  Landscape capability is being worked for the next version.

• iGarden USA - Gardening Helper  by NanoSoft LLC
  Released: June 7, 2009
  Version: 2.0
  Cost: $4.99

Why it's cool:  New and improved as it includes twice as many plants including fruits and herbs. This app helps you plan and track your vegetable garden; includes early and late planting dates for your zone, recommended pH soil level, ability to add notes and photos along with known insect pests.  This version also has ability to add notes  and camera photos and has larger images.

• AllOrganic by Arthur Anderson
  Released: Oct. 28, 2009
  Version 1.4
  Cost: $0.99

Why it's cool: If you're into eating healthy and want to find places that sell and serve organic and local foods, this is your app.  It's loaded with info on organic restaurants, farmer's markets and food stores for 16 cities (including San Jose and San Francisco) but if you email them they will add your city.  Other features include ability to build shopping lists and searches by city and zip code for organic food.

• Eden Garden Designer by Herbaceous Software Inc.
  Released: Oct. 9, 2009
  Version: 1.2
  Cost: $0.99

Why it's cool:  With this app you can create and share beautiful Edens of your own.  Use the one included, a photo from iPhone or even a picture of your own garden.  Choose plants from the library and build from there.  Each plant  has a wiki link to find out more info on it plus you can search by name, height, zone, color and sun exposure.  This garden even reacts to climate conditions (they wilt or wave in the breeze) and you can hear bees "buzzing" in your Eden.

• Flower Garden -Grow Flowers and Send Bouquets by Snappy Touch LLC
  Released: Oct. 5, 2009
  Version 1.8
  Cost: $2.99

Why it's cool:   MacLife said of this app " A lot of fun and quite addicting" and an LA Times blogger wrote "this is my kind of garden -one that I can't kill."  Send your Facebook friends bouquets and personalized cards of 3D flower and bouquets that react when touched.  If you join their Facebook page you can tell them what seeds you'd like next.

• Audubon Wildflowers - A Field Guide to North American Wildflowers by Green Mountain
  Digital
  Released: Oct. 20, 2009
  Version: 1.0
  Cost: $9.99

Why it's cool:  Comprehensive, interactive and and elegant. With this app you can identify and learn about more than 1,800 North American wildflowers. Descriptions are detailed with more than 2,000 professional color photos. Great search functions and the ability to create lists of flower sightings, photo albums and notes plus you can post and share photos and tips.  The reviewer comments raved about this app as well worth the cost.

• Herbs +  by EOBear Software LLC
  Released: Sept. 21, 2009
  Version: 1.0
  Cost: $0.99

Why it's cool:  You get images and info on many popular herbs and wiki links without leaving the app; also tips on starting your own indoor and outdoor herb garden  as well as harvesting, propagating and ensuring your plants make it through winter.  There are also culinary and medicinal tips.

• Gardening News and Updates by LoL Software
  Released: Oct. 29, 2009
  Version: 1.3
  Cost: $ 0.99

Why it's cool:  For adults only -you must be at least 17 to download this app.  This news reader is for the gardener who wants to stay current on the best gardening tips and tricks blogs.  You can get news and be entertained by your favorite bloggers.  Features include: search blogs via keywords, add blog via URL, read them offline, delete, move or add, email blogs to friends.  If you have a blog and want it to be included send LoL the info on it.  Also, you can read blogs while offline.

• Botanical Interests by Netframes
  Released: Sept. 16, 2009
  Version: 1.0.7
  Cost: 5.99

Why it's cool:  Botanical Interests is a family-owned seed company in Colorado which specializes in vegetable gardening.  The goal of their company and this app is to educate and inspire with features such as: growing and harvesting info, tips, tricks and support.   Additionally, the company  sells only  untreated seeds that are not genetically modified and they have a large selection of certified organic seeds.

• Botany Buddy by AVAI Ventures Inc.
  Released: Oct. 23, 2009
  Version: 1.1
  Cost: 9.99

Why it's cool:  This is your interactive resource for the sometimes overlooked trees and shrubs.  This has 1,300 native and ornamental plant species and more than 4,500 full color photos (so handy for easy identification).  There are 25 fields of information including size, habit, usage, seeds, flowers, etc.  Plus, you can share images with your Botany buddies at no charge.  Best of all:  this app will never go out of date because all app and library updates are FREE and requires no internet connection to access the information.

• Landscaper's Companion by Stevenson Software LLC
  Released: Oct. 1, 2009
  Version: 1
  Cost: $9.99

Why it's cool:  This is a reference guide to trees, shrubs and flowers.  There are 16 categories and 500 different plants by scientific and common names.  View info on water usage, size and sun requirements along with ability to browse over 600 images of plants from around the world. Additional plants and images are added for free. Reviews were very positive and mentioned the high quality and breadth of information.