CES 2019: Smart Garden Inside Your Home

I’m sure most people are familiar with the Aerogarden, which allows you to grow your own herbs at home. Taking it one step further is a company called Ava (Automated Vertical Agriculture) with their product called Byte, which is a smart version of what has existed in the market for years, using both modern and emerging technologies.

Based on what plants are growing as well as what the environmental sensors detect (humidity, temperature, ambient light and water level), lighting and watering is adjusted for optimal growing without any soil or sunlight up to 3x faster than traditional growth times.  Through the app, notices of when to water (typically every 3-4 weeks) and step by step instructions on both pruning and harvesting are sent directly to your phone.  If you chose a camera with AI analytics, time lapse and snapshots can be recorded, not only to share with friends, but to keep an eye on your plants when you are away on vacation as well as automatically detect mold growth and disease.  This also helps customer service to provide smart recommendations on how to improve plant growth.  The unit is compatible with Google Home and Alexa for voice-enabled status updates and notifications.  The bulbs are LED for energy efficiency and is height adjustable up to 12.5″ of growing space.  There are 25 non-GMO varieties of pods with organic nutrients embedded that release slowly over 2 months, but you can also use your own seeds in the pods, which are biodegradable.  However they indicate that pods should be replaced every 2 months because the plants become stressed as you harvest them, which results in bitter flavor and eventually they will die off.  Per their website, pod packs (qty 5 pods) cost $25 and a year supply is $99.  However, I did notice higher pricing on their Indiegogo site. Byte comes in white, grey and black with gold trim blend in with your home decor.

Bottom line, Ava Byte is more than a plant pot with a timed light and boasts AI features for a little higher price as an aerogarden.  If you cook a lot, especially with herbs, despite the initial cost plus annual pod costs, I think it may be worth it to invest in this.  After all, a small bunch of fresh basil from the grocery store is not exactly cheap.  Would you invest in this if you want to grow your own food?