This Costco Gadget Makes Watering Your Vegetable Garden Simple

There's something undeniably more satisfying about eating vegetables you've grown yourself, whether it's the unbeatable freshness or the sense of pride of nurturing your food from seed to plate. Either way, tending a vegetable garden takes serious time and effort — from planting to fertilizing to watering. So why not simplify the process where you can?

Luckily, if you're hoping to grow vegetables in your garden this summer, Costco has a gadget that can help take some of the gardening stress off your plate. For just under $200, the Rachio 3 WiFi Smart Sprinkler Controller offers a sleek, high-tech way to simplify watering. Designed for up to 12 zones, this weather-intelligent sprinkler lets you water your plants straight from your phone using the Rachio app. Not only that, you can create automatic schedules for your garden(s) based on your unique landscape, plant types, sun exposure, and local weather.

The sprinkler also has automatic rain, wind, and freeze skip features, which prevent overwatering, reduce water waste, and keep your bill from climbing. Plus, if your phone's out of reach, the system syncs with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, so you can start and stop watering your veggies without getting up from the couch.

While the Rachio 2 WiFi Smart Sprinkler Controller takes a lot of the guesswork out of watering, it's still important to understand your plants' needs. To set an effective watering schedule on the app, it helps to follow a few tried-and-true principles. Most vegetable gardens do best with two to three waterings per week, totaling about one inch of water weekly. But as always, that varies based on your region and what you're growing. For example, celery requires frequent watering with at least six gallons a week, while parsnips should only be watered when the soil is very dry, as overwatering can result in underdeveloped roots and excess foliage. The time of day you water also matters. Mornings are ideal, since cooler temps and low sun reduce evaporation and give plants time to dry out during the day, helping prevent mold and disease.

Once your veggies are on a regular watering schedule, don't forget to supplement the soil with compost – and Costco carries a great option for compost. Finally, once they're ready, don't forget to harvest your vegetables regularly — an otherwise big mistake to avoid when harvesting produce from your garden that can affect the yield and quality of your produce. Use your homegrown veggies in fresh summery dishes such as a crisp green salad, vegetarian Thai green curry, or even as the crunch in a homemade chicken salad sandwich.