Israel-based GreenIQ has added IFTTT (IF This Then That) support to its Smart Garden Hub irrigation controller, making it only the second product in this device category after the Rachio Iro.
The announcement comes close on the heels of the second-gen Smart Garden Hub’s retail launch . The $250 device is a 6-zone smart irrigation controller that’s designed to lower your water bill by automatically aligning your watering schedule with prevailing and expected weather conditions. Sounds like just another one of those growing crop of networked sprinkler controllers, doesn’t it? Except it’s much more than that. It also has the ability to control your garden lights, and can even interface with a number of third-party connected-garden devices and sensors.
Why this matters: This is an important step for a startup that wants its flagship product to be viewed as the “Nest for the garden.” As a result of this announcement, the device has, in one fell swoop, gained the ability to communicate with hundreds of web services and smart devices: Apple Watch, Android Wear, Facebook, LIFX smart bulbs, Belkin’s WeMo line, Nest Protect, and Twitter, to name just a few.
Perfect for a garden party
“GreenIQ Smart Garden Hub customers—on iOS or Android—can now craft their own commands and personalized buttons using GreenIQ Recipes on IFTTT to control their entire connected garden domain automatically or with just a simple tap,” according to the company’s press release.
For instance, you can now sync the GreenIQ Smart Home Hub with your Google Calendar so as to ensure your sprinklers don’t end up ruining a scheduled garden party or other outdoor event. You can even program the irrigation controller to automatically turn on the sprinklers the moment your Nest Protect detects smoke.