Indoor gardening has become both a hobby and a lifestyle these past years, but just because youre doing it indoors doesnt make it significantly easier. You still have to mind the same factors that a plant needs to survive and thrive, and it might sometimes be even more difficult when you have less space and sometimes less natural lighting as well.Because of this trend, indoor gardening appliances are also on the rise, automating the process to the point that a human is almost never needed except to replenish the water tank. Not only do these machines drain away the joy of getting involved in a plants growth, but they also force owners to accept a design aesthetic that might not be to their tastes. Fortunately, you dont actually have to invest in such an appliance when you can get all the same insights in a product thats as big as a beautiful smooth rock.Designer: Beta Design Office for OKOJust like with any other appliance these days, indoor planters are slowly shifting from more technical and utilitarian designs to more aesthetic ones. LG, for example, recently revealed planters that also served as mood lamps to create a more calming ambiance inside a room. They still impose their own designs on the homeowner, who might have different ideas about how they want their indoor greenery to look.Indoor gardening appliances try to remove all the work needed in growing plants, from adjusting how much water is needed and when to water the plants to even the intensity of the artificial light that takes the place of the sun. This almost makes the whole process too easy, which is fine if all youre after is the mechanical activity of growing plants for later consumption. But if youre actually interested in the entire process and the feeling of satisfaction afterward, an alternative and equally smart solution fortunately exists.OKO is a smart plant sensor that is simple and unobtrusive, looking nothing more than a large pebble in your hand. It can deliver almost the same information you need to monitor a plants health, like the amount of water moisture in the soil, the acidity of the soil, the temperature around the plant, and the humidity in the air. It conveys this data through a mobile app that makes the information more digestible and understandable so you, as the caretaker, can take the appropriate action.OKOs minimalist design has two benefits for design-savvy indoor gardeners. The pebble-shaped device can easily clip on the edge of a pot or box, so you are free to choose any design that matches your interior or aesthetic tastes. It also brings back a sense of agency, putting the plants life in your hands again. While it does require a bit more work and effort, it also brings a certain degree of satisfaction, knowing that you can indeed make things grow.The post Minimalist pebble-shaped device is all you need to know your plants health first appeared on Yanko Design.