For those of us who love the structure of perennials and established favorites, there's a way to save time and frustration with Smart Gardener. This article will introduce you to the "Lock Plant" feature, allowing you to easily retain your long-term garden vision while planning for vibrant seasonal additions. Let's unlock the secret to a streamlined and successful garden plan! When laying out your plants in your garden plan, you can lock any plants that will remain in your garden for longer than one growing season, including perennials. This feature allows you to copy any locked plants from your current garden into your new garden plan for the next growing season. Locked plants will retain their position in the new garden plan and keep their original planting dates in your garden journal, ensuring a seamless transition and continuity in your garden's layout.


Follow these simple steps to lock the selected plants in your account:


Step 1: Access Your Plan Page

Log in to your Smart Gardener account and navigate to the "Plan" from the top navigation. Here, you will see a list of all the plants you have added to your garden.

 

Step 2: Select the Plants You Want to Lock

Browse through your plants and select the plants you wish to lock. You can do this by clicking on each plant, ensuring they are highlighted. To select all plants of a certain variety, click on "Select Variety" after selecting the plant in the plan.


 

Step 3: Lock the Selected Plants

Once you have selected the plants, follow these steps to lock them:

  • Locate the Toolbar: At the top of the plan grid, you will find a toolbar with various icons and options for managing your plants.

  • Find the Green Lock Icon: Look for the green lock icon on the toolbar. This icon indicates the option to lock your selected plants.



 

  • Click the Green Lock Icon: Click on the green lock icon. Upon clicking, the lock will turn orange , signifying that the selected plants are now locked.



Step 4: Confirm the Lock Status

After clicking the lock icon, double-check that the plants you selected are indeed locked. The orange lines around the each plant will indicate that they are successfully locked.


 


Note: For best results with the Smart Gardener "Recommend Plan" feature, lock any plants already in your garden before generating a layout. This ensures Smart Gardener doesn't suggest placing a new plant where an existing one thrives.