GROW Observatory

The GROW Observatory app is a service of the GROW Observatory , a European Citizen Science project on growing food, soil moisture sensing and land monitoring.
With the GROW Observatory app you can
- Explore the Edible Plant Database and get plant information that is tailored to your specific location. You can also select plants that you can grow “right now”, at your respective location.
- Get detailed, science based information on regenerative growing practices. This includes practices that help improve your soil and support the wider ecosystem.
Participants of the GROW Changing Climate mission in one of the 9 GROW places can use the app to record and share data about landscape features, soil properties and land management activities.
The app also links you with other GROW resources, such as the GROW Observatory Medium blog, website, or Facebook page.
GROW Food: Edible Plant Database – EPD
The Edible Plant Database offers a list of plants which you can grow in your location. You can also specifically look at plants which you can plant where you are, at the current time of year. You can explore detailed information about each plant, such as plant images and a description of the plant. It tells you about special requirements for optimal growing, such as sunlight or nutrient requirements or the optimum germination temperature, which is the temperature at which seeds will sprout best. Also, you get information on planting and harvesting dates for each plant, that are specific to your location and that often differ significantly across Europe.
GROW Practices: Regenerative Practices
The GROW Practices app module offers science based information on regenerative growing practices that help improve your soil as well as practices that help support the wider ecosystem. Each practice is described in detail and it includes overall benefits of the practice, special considerations you need to be aware of. It also includes examples and hands-on tips if you want to try the practice in your own garden or food growing plot.
GROW Science: Record and share data on land and soil
The GROW Observatory project also runs special missions, such as the GROW Changing Climate Mission in 9 GROW places. Mission participants use the app to record in-situ land and soil information that is linked to a specific location and soil moisture sensor.
The Land Survey
With the app, mission participants record information on - for example - land use and land cover as well as topography of a sensor site. They also take pictures in each cardinal direction and of the sensor on the ground. This additional information is essential for properly interpreting the soil moisture data from the sensors.
The Soil Survey
Apart from landscape data, mission participants also perform a soil test and - with the app - record information on soil texture and stone content. This information is again essential for interpreting the soil moisture data from the sensors.
Recording land management activities
During the soil moisture sensing period it is also important to document any management activities undertaken around the senor. Therefore, mission participants can continuously record activities such as irrigating, fertilizing, mulching, and others.

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 690199.