Gardening Goes AI With Rhubarb

Rhubarb, the innovative gardening app that uniquely creates community with localized AI insight, has officially launched for iOS and Android devices.

BEND, OR, UNITED STATES, April 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Gardening Goes AI With Rhubarb

New Gardening App Blends Community Building with Local Insight and AI-Driven Mentorship

Rhubarb (https://joinrhubarb.com), the innovative gardening app that uniquely creates community with localized AI insight, has officially launched for iOS and Android devices. Research shows that the global gardening market is projected to surpass $150 billion by 2030, and more than 40% of Americans are growing food at home. The free Rhubarb app, designed for gardeners of all levels, provides hyper-local insights and real-world connections while offering brands and retailers a unique way to engage with a highly motivated customer base.

The launch of Rhubarb comes on the heels of the company's December 2024 graduation from Techstars San Diego powered by San Diego State University, a Southern California-based extension of the global pre-seed venture capital firm and business accelerator. Rhubarb was only one of 12 companies in the 2024 Techstars San Diego cohort, chosen from a worldwide pool of more than 700 applicants.

The idea for Rhubarb was planted by the wife-and-husband team of Whitney and Drew Klonsky in 2022 while living in Australia. New to the area, the couple felt challenged to maintain a garden in a new environment and lamented they did not have a local network to call on for help. An avid runner, Whitney brainstormed the idea for an app that had the community aspect of the Strava fitness activity tracking app, along with an AI that could proactively help guide gardeners.

Many gardeners, particularly those new to growing, face challenges similar to those of someone beginning a new fitness routine. Seeking advice or connecting with local growers can feel daunting, similar to showing up to a new gym. Rhubarb's design allows gardeners to seek and build a community with like-minded gardeners tailored to their location, gardening experience and interests. Once connected through Rhubarb, users can seek accountability, ask for or share advice, and find local connections.

Rhubarb's Ruby AI Adds A New Level of Mentorship To Gardening
Internet-based resources often feel like guesswork for gardeners, with queries yielding conflicting results. More than a reactive LLM, Rhubarb's proprietary AI, Ruby, is a proactive gardener mentor. By adding location and context to suggestions and providing local options to seek information, Ruby AI takes garden advice to a new and valuable level. Ruby was designed to be a local expert and coach for gardeners, analyzing weather patterns, soil conditions, and pest trends to provide timely, location-specific guidance.

"Rhubarb is designed to be as essential for gardeners as a phone's GPS is for drivers. We designed Rhubarb's Ruby AI to provide gardeners with proactive insights and updates, so they can focus on getting their hands dirty, not searching endlessly online for advice that isn't relevant to their needs," commented Whitney Klonsky, CEO of Rhubarb.

Ruby AI is context-aware and leverages real-time, expert-informed local insight, local environmental data, and trend data to create personalized advice for gardeners before they ask.

Instead of simply responding to gardeners' queries, Ruby provides proactive advice based on their location, what is in their garden, and what is growing around them, even connecting them to local experts, gardening centers, or other businesses for additional support. From watering alerts to weekly weather-informed specific plant advice, soil recommendations, and notification of nearby pests and diseases, Ruby is there to help gardeners thrive.

For Brands, Rhubarb Provides A Unique Connection To Customers
Rhubarb doesn't just connect gardeners. It also creates a relevant bridge between brands and an engaged, high-intent audience.

Retailers and gardening brands can leverage custom-branded AI-powered smart garden tags that direct gardeners to specific products and stores based on their local conditions and predicted needs.

"The effectiveness of performance-based ads has been on the decline for years. With Rhubarb, brands, retailers, and content creators can target a passionate community that wants to know about the latest trends and products tailored to their location and garden's needs," continued Klonsky. "Brands aren't limited to trying to outspend one another for a generic customer profile. With Rhubarb, brands can connect with a driven customer base that wants information on products and services tailored to their needs."

Press Contact: rhubarb@remedypr.com‎‎

Bill Byrne
Remedy PR
rhubarb@remedypr.com‎‎
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