Frequently asked questions
Here you will find answers to the most common questions about Maluna and your garden, from cost to supported plants.
What is Maluna?
Maluna is a personal, context-aware garden assistant that shows you what your garden needs right now. Unlike a plant encyclopaedia or a fixed garden calendar, Maluna takes into account the location, the weather, the season and the care history of your plants.
Who is Maluna for?
Maluna is for hobby gardeners who want to look after their garden with little prior knowledge, without researching every plant. Balcony, terrace or large garden: Maluna is for everyone looking for concrete advice that fits their own situation rather than general recipes.
How much does Maluna cost?
Using Maluna is currently free of charge. Maluna is a personal project run outside any commercial setting, which is why neither permanent free use nor a subscription, a price or a trial period can be guaranteed.
Can I use Maluna in Switzerland?
Yes, Maluna can be used in Switzerland without restriction. Maluna was first developed in Switzerland and continues to be developed with conditions in Switzerland and its neighbouring countries in mind.
Which plants does Maluna support?
Maluna covers a large and continuously growing plant catalogue, with botanical taxonomy, care rules and the known diseases and pests for each species. The catalogue includes ornamental and edible plants for garden, balcony and terrace, and is expanded regularly.
Does Maluna take the weather into account?
Yes, the current weather is already shown on the dashboard, and a context layer based on weather history is in development for recommendations. The aim is to factor frost, drought and other weather influences into tasks and advice automatically in future, although no date has been set yet. [Status: in development]
Do I have to identify my plant myself first?
Yes, you choose your plant yourself from the plant catalogue, because Maluna does not automatically determine a plant from a photo. This deliberate choice sets Maluna apart from plant ID apps and ensures that every recommendation is based on a clearly assigned plant.
Can I set up several garden areas?
Yes, in Maluna you can set up several gardens and, within a garden, several areas, for example for a bed, a balcony or a greenhouse. You can assign every plant in the garden to an area so that tasks and advice appear per area; an area is not required, though, and plants without an assigned area remain possible.
Does Maluna work on iPhone and Android?
Yes, Maluna works on both iPhone and Android, because the application is a Progressive Web App that runs directly in the browser. There is no need for separate versions for the two systems or for an installation from an app store.
Is Maluna an app I download from an app store?
No, Maluna is not installed from an app store: it is a Progressive Web App that opens in the browser. If you like, you can add it to your home screen; it then behaves like an installed app while technically remaining a web application.
Where does Maluna’s plant information come from?
Maluna’s plant information comes from several specialist botanical sources, brought together in the catalogue into a single, inheritable taxonomy. This ensures that characteristics such as care needs or location requirements apply consistently to related species.
Does Maluna detect diseases or pests from a photo?
No, Maluna does not analyse photos for diseases or pests. Instead, Maluna lists the known diseases and pests for each species as reference information in the plant profile, without analysing images or intending to do so.
When will Maluna be publicly available?
Maluna is currently being built and is not yet publicly available. No reliable release date can be announced yet.
More questions?
The page How Maluna works shows how Maluna derives a concrete task from your garden, the weather and the season.