Questions, answered.
Short answers to the questions we hear most often.
Do I need a Ring subscription?
Most Ring cameras work with Garden Sentry without an additional Ring subscription. However, some Ring Protect features (like extended clip history) may improve recognition quality. You do not need Ring Protect to use Garden Sentry.
Which Ring cameras are supported?
Any Ring camera that supports the App Integration API — which includes most Floodlight Cams, Spotlight Cams, Stick Up Cams, and Indoor Cams. Doorbell cameras work too, though they're less useful for garden monitoring unless you have a front-yard garden.
Is this a security system?
No. Garden Sentry is a garden-care assistant that recognizes animals and helps protect plants. It is not designed to detect intruders, protect property, or replace a monitored security system. Please don't rely on it for safety.
Will it harm animals?
Our responses are designed to be gentle. A sprinkler spray or soft light flash startles an animal enough to move it along — not enough to cause distress or harm. We don't use sounds, frequencies, or deterrents known to hurt wildlife. If you're concerned about a specific species, you can turn off responses entirely and use Garden Sentry as an awareness tool.
Does Garden Sentry see my video?
We receive short event clips from Ring — just enough to run recognition — and we keep a small thumbnail for your dashboard. We do not pull down or store your full Ring video archive. Clips are automatically deleted after 7 days (Basic) or 30 days (Pro). Full details in our privacy policy.
What species does it recognize?
Our detection models are tuned for garden-relevant wildlife: deer, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, groundhogs, and similar small-to-mid-size mammals. We also distinguish cats and dogs so you don't accidentally startle a neighbor's pet.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes, from Settings. You'll keep access through the end of your paid period, and no future charges will be made.
What happens if a detection is wrong?
Detections occasionally miss or misclassify. Each event in your feed shows the confidence score, so you can see how certain the model was. You can also flag specific events as incorrect, which we use to improve recognition over time.
Do you sell my data?
No. Not to advertisers, not to other companies, not to training pipelines outside our own. See our privacy policy for the full rundown.
Can I use Garden Sentry without smart sprinklers or lights?
Absolutely. On Basic, you get detection, push alerts, and Ring siren activation — no external hardware required. Smart sprinkler and light integrations are optional Pro features.
How do I get help?
Email support@gardensentry.app. We read and answer every message, usually within a day.