Plant_io - Plant Cultivation Kit

Embrace your inner scientist with Plant_io™, an open-source project designed to delve into the captivating world of plant cultivation and experimentation. This DIY electronics kit serves as your comprehensive guide to establishing an automated plant irrigation system dependent on soil moisture levels. The kit includes everything you need to get started - and along the way you'll assemble electronics & irrigation hardware, and upload the Plant_io code to the controller.

Nurture

The included educational guides not only help in setting up the automatic irrigation system but also provide insights into data logging and how to integrate additional sensors. These valuable features let you capture detailed data about your plant and its growing conditions, promoting a practical understanding of plant care and science.

Cultivate

Experience a unique blend of technology and botany. With its soil moisture sensor, Plant_io ensures your plant gets the exact amount of water it needs the moment the soil gets too dry. The whole process is documented in the Plant_io Basic Setup Guide.

Analyze

Delve deeper into the fascinating data. Compatible with a variety of sensors, Plant_io allows you to capture various environmental factors such as ambient light, air temperature, humidity, pressure, air quality, and more. Expand your data collection and analysis skills using the insights provided in the Plant_io Sensors Guide.

Experiment

Plant_io empowers you to test your theories and discover new insights. Experiment with different growing media, plant specimens, or ambient conditions to see what works best.

Innovate

Staying true to its open-source nature, Plant_io offers unrestricted access to all design files and code. Customise and innovate as per your needs, whether that involves tweaking Plant_io to cater to different plants, experimenting with different growing containers, or incorporating other hardware - the choice is yours!

In the Classroom

While Plant_io is an exciting addition to any home lab, it's equally powerful in a classroom setting. Educators can use it as a practical, hands-on tool to teach students about plant biology, environmental science, and data analysis. Students get to engage with real-world scientific methods, making learning both engaging and effective.

Suitable in a classroom or at home, Plant_io champions scientific curiosity and discovery. Dive into the exciting world of botanical science with Plant_io!

Features

• Great guides to get you started
• Includes all the hardware you need to follow the Basic Setup Guide and automatically irrigate plants
• Assemble electronics, commission plumbing, and upload code
• Battery or USB powered
• Runs autonomously for weeks at a time on battery power
• Open Source - hack this project!
• Designed, manufactured and supported in Australia by Core Electronics

What's included

• Plant_io Platform
• Plant_io SHIM for Raspberry Pi Pico
• Makerverse Nano Power Timer HAT for Raspberry Pi Pico
• Raspberry Pi Pico H
• Breadboard
• Battery Holder
• 4x High-Quality AA NiMH batteries. A battery charger is also recommended if you don't already have one.
• Peristaltic Pump
• Soil Moisture Sensor 
• 2x Containers and 1x Lid for a Plant Container and Water Reservoir
• Growing Medium: Coir Pellets
• Alfalfa Seeds

You'll also need these workshop tools and consumables

• Spoon or popsicle stick to mix the Growing Medium
• Gloves for mixing/potting Growing Medium
• 1x Rubber band (mounting battery pack)
• BluTac (optional, mounting electronics)
• Gaffer tape (optional, to secure pump tube)
• Drill, 5mm bit and clamp (to drill holes into the water reservoir lid)

Resources

• Project Files containing all the code and customisable platform design.
• Plant_io Guides written and video instructions to guide you through Plant_io assembly and commissioning.