GardenBot
Contents
Basics
GardenBot is an open source, Arduino based soil monitoring system. It is designed to be a complete garden monitoring and automation system. In the current version of GardenBot (Beta), you can monitor the conditions in your garden and have charts to help you visualize those conditions. There is also a module to give you electronic control over your water source -- so you can turn the water on with the flip of a switch.
Comment by Andrew Frueh, designer of GardenBot
"To help you understand the scope of GardenBot -- it is designed as a collection of modules with the specific intent of making the system extensible. This means that it is relatively easy to add extra sensors or water valves. My thinking being that GardenBot could be used in a wider variety of situations -- from the home garden to more agricultural applications. So I imagine it would integrate quite well (at least I hope it would ;-) . I am interested in putting GardenBot to the test wherever I can to make the system as robust and easy to use as possible. So please let me know your and Marcin's thoughts etc."
The Modules
The Brain
- Arduino board
- USB cable
- jumper wires / lead wires
- bread-board / proto-board
- all parts for the local circuit for each of the modules
- the GardenBot software package
Garden Station
howto: 
end result: 
Soil Moisture Sensor
Soil Temperature Sensor
Light Level
Water Valve
Control Panel
Computer Module
Visual BOM
- Arduino board (brain) from SparkFun
- LM335 temperature sensor from SparkFun.
- Note the LM335 has been replaced on Sparkfun by the TMP36:
Voltage Input: 2.7 V to 5.5 VDC 10 mV/°C scale factor ±2°C accuracy over temperature ±0.5°C linearity Operating Range: −40°C to +125°C
- small photocell from SparkFun
- resistors (various values)- buy a kit of resistors from SparkFun
- proto board - 1 in from SparkFun
- proto board - 2 in from SparkFun
- galvanized utility wire, 12 gauge from local hardware store
- glue-lined heat-shrink tubing (various sizes)
- heat Shrink
- electric solenoid water valve (24v DC, 5/8" ID) I used Orbit brand valve from Amazon.
- 5/8in ID hose from local hardware store
- threaded hose ends (often called "hose repair kit") from local hardware store
- metal hose clamps (screw adjustable) to fit over 5/8in from local hardware store
- 6-strand phone wire from local hardware store
- H-bridge motor controller IC for soil moisture circuit from SparkFun
