Problem Statement

With the rise in urban living and busy lifestyles, plant care is often inconsistent—especially when individuals are away or occupied. Indoor and balcony plants require regular watering, and forgetting or overwatering them can lead to poor health or death of the plant. Traditional watering systems lack intelligence, and there’s a need for an affordable, smart solution that enables both automatic and remote plant care.

Idea

Water-Wise is a smart irrigation device that automates the process of watering household plants by continuously monitoring soil moisture levels. It uses a microcontroller (ESP8266), a soil moisture sensor, and a water pump system. Users can choose between automatic operation based on sensor thresholds or manually trigger watering through a connected web interface or app, regardless of their physical location.

Objectives

• • To measure soil moisture levels in real-time and ensure plants are watered only when needed.

  • To offer dual-mode operation:

    • Automatic mode that activates watering when the soil is dry.

    • Manual mode where the user can water plants remotely through Wi-Fi.

  • To conserve water by preventing over-irrigation through sensor-based precision.

  • To build an open-source, modular system that can be easily replicated or expanded.

  • To promote DIY innovation and learning by integrating electronics, IoT, and fabrication. .

 Final Solution

The final prototype of Water-Wise includes:

• An ESP8266 microcontroller to manage connectivity and control logic.

• A capacitive soil moisture sensor that accurately detects dryness levels.

• A relay-controlled mini water pump connected to a water reservoir.

• Laser-cut wooden enclosure housing the electronics and plumbing in a compact form.

• Dual operational modes:

  • Auto Mode: Activates watering when the moisture falls below a defined threshold.

  • Manual Mode: User can trigger the pump from anywhere via the hosted web page.

The system is housed in a portable, neatly designed case made using laser-cut MDF. It is ideal for DIY home use and can be expanded into more complex gardening automation setups.

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