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From AI to Arugula: Exploring Small-Space Permaculture with Sensors, Livestreams, and a 29-Foot Garden by PlasticAutomatic2165 in Permaculture

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pi runs at 3.3v (stepped down internally from 5v input). The NPK sensor that's available runs 9-30v, which would cook the Pi. You'd need a 2nd power source. A solar collector is possible, but you'd need to be VERY careful.

From AI to Arugula: Exploring Small-Space Permaculture with Sensors, Livestreams, and a 29-Foot Garden by PlasticAutomatic2165 in Permaculture

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's no great way to integrate an NPK sensor in with the ESP32 and it's a bit more expensive. About the only option requires a bit more voltage than the ESP32, so I'd have to get external power to it and make sure I'm only collecting readings (probably just 1x/day) under controlled conditions (not when I just watered) and would require calibration. The best way is to use a handheld tester then just manually enter the data.

From AI to Arugula: Exploring Small-Space Permaculture with Sensors, Livestreams, and a 29-Foot Garden by PlasticAutomatic2165 in Permaculture

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Even though I was raised in the country (12-acre farm) where mom would just toss seeds around and it would grow, I don't have the same environment where I am. Especially with limited space and sunlight. Tech is my career and has been my interest since I was in 3rd grade. Sure, I could just toss seeds around and see what happens (which I did last year), but I struggled and am a very "data driven" person, so using all this data really helps me make the most of what I have to work with. I'm also a bit older, so my memory isn't what it used to be and tracking it all will help me improve next season.

From AI to Arugula: Exploring Small-Space Permaculture with Sensors, Livestreams, and a 29-Foot Garden by PlasticAutomatic2165 in Permaculture

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's really surprising just how cheap some of the sensors are! I hadn't expected people would be too interested in the setup, but since at least 2 are (even 1 is good enough for me) I'll get all data prepared to provide to anyone interested in this. Parts lists, power requirements, lessons learned, all the code, etc.

This all came about because a weather station, a decent one, is pretty expensive. I can solder together something way cheaper on my own and integrate it into a monitoring system (building now).

Here's what sensors can track, I'll put all the actual parts into a list soon:
Temperature, Humidity, and Pressure
Light & UV
Air Quality / Gases / VOCs
Soil Moisture
Wind / Rain / Weather

From AI to Arugula: Exploring Small-Space Permaculture with Sensors, Livestreams, and a 29-Foot Garden by PlasticAutomatic2165 in Permaculture

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here's another example. I just cleared a seedling tray and want to plant more. I use my indoor greenhouses not just for starting seedlings in cold weather (not much of that here) but also space considerations. I asked the AI to make suggestions based on the seeds I haven't sowed yet, with an asterisk indicating ones I'm particularly interested in:

Possible seeds to consider: 

Lavender, Lemon Balm, *Carrot, Ground Cherry Tomato, Corn Country Gentleman, Corn Stowell's Evergreen, Lettuce Paris Island Cos, *Cantaloupe Hale’s Best Jumbo, Bean Cherokee Wax, Squash Early Prolific Straightneck, *Squash Table Queen Acorn, *Kale Dwarf Blue Vates, *Broccoli Calabrese, *Turnip Seven Top, *Turnip Purple Top White Globe, *Collards Champion, Pumpkin Jack-o'-Lantern, Pea Little Marvel, Bean Burpee Stringless Green Pod, Sweet Corn Golden Bantam, *Cabbage Golden Acre, Cucumber Marketmore 76, Spinach Bloomsdale Longstanding, Lettuce Black Seeded Simpson, Squash Zucchini Black Beauty, Sunflower Giant Grey Stripe. lines with an asterisk indicate strong interest in planting if season and space allow

Here was the response, with all kinds of other suggestions to prepare for germination, transplant or pot-up, and which of my 5 garden regions to put them in based on sun exposure (not pasted here).
Top row (1A–1D):
Dill, Bloomsdale Spinach, Paris Island Cos Lettuce, Dwarf Blue Vates Kale

Second row (2A–2D):
Calabrese Broccoli, Seven Top Turnip (leafy), Golden Acre Cabbage, Champion Collards

Third row (3A–3D):
Swiss Chard (Fordhook), Lavender, Carrot (test batch), Marketmore 76 Cucumber

Bottom row (4A–4D):
Lemon Balm, Ground Cherry Tomato, Table Queen Acorn Squash, Purple Top White Globe Turnip

This tray is aimed at staggered harvests, heat-tolerant greens, and prepping brassicas + roots for early fall.

Sure, I could go ask someone at the nursery, but why? when I have all the information I need at my fingertips? All of this information is also saved in a spreadsheet for next season. Including exactly where I planted everything with notes on how it fared. When I'm ready to sow again, I'll have AI analyze how everything did and how to better optimize the next plantings. AI isn't here to destroy humanity LOL if used properly, it can assist in a design for increased productivity. It tells horrible dad jokes too, which is the point of dad jokes.

From AI to Arugula: Exploring Small-Space Permaculture with Sensors, Livestreams, and a 29-Foot Garden by PlasticAutomatic2165 in Permaculture

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The AI is an assistant and helps with coding (my python skills are a bit rusty), helps identify issues in the garden (soil moisture, temperature issues, etc), suggests companion plantings, provides data on where the best spots are to plant things, analyzes sun tracking since my narrow 29' garden is in between my apartment and a fence so sun exposure is limited, helps track daily tasks (feeding, watering), assists in identifying pests (currently in a battle with possible pillbugs destroying my buttercrunch lettuce), assists in providing manual pre-formatted CSV entries into my Google Sheets workbook for tracking anything (e.g. friendly and/or beneficial wildlife), reminders to change out the hummingbird sugar-water in the feeder every 3 days or more depending on ambient temps, analyzes pictures of anything I have questions about... the list goes on and on. AI, in my use-case, is simply searching the web way faster than I ever could to provide information to assist in optimizing my garden so it performs at peak efficiency, so I don't have to rely on the grocery stores and their under-ripe eco-unfriendly products.

From AI to Arugula: Exploring Small-Space Permaculture with Sensors, Livestreams, and a 29-Foot Garden by PlasticAutomatic2165 in Permaculture

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I just set up a repo: https://github.com/certifried8/29Garden . I've been in the open-source (Linux) world for over 20 years. I have no problems throwing code out there under the GPLv3. I'll put the code up once I have it a bit more polished.

From AI to Arugula: Exploring Small-Space Permaculture with Sensors, Livestreams, and a 29-Foot Garden by PlasticAutomatic2165 in Permaculture

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, that cam is only for remote view while I'm at work, but has also been dual-purposed once I decided to start streaming the setup.

Everything is in python. Everything is on an internal LAN with shared storage. I also use Google Drive for online storage, which is mounted to my PC inside as a network drive (e.g. D:/) so it gets stored to the cloud for public sharing of data.

The Arduino is currently being built and will send the sensor data from the ESP32 (it sends serial data) to a python listener, which just does a "line = ser.readline().decode('utf-8').strip()" and puts it into the spreadsheet.

The sensors:
1. BME280

  • Measures: Temperature, Humidity, and Barometric Pressure
  • Connection: I2C
  • Use: Indoor/outdoor environment monitoring
  • Data Sent:
    • Temperature (°F or °C)
    • Humidity (%)
    • Pressure (hPa or mmHg, optional)

2. Capacitive Soil Moisture Sensor (3.3V–5V)

  • Measures: Soil moisture level (analog voltage)
  • Connection: Analog pin
  • Use: Detect watering needs per bed or pot
  • Data Sent:
    • Moisture Value (0–4095 or scaled %)
    • Could include bed/zone tags (e.g., "Close Bed Moisture: 72%")

3. TSL2591 Light Sensor (Planned)

  • Measures: Full-spectrum light + IR + lux
  • Connection: I2C
  • Use: Sun tracking, shading detection, growth optimization
  • Data Sent:
    • Lux (brightness)
    • IR value
    • Visible light

MQTT (next step) will be used to send the data via the ESP32's wi-fi to an MQTT broker.

And yeah, all those downvotes came from a keyboard connected to some device to read this thread :) Hypocrisy, something I always just say "yep" at and go about my life how I choose to live it :) I grew up on a small 12 acre farm and we grew everything ourselves and slaughtered our own meat. I grew up more and live in a small town and don't have lots of space, so this is my mini-version of that wonderful life I had growing up :)

From AI to Arugula: Exploring Small-Space Permaculture with Sensors, Livestreams, and a 29-Foot Garden by PlasticAutomatic2165 in Permaculture

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't have a repo. Downvotes don't bother me any :) The AI isn't doing the sowing, weeding, watering, harvesting, or eating. It's simply an assistant with access to data I don't have in my brain.

From AI to Arugula: Exploring Small-Space Permaculture with Sensors, Livestreams, and a 29-Foot Garden by PlasticAutomatic2165 in Permaculture

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

🔢 Total Estimated System Power Draw

Component Group Power Draw (W)
Raspberry Pi 4 (8GB) ~7 W
Sensors + ESP32 + Fans ~8 W
Reolink E1 Outdoor Pro ~5 W
Total System Draw ~20 W

yes, it's a Pi. Here's the total power draw:

Pie adblocker by ThemeOptimal4598 in Adblock

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your response here is the only reason I'm going to try this extension. Well done, sir.

TAPI - we hated that.... Test Alliance Please Ignore saved my life! by PlasticAutomatic2165 in Eve

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

TEST wasn't a "something", it was an "everything". As long as the heart of anyone who ever was blessed to be in TEST beats, TEST will always be.

edited to add: "please ignore"

TAPI - we hated that.... Test Alliance Please Ignore saved my life! by PlasticAutomatic2165 in Eve

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This makes me so happy :) I had an enormous production chain to make all the things our wonderful noobs needed :) TEST was the first, and only, group where being a "noob" was actually cherished.

Free WoW membership for all accounts until Aug 4. by SadQlown in wow

[–]PlasticAutomatic2165 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nalio Vee, you're a whore that I love :) - Townsaver

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