Is there anything better than a can of soda on a warm spring day in your own garden, green and lush, trimmed and cared for? Gardening itself can be a delight, as well, but only if you have enough time and actually like doing literally the dirty work. Besides, there’re a lot of tasks to be done on a daily basis. They can be messy and tedious and will definitely take up a lot of time. So it’s a good idea to turn to technology that will help you save some time.
To automate your garden, IoT comes to help. The system of sensors and actuators can help with nearly any task from watering and mowing your lawns to selecting sick plants and installing smart irrigation. There are many sensors on the market that can measure every imaginable factor: moisture, temperature, vibration, light consumption, etc. In addition, you will require linear actuators, which are actually simple mechanisms that turn the command from the control center into action.
Pay attention to the surroundings and tasks that linear actuators will perform. Linear actuators should be weather-proof, protected from dirt and water, and sturdy to survive outside. Modern electric linear actuators are rather sturdy. Small compact size, environmental friendliness and low levels of noises are definitely the advantages to have. In addition, linear actuators are versatile but simple in construction and installation, which enables you to use them in multipurpose DIY garden automation projects. What kind of projects these might be?
Watering the lawn is the first task on the list. Sprinklers are nothing new, even automated ones. You can set a timer to specific times of day, and the work will be done for you. However, you can take this task a step further with modern solutions. You can use linear actuators to hide the sprinklers when they’re not needed (great for moving times) and get them back up from the lawn for watering. Also, there are smart sprinklers that will decide when it’s time to water your lawn on their own. They will measure the levels of moisture and temperature in the air. This way, you won’t need to think about switching off the sprinklers on rainy days.
Mowing is another chore that many consider boring and tiresome. And while the lawnmowers are not new, specialized robots can become a little helper you were looking for. No weather stops these robots, and no slopes challenge them. They create a map of the terrain and will do the job perfectly while you enjoy your green lawn. An additional benefit – you can easily control such a lawnmower robot with your smartphone, which is pure fun!
There are a lot more automatic solutions you can have for your garden. Use sensors to determine and measure the health of your plants. Add a couple of linear actuators – and you can set up a simple yet effective demand-and-response system. Install a drip irrigation kit for your most valuable and capricious flowers. Use drones to scare away pests such as raccoons and deer. Make automating your garden a weekend pet project that will help you and save your time. Take some sensors and actuators, put them together, program them to respond to certain conditions – and voila! Only your imagination is the limit. Start preparing now: spring is coming!