Monitoring Plant Watering with Home Assistant

The Setup

For this project, we’ll use the TS0601 soil moisture sensor to monitor the moisture levels in the soil. When the moisture level drops below a certain threshold, an automation will be triggered to alert you and signal with your smart lights.

Components

• Soil Moisture Sensor: TS0601 soil moisture sensor
• Home Assistant: For managing automations and alerts
• Smart Lights: To signal when the plants need water

Automation Workflow

1. Sensor Setup: The soil moisture sensor reports the moisture level in the soil.
2. Trigger Automation: When the moisture level drops below 50%, an automation is triggered.
3. Alert Notification: An alert is sent to your phone.
4. Light Signal: Your smart lights blink green every few minutes to indicate the plants need water.
5. Stop Automation: Once the plant is watered and the moisture level rises, the automations are stopped.

Configuration

Here’s the configuration for the sensor and automation in Home Assistant:

Sensor Configuration

sensor:
  - platform: template
    sensors:
      alert_plant:
        value_template: "Watering"
        attribute_templates:
          details: "Office plant needs water"
          level: "info"
          custom_icon: mdi:flower-outline
          custom_color: "green"
          alert: "{{ states('sensor.office_plant_soil_moisture') | int < 50 }}"

Automation Configuration

automation:
  - alias: Alert plant watering
    description: ""
    trigger:
      - platform: template
        value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.alert_plant', 'alert')}}"
        id: "on"
      - platform: template
        value_template: "{{ state_attr('sensor.alert_plant', 'alert') == false }}"
        id: "off"
    condition: []
    action:
      - choose:
          - conditions:
              - condition: trigger
                id: "on"
            sequence:
              - service: notify.mobile_app_sm_a7050
                data:
                  message: "Plant office needs water care"
              - repeat:
                  count: 2000
                  sequence:
                    - delay:
                        seconds: 300
                    - service: script.turn_on
                      data:
                        variables:
                          light_color: green
                      target:
                        entity_id: script.light_alert
          - conditions:
              - condition: trigger
                id: "off"
            sequence: []
    mode: restart

Conclusion

With this setup, you can ensure your plants are always well-watered without having to constantly check their moisture levels. The automation will alert you and signal with your smart lights, making plant care easier and more efficient.