Gardening is a popular hobby that not only provides relaxation but also allows individuals to grow their own plants and vegetables. However, maintaining a garden can be time-consuming and requires constant attention. This is where Arduino comes in, offering a solution to automate various gardening tasks. By integrating Arduino with sensors and actuators, you can create a smart garden that monitors and controls essential parameters such as soil moisture, temperature, and light levels. In this article, we will explore how Arduino can revolutionize gardening and provide step-by-step examples to get you started.

Project: Smart Irrigation System The project aims to create an automated irrigation system that waters plants when the soil moisture level drops below a certain threshold. This ensures that the plants receive adequate water without the need for manual intervention.

List of Components:

1. Arduino Uno - 1x
2. Soil Moisture Sensor - 1x
3. Water Pump - 1x
4. Relay Module - 1x
5. Jumper Wires - As required
6. Power Supply - 1x

Examples:

1. Reading Soil Moisture Level:

   
   int moisturePin = A0; // Analog pin for soil moisture sensor

void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); // Initialize serial communication }

void loop() { int moistureValue = analogRead(moisturePin); // Read moisture level Serial.print("Moisture Level: "); Serial.println(moistureValue); delay(1000); // Delay for 1 second }

This code reads the analog value from the soil moisture sensor connected to pin A0 and prints the moisture level to the serial monitor.

2. Controlling Water Pump:
```cpp
int moisturePin = A0; // Analog pin for soil moisture sensor
int pumpPin = 2; // Digital pin for water pump

void setup() {
  pinMode(pumpPin, OUTPUT); // Set pumpPin as output
}

void loop() {
  int moistureValue = analogRead(moisturePin); // Read moisture level

  if (moistureValue < 500) { // Check if moisture level is below threshold
    digitalWrite(pumpPin, HIGH); // Turn on water pump
    delay(5000); // Keep pump on for 5 seconds
    digitalWrite(pumpPin, LOW); // Turn off water pump
  }

  delay(1000); // Delay for 1 second
}

This code controls a water pump connected to digital pin 2 based on the soil moisture level. If the moisture level drops below 500 (adjustable threshold), the pump is turned on for 5 seconds.