A simple automated Soil Moisture Monitor for a Single Garden Bed

This project aims to design and implement a simple, low-cost automated system for monitoring and managing the soil moisture of a single garden bed. The project's core objective is to move beyond manual inspection by leveraging the capabilities of the ESP32 microcontroller, focusing on both local alerts and remote data access. The system utilizes a standard Soil Moisture Sensor to continuously measure the soil's volumetric water content. The ESP32 processes this reading, converts it into a meaningful moisture percentage, and compares it against pre-defined optimal thresholds. Critically, the ESP32's integrated Wi-Fi module enables Internet of Things (IoT) functionality, allowing the system to send real-time alerts to the user's mobile device when the soil moisture drops below a critical level. Additionally, the data can be logged to a cloud service for remote monitoring and historical analysis. This prototype demonstrates a practical, accessible application of microcontrollers in precision small-scale gardening, leading to optimized water usage, reduced effort, and enhanced plant health.