Irrigation System

Importance and Utility

An irrigation system is a crucial component in agriculture and gardening, as it provides a controlled and efficient way to supply water to plants. This system helps to ensure that plants receive the necessary amount of water at the right time, promoting their healthy growth and preventing water waste.

By automating the irrigation process, farmers and gardeners can save time and resources. An automated irrigation system can be programmed to water plants at specific intervals or based on moisture levels, reducing the risk of overwatering or underwatering. Additionally, with the integration of sensors, the system can respond to environmental factors such as rainfall, temperature, and humidity, optimizing water usage and plant health.

Project:

The project we will create as an example is a basic automated irrigation system using Arduino. The objective of this project is to water plants at regular intervals, ensuring they receive adequate moisture. The system will consist of a water pump, soil moisture sensor, and Arduino board.

Functionality:

1. The soil moisture sensor will measure the moisture content in the soil.
2. If the moisture level falls below a certain threshold, indicating the need for watering, the Arduino will activate the water pump.
3. The water pump will supply water to the plants for a specific duration.
4. After the watering period, the system will wait for a defined interval before checking the moisture level again.
5. This process will continue, ensuring the plants are watered when needed.

List of Components:

1. Arduino Uno - 1x
2. Soil Moisture Sensor - 1x
3. Water Pump - 1x
4. Jumper Wires - As required

Examples:

Example 1: Reading Soil Moisture Level

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

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

void loop() {
  int moistureLevel = analogRead(moisturePin); // Read moisture level from the sensor
  Serial.print("Moisture Level: ");
  Serial.println(moistureLevel); // Print moisture level to the serial monitor
  delay(1000); // Delay for 1 second
}

Example 2: Controlling Water Pump

int moisturePin = A0; // Analog pin for moisture sensor
int pumpPin = 2; // Digital pin for water pump

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

void loop() {
  int moistureLevel = analogRead(moisturePin); // Read moisture level from the sensor

  if (moistureLevel < 500) {
    digitalWrite(pumpPin, HIGH); // Turn on the water pump
    delay(5000); // Keep the pump on for 5 seconds
    digitalWrite(pumpPin, LOW); // Turn off the water pump
  }

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