DIY kit lets houseplants Twitter when they need water

Finally, your mind-exploding, breakdown-inducing struggle to keep your houseplants watered regularly is getting a little help. A group called Botanicalls has come up with a method to monitor your plants remotely, then be Twittered when they need some water. Taking a slightly different direction than the ThirstyLight, the system is based around the popular (and versatile) Arduino board, which is combined with a DIY moisture sensor, and a small piece of code that will alert you when your greenery is starting to need a drink. Look, we'll be honest with you: it's a pretty complicated process to go through just to figure out when your plants need water, but if you're as serious about flora as we think you are, this will be a dream come true.

[Via Make]

[Jim @ Feb 25th 2008 10:00AM]

Can't you just water it every morning? Maybe even hack a Nintendo R.O.B. to do it for you?

[Only morons take this seriously. @ Feb 25th 2008 10:11AM]

Must not forget to water the kind bud. This is a fabulous invention.

[Matt B @ Feb 25th 2008 10:41AM]

Why stop at that? Looks like you can call and talk to the thing too if you are that type o person.

[OneLove @ Feb 25th 2008 10:47AM]

Those boards rock!

[Don Park @ Feb 25th 2008 11:44AM]

the arduino rocks!
how about another relay that _waters the plant_. then twitter me that the plant needed water, but its taken care of now.

[Chris M. @ Feb 25th 2008 2:15PM]

my thoughts exactly

[pt @ Feb 25th 2008 2:39PM]

you can do that too, there's a motor shield.

[kris @ Feb 25th 2008 2:32PM]

I knew the 8700 had a purpose!

[mammaren @ Feb 25th 2008 3:54PM]

This has totally made my day.. And here everyone I know thought Twitter was useless...

[Shadowfox952 @ Feb 25th 2008 7:00PM]

Or you can put the Twitter in the pot. If the dirt sticks to it, then the soil is still wet. If it comes right off, then you water it.