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Yo KITAs! I 'm always working on new segments and series for the show I like to go a little o...


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Yo KITAs!

 

I'm always working on new segments and series for the show. I like to go a little out of my wheelhouse so that we spread out our topics, but this time I'm going WAAAAAAAY out of my wheelhouse.

 

I've been working on a new series called, "The Green Geek" -- in which I show how to grow plants indoors, move to making tech to ease the growth of plants indoor (think: Arduino controlled lights, fans, heater and irrigation) and end up with some cool segments on extracting essential oils from plant material. (Lavender!)

 

Is this something that interests you?

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While I think this could introduce some interesting stuff, like hydrometers, solenoid valves, and stuff like that. I have zero interest in plants. I literally killed potted bamboo and a potted cactus. So, I would probably skip over this segment to watch more useful (to me) segments.

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I think this is a great topic. Some folks living in more temperate zones may also be interested in systems that can also be used outdoors. I cobbled together a Pi-based system that tends plants on the lanai of our south Florida home when we're out of town. It generally works OK, but I'm always looking for ways to improve it:

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Love the topic.

 

Just got my package of cheap soil moisture sensors.

I am using a wind shield washer pump to move the water but want to build more advance logic into the system. Hope to be adding fans next and update the lighting to LED after that.

 

Oh and I need to do it in a way that doesn't make my set-up look like a big ball of wires.

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Geek all the things. I think the projects you guys are doing now are sort of "generic" for many projects.

I really enjoyed and learned from the stepper motor stuff as I'm looking at DIY'ing some automated blinds. With "green geek" hopefully you guys will play with sensors and turning stuff on and off.

For example if the light sensor gets x amount of daylight and temp is y , run water pump for z minutes to water plant efficiently etc.

Adding more things to that setup could probably be used for other projects. (You'r effectively building a Nest thermostat) :)

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This might help,something interesting i came acrossed a while back ill see if i can find it. About a Green Green house that uses aquaponics, koi for fertilizer, red and blue led lights, rasp pi for control systems and analytics that a highschool student did. this place is out west somewhere if i recall. Also the crop in a box i remember you covered a while back.

 

Looking in to some of this stuff myself. feeding the plants properly is the biggest issue, light and water the easy part. nutrients is the hard part, aka Koi pond, or fish. most plants I guess like cooler temps like 50F, guess the food ones i was looking up, anyways. i am sure there are enough sensors to round up to monitor how plants are doing, temp and light levels probably an easy one, maybe a ph level?

 

I really see this kind of DIY development will help towards solutions on feeding ourselves on other planets, like 3d printers leading to replicating our own parts, out in space. See where I am going with this, oh yeah!

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