Plants die all the time but it’s not always due to negligence. Sometimes it’s by helicopter parenting (overwatering). Different plants require different moisture levels and sometimes we forget how much a certain plant needs or it’s difficult to determine if the soil is wet or dry enough. This project is cool in that it performs a simple conductivity test on the soil to alert you if your plant needs water. Otherwise, don’t water it!!

This is great for one plant, but it can also be improved upon for people with many plants. Instead of sending a text, the sensor could have a meter display as shown in the picture because many plants => many texts => overload. Then the caretaker will know at a glance which plants need watering. I also like that this system doesn’t automatically water the plant for you because some people like to water their plants, so they feel like they’re actually caring for it.