I'm going to buy some stuff to prototype an irrigation system (1 plant for now) that employs underground sensors which will allow me to automate this whole 'mad' thing I've been muttering about recently... So basically what I do is keep my plants evenly moist for their entire life... Never wet, never dry... just moist... and I spray/atomize super oxygenated ground water and food on the ground... all the stuff below will automate this for me (theoretically) and other than load a nutrition bucket once and a while it's set and forget it...
Underground moisture sensor and monitor tells...
the irrigation controller to turn on the pump and open a valve...
by sending a signal to the pump relay switch that turns on the pump...
and the electronic valve body that opens the valve...
that sends water or water and food to the 'frame jet' sprayer which sprays the liquid on the ground...
And when the sensor senses enough water... the whole thing turns off... until the sensor says "I'm thirsty" again...
Pretty cool... The parts above are $210 / free shipping. I'll get the pump and tubing, etc. at home depot so probably $100 more... My electrician gets high so I barter for that 'weed for work'...
If it work... I'll expand it in different configurations... This should keep me busy for a while....
RS