How do I know when to water my plants?

Set a per-plant watering schedule and Farmester will remind you when each plant is due. Log every watering so you can see history and adjust the cadence. Power users can also connect a soil moisture sensor for continuous readings, but it is entirely optional.

Do I need sensors or any hardware to use Farmester?

No. Most users only ever use photo plant identification, manual care logging, and reminders — no hardware required. Sensors are an optional advanced feature for power users who want continuous moisture, temperature, humidity, and light readings. The free plan includes up to 10 plants.

What sensors work with Farmester?

Farmester ingests soil moisture, temperature, humidity, and light readings via a documented HTTP API. Any device that can post JSON over HTTPS can be wired up — common setups use ESP32/ESP8266 microcontrollers.

Is Farmester really free?

Yes. The free plan includes up to 10 plants, photo identification, manual care schedules, watering reminders, optional sensor integration, and community support. No credit card required to start. Upgrade to Premium ($6.99/month) for unlimited plants, expert consultations, plant sharing, and multiple workspaces.

Does Farmester work for outdoor gardens and greenhouses?

Yes. Farmester works for indoor houseplants, outdoor gardens, greenhouses, hydroponic setups, and container gardens. The data model does not depend on location, and sensors are optional throughout.

What's the difference between manual tracking and sensor monitoring?

Manual tracking requires you to log watering and care activities yourself and set your own reminders. Sensor monitoring lets optional IoT sensors continuously push soil moisture, temperature, humidity, and light readings so you can see real-time data and historical trends without manual entry.

Can I connect my own hardware to Farmester?

Yes. Any device that can make HTTP POST requests can push sensor readings to Farmester via your API key. We provide setup guides for ESP32, ESP8266, and Raspberry Pi. You can also pull plant and sensor data into your own dashboards via the REST API.

DIY Plant Sensors: Build Your Own Monitoring System

By farmester • 2026-04-13 • DIY

Build sophisticated plant monitoring systems for a fraction of commercial costs. Complete guide covering Arduino, ESP32, and Raspberry Pi projects with detailed code examples, shopping lists, and step-by-step assembly instructions.

Read the full article on Farmester