Smart Garden Irrigation V1.0 beta
Automatic and manual control of your garden irrigation — all in one blueprint!
Note:
This blueprint is currently in beta, as the full range of features has not yet been completely tested.If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improvement, feel free to reach out!
I’m happy to help with troubleshooting and will do my best to implement your feedback in future versions.
“In German language” – the English version follows below.
Features
Zone control: Supports lawn, raised bed, vegetables & shrubs — individually configurable.
Flexible start time:
- Fixed time (manual input)
- Night (02:00 AM)
- Sunset/sunrise (with offset)
- Manual start via input_select
Parallel or sequential watering: Choose whether all zones run at the same time or one after the other.
Rain and soil moisture check: Automatically cancels watering if it’s raining or soil moisture is sufficient.
Select water source: Mains water or rainwater (with minimum level check).
Pump control: Optional with start delay for safe operation.
Water consumption: Optional calculation of estimated water consumption in liters.
Notifications: Get notified if watering is aborted (e.g., rain, low tank level) or after successful completion.
Inputs
Zones: Lawn
, Raised bed
, Vegetables
, Shrubs
Manual control: Input selects + individual duration per zone
Sensors: Soil moisture, rain amount, current rain (binary_sensor), water tank level
Water source: Rainwater or mains water
Pump: Optional, with delay
Start time: Flexible options (fixed time, night, sunset/sunrise + offset)
Water usage: Optional consumption calculation
Highlights
Universal — suitable for simple or complex gardens
All-in-one — no separate automation needed per zone
Manual or automatic — depending on your needs
Requirements
- Switches/valves per zone (e.g. ESPHome, Zigbee, WiFi)
- Optional: sensors for rain, soil moisture, water level
- Optional: controllable pump via Home Assistant
Notes
All parameters configurable via UI.
Defaults (e.g. duration, thresholds) can be adjusted anytime.
Notifications sent to
notify.notify
by default — can be customized in the blueprint.
Requirements for the Blueprint
Smart Garden Irrigation with Flexible Start Time
This blueprint gives you flexible control over your irrigation system, but to use it effectively, several requirements must be met in your Home Assistant setup.
1.
Home Assistant Installation
You need a working Home Assistant instance (e.g., on a Raspberry Pi, NAS, or using Home Assistant OS).
2.
Access to YAML Editor
To import or manually insert the blueprint, you must have access to the YAML editor in Home Assistant:
Settings → Automations & Scenes → Blueprints → Import / Upload
3.
Input Selects for Manual Control
You need to create input_select
entities for each irrigation zone. Example:
input_select:
lawn_control:
name: Lawn Control
options:
- "Stop"
- "Start"
Create more zones like flowerbed_control
, vegetable_garden_control
, etc., using the same structure.
4.
Sensors (Optional but Recommended)
Depending on the features you want to use, the following entities may be needed:
Feature | Required Entity | Type |
---|---|---|
Soil Moisture | sensor.soil_moisture_zone1 |
Sensor (percentage) |
Rain Detection | binary_sensor.rain_detected |
Binary sensor (on/off) |
Water Level Monitoring | sensor.water_level |
Sensor (percentage/L) |
Pump Control | switch.irrigation_pump |
Switch |
Time-Based Control | Automation with time triggers | - |
5.
Manual Controls (Optional)
You can create buttons or a Lovelace dashboard interface for manual zone control.
6.
Automations & Scenes
When setting up the automation using the blueprint, make sure to assign the correct entities (e.g., switches, sensors, input selects).
7.
Internet Connection (if using external services)
If you plan to use external weather data (e.g., from OpenWeatherMap), you’ll need a corresponding integration and API access.
Guide: Smart Garden Irrigation with Flexible Start Time
This guide walks you through the complete setup of the
“ Smart Garden Irrigation with Flexible Start Time” blueprint in Home Assistant — including import, configuration, and testing.
Table of Contents
- Import the Blueprint
- Create Input Selects (for Zone Control)
- Set Up Sensors & Devices
- Create Automation Using the Blueprint
- Lovelace Dashboard (Optional)
- Function Test & Troubleshooting
1.
Import the Blueprint
- Open Home Assistant
- Navigate to: Settings → Automations & Scenes → Blueprints
- Click “Import Blueprint”
- Paste the blueprint URL or YAML code
- Click “Import”
The blueprint will now be available when creating a new automation.
2.
Create Input Selects (for Zone Control)
These allow manual control per zone. Add the following to your configuration.yaml
or create them under
Settings → Devices & Services → Helpers:
input_select:
lawn_control:
name: Lawn Control
options:
- "Stop"
- "Start"
flowerbed_control:
name: Flowerbed Control
options:
- "Stop"
- "Start"
Create one
input_select
per irrigation zone.
Restart Home Assistant if you added this via
configuration.yaml
.
3.
Set Up Sensors & Devices
Feature | Entity | Type | Example |
---|---|---|---|
Soil Moisture | sensor.soil_moisture_* |
Sensor (%) | sensor.soil_moisture_zone1 |
Rain Detection | binary_sensor.rain_detected |
Binary sensor (on/off) | e.g., from a weather integration |
Water Level | sensor.water_level |
Sensor (% or liters) | Sensor in a rainwater tank |
Pump Control | switch.irrigation_pump |
Switch | Smart plug or relay control |
Set up your devices/sensors via integrations or ESPHome.
4.
Create Automation Using the Blueprint
- Go to: Settings → Automations & Scenes → Add Automation
- Select “Use Blueprint”
- Choose the blueprint: “Smart Garden Irrigation with Flexible Start Time”
- Fill out the fields:
- Which
input_select
zones to control - Optional: rain, moisture, and water level sensors
- Enable automatic start?
- Set watering times and durations
- Which
- Click Save
5.
Lovelace Dashboard (Optional)
To enable manual control, add the following card to your dashboard:
type: entities
title: Garden Irrigation
entities:
- entity: input_select.lawn_control
- entity: input_select.flowerbed_control
- entity: sensor.soil_moisture_zone1
- entity: switch.irrigation_pump
You can also create buttons or use other custom cards.
6.
Function Test & Troubleshooting
Testing:
- Set an
input_select
to “Start” → the pump/valve should activate. - Check sensor readings → irrigation should pause if it’s raining or the soil is moist.
- Monitor the automation via Logs or Developer Tools in Home Assistant.
Common Issues:
- Incorrect entity names → verify under Developer Tools → States
- Missing or unassigned
input_select
- Automation not enabled or incorrectly configured
Done!
Your smart garden irrigation system is now ready to use.
You can expand it with weather APIs, notifications, or additional irrigation zones at any time.