Zigbee plant sensors (2024)

Hardware
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With getting my zigbee network up now successfully thanks to a few people on HA forums I’m now wanting to add plant sensors to my network.

Being 2024 I wanted to see what people have used in the past year or more recent whereas I have read many many many threads on the mi flora but it seems they are no longer on xiaomis aliexpress store (or never were, I’m new to this game heh) and the threads were all rather outdated.

I see many listings from copies upon copies? Are these ok to get? Is there a recommended seller. Is there a different one that you’re using than the generic plant sensors?

The pink one is the zigbee one if I recall, is that right? mi flora copy

There’s also this one, is anyone using/used it and know what it’s like? Generic sensor

Intended use is outdoor in various plant pots and garden areas

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I have the same questions. Did you end up trying one of the Mi Flora clones?

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Unfortunately no, didn’t want to be a guinea pig for a box full of useless sensors haha. Looks like I may have to though! Need to figure out logistics of placement and other detail for them eventually.

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Looks like Gardena are releasing a new smart sensor smart Sensor | GARDENA
Pretty spendy but if it is more reliable than their timers and can integrate it via a hub it’s less than ideal but will put up with it if the information it sends is accurate

I have an old gardena moisture sensor https://www.amazon.se/-/en/Gardena-Floor-moisture-sensor-irrigation/dp/B000NUVMSG?th=1 which I wouldn’t mind trying to esp it, it’s fairly chunky so more suited to larger beds.

With the help of this post I’ve compiled the esphome yaml. I’ve yet to wire it up and see what I blow up :laughing: :sweat_smile:

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Not Zigbee - but personally using ‘HHCC Flower Monitor’ sensors which report via Bluetooth and an ESP32 setup via ESPHome to listen / populate sensors in HA.

I ordered via AliExpress and am using the green ones, fwiw:
image

sensor:
  - platform: xiaomi_hhccjcy01
    mac_address: 'XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX'
    temperature:
      name: "BLE MiFlora 1 Temperature"
    moisture:
      name: "BLE MiFlora 1 Moisture"
    illuminance:
      name: "BLE MiFlora 1 Illuminance"
    conductivity:
      name: "BLE MiFlora 1 Soil Conductivity"

Been working pretty well for over a year now. Monitors use CR2032 batteries and ESP I have plugged in outside and centralized between the 4 sensors I have emitting readings.

image

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The Zigbee version of these works well. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807257083576.html

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Didn’t realize these were available, nice! Wonder how battery life compares Zigbee vs. BLE…?

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Thanks for the links, definitely keen to try those out. How well do they survive outdoors I wonder.

So I had never done the esphome and rewire thing and I originally was powering the moisture sensor from the esp… bad plan, use the batteries inside and just put the sensor wire to the esp xD It got pretty hot for a few secs there heh.

Tested it and it works yayyyyyyyyy
The default harness from Gardena contains brown yellow and blue wires. The yellow is what I connected to the esp and used the battery compartment inside the sensor to power it but will join the grounds to the esp
image

I need to extend the wires on it as it’s not long enough to reach our garage which will be where the esp32 is. Hopefully the data line doesn’t pack too much of a sad being extended that distance.

It’s quite viable to have a wired one there as opposed to other areas of our gardens so will stick the zigbee/bluetooth ones there.

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The zigbee sensor I linked wouldn’t work outside, the only outdoor option I have found is Amazon.com: ZIGBEE Garden Soil Moisture&Temperature Meter,Sensor-Outdoor Waterproof Compatible with TUYA Smart APP : Patio, Lawn & Garden. I have only had it for around a month, seems to work well enough, but we are in fall so not irrigating the garden at this point. It does have some downsides, it’s large and it’s going to be ok in rain, but you can’t immerse it.

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This may be of interest to folks that need one, its not zigbee but should fill the other needs: