Smart Greenhouse Solutions: IoT-Based Environmental Monitoring and Control

Maintaining a greenhouse isn’t a breeze. Watering, temperature, lighting — everything must be in a perfect balance for your plants to thrive. What if we told you there’s a way to automate the entire process? Consider a greenhouse IoT solution.

Greenhouse automation and remote monitoring were the tasks that led WebbyLab to IoT. These initial undertakings have evolved into our 2Smart Standalone platform’s MVP. We tested it in large-scale, real-world settings with experienced growers. The project revealed a crucial insight:

No two greenhouses are alike. Each has its unique ecosystem, specific sets of sensors and devices, and distinct crops being cultivated.

With that insight in mind, our team developed a flexible framework instead of a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s our full-fledged 2Smart Standalone platform, adaptable to any greenhouse size and purpose. 

Building on this experience, we’ve created an autonomous option: a programmable controller for smaller greenhouses. It doesn’t require a centralized server, works directly with 2Smart Cloud, and is accessible anywhere right through the mobile app.As you can see, environmental monitoring and how to leverage IoT in agriculture and greenhouses is no news to us. Join us as we explore the challenges we faced and solutions we applied to build IoT-based greenhouse monitoring systems of various scales.

Main Components of a Greenhouse Environment

Various factors impact the environment inside a greenhouse, with heat, humidity, light levels, and ventilation among the main ones. The right combination helps maximize the yields. For instance, the more efficient the air circulation, the more productive the plants will grow. 

Fine-tuning them manually is close to impossible. Yet, using IoT in a greenhouse environment and implementing the system properly can assist in automating and optimizing these factors for the ideal environmental conditions. That’s what our experts can do. Having successfully deployed a smart greenhouse based on our 2Smart Standalone automation platform, we know how to address these challenges and increase your yields.

Monitoring the greenhouse temperature, humidity, and lighting through 2Smart Standalone

Let’s now take a closer look at the main components of a greenhouse environment:

• Light

Providing the right amount and quality of light is critical in a greenhouse environment. It’s essential for photosynthesis, leading to proper plant growth. IoT-enabled sensors can measure the light inside the greenhouse and adjust artificial lighting to supplement natural light levels.

• Air Quality

Air quality is another vital component of a greenhouse. The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) levels need to be carefully monitored and maintained for optimal plant development. IoT sensors detect the concentration of these gases and adjust ventilation systems accordingly.

• Ventilation

Proper ventilation helps maintain a healthy greenhouse environment by regulating temperature, humidity, and air quality. IoT technology can automate ventilation systems and adjust them in real time based on environmental conditions.

• Heat

It is also essential to monitor heat. Thus, you ensure the temperature inside the greenhouse stays within a specific range suitable for plant growth. Greenhouse operators use heaters to maintain a consistent temperature in addition to natural warmth from the sun. And IoT sensors detect temperature fluctuations and adjust heating systems to preserve the ideal temperature range.

• Humidity

The amount of moisture in the air affects plant growth and can also impact the spread of diseases. Thus, maintaining a consistent humidity level is crucial for healthy yields. IoT sensors detect changes in humidity and accommodate irrigation systems, misting systems, and other humidity control measures to maintain the perfect environmental conditions.

Advantages of Smart Greenhouse Automation

Smart greenhouse automation presents many benefits for greenhouse operators, and one of the most important is environmental monitoring. Here are some other benefits it offers:

• Support Ideal Micro-Climate Conditions

By monitoring the environmental conditions inside the greenhouse, operators ensure they maintain the ideal micro-climate for the plant’s stable growth. It includes tracking temperature, humidity, light levels, and soil moisture, among other factors. By leveraging a climate control system, greenhouse operators improve crop yield and quality.

• Improve Irrigation and Fertilization

Smart greenhouse automation allows for precise control over irrigation and fertilization. Greenhouse operators adjust these processes by monitoring soil moisture and nutrient levels to ensure plants receive the appropriate water and nourisher amount. As a result, it improves plant growth and reduces the risk of over or under-fertilization.

• Control Infection and Prevent Disease Outbreak

IoT environmental monitoring can also help to control infection and prevent disease outbreaks in the greenhouse. By supervising the greenhouse conditions, operators can identify potential disease vectors and take preventive measures to reduce the risk of infection. For example, they can reconfigure ventilation systems, control humidity levels, and monitor temperature fluctuations.

• Prevent Theft and Enhance Security

Environmental monitoring assists in preventing thefts and enhancing security in the greenhouse. By observing the environment, operators identify potential security threats and take preventive measures to protect the facility. It includes installing CCTV cameras, sensors, alarms, and monitoring access to the IoT-based smart greenhouse.

How Can IoT Help with Intelligent Greenhouse Management?

IoT is a game changer in environmental monitoring. This technology allows for collecting and analyzing large amounts of data in real time. It is used to optimize the growing environment and automate processes, increasing efficiency and productivity. Here are some other instances of the IoT’s role in greenhouse management:

• Building a Smart Sensor Network

A smart sensor network collects real-time data on greenhouse conditions. Operators can install different sensors to track various parameters like water, soil moisture, air quality, and more. Such a network allows for gathering data quickly and easily, leading to more precise control of the greenhouse environment. It is also helpful for remote monitoring of IoT greenhouses across various locations — wireless sensors come in handy.

• Monitoring External and Internal Conditions

Smart greenhouse automation using IoT allows operators to monitor both external and internal environmental conditions. External ones (such as weather and temperature) also impact the greenhouse environment. By observing these, specialists adjust processes and take preventive measures to protect crops. By monitoring internal conditions, they can identify potential issues and make changes to optimize plant growth.

• Storing Big Data

Vast amounts of data on the conditions inside and outside the IoT-based smart greenhouse can be stored and analyzed. It gives greenhouse operators insights into trends and patterns over time. Leveraging this data, operators make informed decisions about crop management and adjust processes as needed for optimal yield.

• Automating Processes

An IoT-based greenhouse monitoring system reduces the amount of manual labor required to manage the greenhouse environment. It includes automating tasks such as irrigation, lighting, and ventilation. By streamlining these processes, IoT greenhouse operators save time and resources while ensuring optimal conditions for plant growth.

What Sensors Can Be Used for IoT Environmental Monitoring, and How to Install Them in a Greenhouse?

An IoT-based greenhouse monitoring system leverages various sensors to collect data on environmental conditions, plant growth, and other variables. These sensors can be installed throughout the greenhouse to monitor its zones in real time. Here are some equipment types greenhouse operators can use:

• Sensors

Sensors are the primary devices in the smart greenhouse using IoT. There are various types of those available, including wireless and wired ones. Some highly specialized gadgets are expensive. Yet, many others are more affordable and monitor multiple zones simultaneously.

Connecting sensors to the greenhouse automation solution.

• Base Unit

A base unit is a device that collects data from the sensors and sends it to the cloud or a local server. It may connect to sensors via the Internet, radio transmitters, or wired connections.

• Cloud or Local Server

The data collected by the sensors is typically sent to the cloud or a local server for processing, storage, and analysis. IoT greenhouse operators can then access this information, derive insights from it, and ultimately improve environmental conditions.

The process of smart greenhouse operation: data collection, transmission, analysis, storage, and sharing.

You can place IoT sensors for environmental monitoring in various zones within the greenhouse, including soil, walls, and equipment. Wired sensors usually connect directly to the base unit, while wireless ones have more mobility.

Here are some of the sensors commonly used for smart greenhouse monitoring system:

• Carbon dioxide sensors. These devices monitor the concentration of CO2 in the air. High levels of CO2 can negatively affect plant growth, so it is critical to observe and regulate CO2 levels in the greenhouse.
• Soil moisture sensors monitor the moisture level of the soil. The gathered data can be used to adjust irrigation practices to ensure that plants receive enough water.
• Temperature sensors. They monitor the temperature in the greenhouse and help adjust heating and cooling systems to maintain ideal growing conditions.
• Water sensors check the water level in irrigation systems and reservoirs. They help prevent over or under-watering of plants.
• Light sensors track the intensity and duration of light in the IoT-based greenhouse, assisting in adjusting lighting systems to ensure that plants receive the appropriate amount of light.
• Humidity sensors measure the moisture levels in the greenhouse. High humidity numbers lead to mold and mildew growth, while low humidity levels cause plant stress.
• 3-in-1 sensors. These multi-functional sensors simultaneously track air quality, soil moisture, and water distribution, providing a comprehensive overview of environmental conditions in the IoT greenhouse.

WebbyLab Experience in IoT Environmental Monitoring

The WebbyLab team suggests several options for implementing IoT in the greenhouse:

Autonomous Smart Devices

As a rule, these are time relays, devices that periodically collect data or perform other activities at a given time or frequency. For example, they can turn on watering or lighting, open windows for ventilation, or turn on the hood.

This option offers a basic level of greenhouse automation. Watering will turn on automatically, even if the moisture level is already normal, or the hood will turn on even when there is no need for ventilation, etc. Implementing such an option can have a manageable budget, and there is also no need for IoT software and infrastructure. Time relays work autonomously and are configured analogously through buttons or pins.

Programmable Controllers

A greenhouse controller powered by 2Smart.

Programmable controllers like our innovative smart greenhouse controller are one or more devices that operate the entire system. They can connect to the cloud for management and configuration.

As a rule, our experts connect sensors and outputs to such controllers to manage light, watering, ventilation, and more. In the case of our controller, we also integrated it with our versatile 2Smart Standalone automation system, harnessing its flexibility and IoT standards compliance.

Here are just a few things that our IoT greenhouse controller can help you automate:

Several activities that WebbyLab’s greenhouse controller automates.

You can automate the abovementioned greenhouse processes in several stages. Here’s how WebbyLab does this:

1. We deploy a mini-computer (typically Ubuntu OS, Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) with our 2Smart Standalone system on a Schneider Electric switchboard.
2. Then, we connect the Modbus bus with two blocks of 8 relays and an 8-channel analog sensor input reader.
3. WebbyLab experts link lighting, watering, ventilation lines, and a temperature sensor to the bus relay.
4. We also use a relay block with NO and NC contacts for controlling actuators.
5. After that, we integrate a Zigbee gateway for wireless connectivity of air temperature, humidity, leakage, pressure, and light level sensors.
6. Our team also leverages a wired irrigation tap connected via Zigbee and controlled through the Modbus bus.
7. Finally, we incorporate a touch screen and the 2Smart Standalone mobile application for offline and remote control capabilities.

This solution is more sophisticated than autonomous devices, especially if you implement the option of remote control. It still has limited capabilities but is enough to automate basic tasks and a small greenhouse monitoring program.

If there is access to the Internet, the controllers turn to the IoT side and offer more configuration options. We manually program them or install firmware with the necessary configurations if there’s no Internet connection.

Another advantage over the first case, autonomous devices, is the possibility for more complex automation. With controllers, we can not simply turn on/off the smart gadgets but do it only under certain conditions or as a result of a reaction to a change in sensor readings. For example, you may configure the controller to turn on the lighting system automatically during the evening hours or set up a schedule for fertilizer supply.

An advanced version of programmable devices can be KNX devices, which can include some automation algorithms and be able to integrate into other systems.

Want to learn more about our experience in automation? Make sure you check out our post on smart greenhouse solutions using IoT.

Full-Fledged Automation and Monitoring Systems

Such solutions make it possible to combine a huge number of devices from different manufacturers into one ecosystem and, due to a large number of software solutions, expand the scenarios of using the system.

Here’s how it works. Suppose we have a large number of sensors and loads. All of them connect to smart devices that can control them, both through the platform and the built-in logic of the controllers.

Our 2Smart Standalone automation platform performs exactly this function. It allows you to connect a large number of sensors and devices at the same time and set many automation scenarios according to the needs of your IoT project.

The architecture of a 2Smart Standalone automation platform.

The advantage of such a platform is that it allows you to assemble a custom product for your specific greenhouse and solve any problem by selecting the necessary devices and configuring their interaction. Conversely, making an out-of-the-box solution that will work on a large scale is only sometimes possible. Therefore, the platform must have the flexibility that 2Smart Standalone offers.

As part of the 2Smart Standalone platform, we used devices controlled by the Modbus and KNX protocols and leveraged wireless buttons and sensors that work on the Zigbee protocol. We have experience creating various smart environment scenarios, as our standalone platform allows us to connect any devices and sensors and combine them to build a single system.

Connecting devices and sensors to 2Smart Standalone through Modbus, KNX, and Zigbee.

On top of that, using 2Smart Standalone for IoT environmental monitoring helps solve the following tasks and problems:

• Increasing productivity
• Automating routine tasks
• Saving time
• Remote control
• Timely notifications

You can learn more about 2Smart Standalone and its possible influence on the future of precision farming using IoT in this post.

Leverage IoT for Greenhouse Monitoring

Implementing IoT for greenhouse management and smart farming can provide numerous benefits, including increased crop yields, improved resource management, and enhanced data collection and analysis.

Various sensors and monitoring tools allow greenhouse operators to gain better insights into environmental conditions and optimize their growing practices accordingly. If you are interested in exploring the possibilities of IoT for greenhouse management, WebbyLab offers expert consultation services to help you identify the best solutions for your needs. Feel free to contact our team if you have any questions.