Smart soil sensors are useful tools which provide valuable insights into your plants' growing conditions. These devices measure key environmental factors such as soil moisture, temperature, and even nutrient or pH levels.
By delivering this data to Homey, you can make informed decisions about watering, fertilization, and overall plant care, ultimately leading to healthier plants and more efficient gardening. In this article, we are sharing the best soil sensors for your smart home, highlighting models that integrate seamlessly with Homey and offer the best features.
Things to consider when choosing a soil sensor
While most smart soil sensors achieve essentially the same thing, there is some variance between different models than needs to be noted. Here are 5 things to consider when choosing a smart soil sensor:
Measurement Type
Consider the importance of the specific data the sensor provides, such as soil moisture, temperature, or nutrient levels. Some plants require more delicate care, while others only need basic moisture monitoring.
Probe Length and Type
Consider the probe's length and the sensing technology it uses (e.g., capacitive or resistive) to ensure it's suitable for your plants' root depth and provides accurate readings in your soil conditions.
Environmental Resistance
Take into account the sensor's ability to withstand environmental factors like water and dust. This is crucial for outdoor use or in humid conditions to ensure the sensor's longevity and reliability.
Power Source and Battery Life
Evaluate the sensor's power source and battery life to minimize maintenance and ensure continuous operation, as frequent battery changes can be inconvenient and could disrupt your monitoring.
Price
Balance the sensor's cost with its features and long-term value, considering both your budget and the potential benefits it offers for plant care and water conservation.
| Brand | Model | Protocol | Probe | Battery Life | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 FYTA | Beam |  Wi-Fi | 30-350mm | 2 years | €34.99 |
 Gardena | Smart Sensor | Wi-Fi | 73mm | 1 year | €73.19 |
 Misol | Soil Moisture Sensor | Wi-Fi | 77mm | 1 year | €14.99 |
 ThirdReality | Soil Moisture Sensor |  Zigbee | 100mm | 3 years | €16.99 |
 Xiaomi | Mi Flora Soil Sensor |  Bluetooth | 73mm | 1 year | €19.95 |
FYTA Beam
- Detailed insights
- Selectable rod size
- Large plant database
- Requires FYTA hub
The FYTA Beam is a comprehensive soil sensor which provides detailed insights into your plant's health. It measures soil temperature, moisture, salinity, pH value, nutrient state, and light level, offering a complete picture of your plant's environment.
The FYTA Beam leverages a massive database of over 3,400 plants, providing concrete action instructions tailored to each species. With this information you can make informed decisions about watering, feeding, and positioning your plants for optimal growth.
One of the most useful features of the FYTA Beam is its selectable rod length, ranging from 30mm to 350mm. This makes it suitable for a wide variety of potted and garden plants, regardless of the pot size or substrate depth. It’s also splash-resistant which ensures the sensor can endure typical gardening environments.
The FYTA Beam uses Bluetooth for local communication. To integrate with Homey, it requires the FYTA Wi-Fi Hub. The Beam transmits its data to the hub via Bluetooth, and the hub then relays this information to Homey over your Wi-Fi network, enabling remote monitoring and automation based on the sensor's readings.
Gardena Smart Sensor
- IP44 Rated
- Durable and robust
- Flat-head design
- Expensive
The Gardena Smart Sensor is an accurate and reliable tool designed to monitor soil conditions. It measures soil temperature and moisture levels, providing essential data for maintaining healthy plants.
This sensor is durable and robust, protected against moisture and water splashes from all directions. It can withstand extreme temperatures of -20°C and can be used outdoors all year round. A set of AA batteries can keep the sensor going for up to 1 year.
The Gardena Smart Sensor has a probe length of 73mm and is very easy to install. The probe sensing strip provides accurate data for different types of potting soil. Thanks to its flat head design, this sensor does not disturb any robotic mower or lawn mowers and you can install it in the middle of the lawn.
The Gardena Smart Sensor communicates via a reliable RF frequency to the Gardena Smart Gateway. This gateway integrates well with Homey, enabling you to receive sensor data and use it in Flows. You can also monitor the sensor's battery life directly within the Homey app, ensuring you're never caught off guard.
Misol Soil Moisture Sensor
- Affordable
- Two-part design
- IP66 rated
- Limited availability
The Misol Soil Moisture Sensor, also sold under the Ecowitt brand, is an affordable solution for monitoring basic soil conditions. It measures temperature and moisture and has a reporting interval of 70 seconds. It has an IP66 rating, making it water-resistant and suitable for outdoor use.
The Misol Soil Sensor features a distinctive angled head body, designed for easy insertion and optimal signal transmission. Its two-part design features a slim probe for accurate readings and a separate battery compartment for easy replacements. It uses a single AA battery and has a battery life of up to 1 year.
The Misol Soil Moisture Sensor communicates wirelessly via RF to a compatible receiver or gateway. It can be used with both Misol or Ecowitt gateways and integrated in Homey via the app. The Misol Sensor is priced very affordably, but the biggest drawback is that it can be hard to come by.
ThirdReality Soil Moisture Sensor
- Affordable
- Extra long battery life
- Can reach deeper into the soil
- Bulky body
The ThirdReality Soil Moisture Sensor provides a reliable, yet affordable way to monitor your plant's soil. It measures soil temperature and moisture, and reports battery life, giving you an essential overview of your plant's environment. Its powered by a single AA battery and has an extra long battery life of up to 3 years.
This sensor employs a capacitive probe to measure soil conditions. Capacitive sensors are less affected by soil salinity and pH compared to traditional probes. Further, the device has an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating, with improves durability and reliability in various conditions. This gives you a much greater lifespan when used in different soil types.
The long 100mm probe allows you to reach deeper into the soil, closer to the roots, for obtaining more accurate measurements. You can use it in diverse settings such as farms, greenhouses, plant nurseries, gardens, and potted plants.
The ThirdReality Soil Moisture Sensor communicates directly with Homey Bridge or Homey Pro using Zigbee. To fully automate your plant care, you can pair it with a ThirdReality Watering Kit and create Homey Flows to water your plants automatically when the soil moisture drops below a set level.
Xiaomi Mi Flora Soil Sensor
- Affordable
- Small and slim
- IP55 rating
- Mediocre battery life
The Xiaomi Mi Flora Soil Sensor is perhaps the most well-known soil sensor among plant enthusiasts. It measures soil temperature, moisture, and illuminance, offering an overview of essential plant health factors.
Its very small and unobtrusive design allows it to blend seamlessly into any pot or garden setting. The probe has a length of 73mm, which is suitable for most indoor potted plants. Thanks to its IP55 rating, it can withstand the ingress of dust particles and low-pressure water jets from any direction. You can water your plants with the Xiaomi Mi Flora sensor still installed.
For bigger plants and deeper soil monitoring, Xiaomi offers the MAX version of the Mi Flora Soil Sensor. The Soil Sensor MAX is three times larger than the basic version and has an improved IPX6 rating and battery life. With this waterproof rating, this sensor can even survive a rain shower if installed outdoors.
The Xiaomi Mi Flora Soil Sensors use BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) to communicate with Homey Bridge and Homey Pro. Sensor readings are updated directly without a third-party hub, enabling you to integrate data into Homey Flows for automated plant care.
