AUTOMATIC WATERING PLANT SYSTEM

A Capstone Project of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Strand of Jimalalud
National High School - Senior High School

In partial fulfillment of the requirements of the STEM -12 Capstone Project

ANGEL G. GRANADA
KIM VERLY B. LU-ANG
CHAZEL SILVA

May 2024
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

2
 Table of contents

Title Page
Acknowledgement
Table of contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
Abstract
Chapter I - Introduction
Statement of the Problem
Statement of the Hypothesis
Scope and Limitations
Significance of the Study
Definition of Terms
Chapter II - Review of Related Studies & Literature
Theoretical Framework
Conceptual Framework
Chapter III - Methodology
Research Design
Research Environment
Materials and Equipment
Research Procedure
Prototype
Data Collection
Statistical Treatment of the Data
Chapter IV - Interpretations of Results
Chapter V - Summary of Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations
Summary of the Findings
Conclusion
Recommendations
APPENDIX
References
Programming Codes
Actual Data
Costs
Documentation
Curriculum Vitae
Performance Evaluation Instrument

List of Tables
List of Figures

3
Abstract

4
 Chapter I
Introduction

Plants play an important role for all human beings in many ways. Plants help to keep the

environment healthy by naturally cleansing the air and creating oxygen. Many individuals enjoy having

plants in the backyards. However, due to economic growth and the lack of space, many people are now

growing plants in mold or dirt pots and placing them on the windowsill. These plants are dependent on

regular watering and require the right amount of sun to sustain life and growth (Usman et al., 2024).

Forgetting to water the plants because of busy schedules can have negative effects on the variety of all

living things and the environment. Manually watering the plants can also result in overwatering (which

can harm plants) and wasting water (Finio B., 2023). With this, there is a need to create a system that

would be helpful and convenient to people in terms of watering plants.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO),water scarcity is one of the local problems

in the Philippines with watering plants. Water scarcity is a lack of freshwater supplies which makes it

difficult to supply enough water for plants. Excessive drought, groundwater extraction, and ineffective

water management techniques are a few possible causes of this (Water Shortage in the Philippines

Threatens Sustainable Development and Health, 2019). In order to provide for sustainable development

by protecting water resources and having healthy plant growth in the face of water scarcity, there's a need

to create automated plant watering systems.

In this study, an Arduino Uno, a relay module, a soil moisture sensor, and a small water pump are

used to create an automatic watering plant system. This allows the researchers to hydrate plants

automatically when soil moisture is low. The difference between this project and existing studies is that

this project can measure soil moisture using LCD i2C, unlike other studies that only have automated plant

watering without knowing and visually monitoring the soil moisture levels. This allows for more

5
convenience and reliability in terms of information. This study differs from other research projects by

enabling automatic watering without requiring manual action.

The researchers conducted this study because of busy individuals and communities who often

forget to water the plants. This project will help individuals provide regular care for plants and prevent

overwatering. Through this, individuals will no longer give the plant continual annual care. This study

will help future researchers establish new projects and services based on technology. The interest in

engineering and technology of the researchers, as well as the general goal of benefiting society, drove this

decision.

6
Statement of the Problem

This project aims to develop an Automatic Watering Plants System that can provide enough

water for the plants without the need for people to manually water them. Manually watering the plants is

time consuming and prone to inconsistency, which can lead to overwatering or underwatering, and it can

be harmful to the plant’s growth.

Objectives:

1. Use Arduino in creating an automatic watering plant system.

2. Create an automatic watering plant system that maintains soil moisture levels for plants by

promoting healthy growth and reducing water waste.

3. To design and implement an automatic watering system that reduces the time and effort required

for manual watering.

4. To make sure the water pump works efficiently.

5. To use the relay module to control the activation and deactivation of the water pump, how long

the pump runs, making sure our plants get just the right amount of water they need to stay

healthy.

The study also aims to answer the following scientific inquiries:

1. Is the device able to measure variations in the moisture levels of the soil?

2. Is the LCD module able to display accurate data on soil moisture?

3. Is the device able to automatically water the plant when soil moisture sensor detects a value of <

30?

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 4. Is there a significant difference in the soil moisture collected by the soil moisture sensor of the

device and the commercial soil moisture?

5. Is there a significant relationship between the soil moisture and the growth of the experimental

devil's backbone plant in terms of height?

6. Is there a significant difference in the growth of plants between control group and experimental

group in terms of height?

Hypothesis

Null Hypothesis

● There is no significant difference between the data collected by the device and the commercial

soil moisture.

● There is no significant relationship between the soil moisture and the growth of the plant.

● There is no significant difference in the growth of plants between control group and experimental

group in terms of height.

Alternative Hypothesis

● There is a significant difference between the data collected by the device and the commercial soil

moisture.

● There is a significant relationship between the soil moisture sensor and the growth of the plant.

● There is a significant difference in the growth of plant between control group and experimental

group in terms of height.

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Scope and Limitations of the Study

Scope of the study. The scope of this study is to create an Automatic Watering Plant System with the use

of Arduino UNO. In this system, it will automatically water the plants in a pot and monitor the soil

moisture.

Limitations of the study. This research is limited to areas with electricity, as it uses electricity as its

main source of power, though the device can also be powered by a rechargeable battery. For the purpose

of this study, the researchers chose to use electricity as its power source, and another rechargeable battery

for the functioning of the relay module and water pump.

Significance of the Study

This study was conducted by the researchers with the researchers with purpose that would be

beneficial to the following:

School. Knowledge from this study can help students find other solutions to existing problems in our

community.

Community. This research will benefit the community by enjoying the benefit of automated plant care,

saving time and effort in manual watering. With this , communities promote water conservation by

delivering the right amount of water at the right time, preventing overwatering.

Future researchers. Future researchers will benefit from this study, this will serve as a helpful and useful

reference for those future researchers who intend to conduct research that has relevance to this study.

9
Definition of Terms

The Arduino Uno. is an Arduino.cc-created open-source microcontroller that was originally publicly

accessible in 2010. The Microchip ATmega328p microcontroller serves as its foundation. The board may

interface with other expansion boards and other devices thanks to sets of digital and analog input/output

pins.

Euphorbia Tithymaloides. Known by most as the devil's backbone, this ornamental plant is commonly

planted as a houseplant or in gardens because of its unique appearance. It has fleshy, thick stems with

little, green leaves sprouting around the edges that form a zigzag pattern. It also has shallow roots, but it

does better on soil that drains well and in warmer weather.

Relay Module. An electromagnet-powered electrical switch. A separate low-power signal from a

microcontroller activates the electromagnet. This will turn on the water pump, allowing the plants to be

watered automatically.

Liquid Crystal Display (i2C). Is a flat panel display that shows the soil's moisture content. It is possible

to report the soil's water content as a percentage.

Soil Moisture Sensor. It can identify soil moisture.

Water Pump. Water is moved from one place to another by increasing its pressure with the help of a

machine. The devil's backbone plant will be automatically watered as a result.

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Chapter II - Review of Related Studies & Literature

Arduino Uno projects and moisture sensor monitoring

Foreign:

The study by Sahasrabudhe et al. (2023) presents a practical and efficient solution for real-time

monitoring and maintaining the health of plants using sensors and microcontroller-based circuits. Varies

in soil content can also be observed with high moisture levels. According to Mannan et al. (2023),

previously, soil moisture levels were measured manually, which was very time-consuming and wasteful.

This also required an efficient method for monitoring soil moisture levels. This paper describes an

Internet of Things (IoT) soil moisture sensor that uses a microcontroller. The soil moisture device

measures the soil's water content and lets the farmer know when the moisture sensor has too much or too

little water, indicating overwatering or underwatering. The proposed soil moisture monitor was tested

using a system called Thingspeak, and the results show that the system is really good and helpful in

stopping the plants from getting too much water. It is also efficient because it removes the important

budget needed to hire agricultural labor.

Local:

In the study by Johnson (2017) entitled “Monitoring moisture of soil using a low-cost homemade soil

moisture sensor and Arduino UNO," it was stated that it is important to know moisture levels in soil to

maximize the output. But a lot of farmers cannot really buy expensive gadgets to measure soil moisture.

This sensor has been tested with several samples of soil and works pretty well and accurately enough.

Checking soil moisture is an effective way to figure out the condition of the soil and how much water

needs to be given for growing crops.

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Moisture-triggered to water pump

Foreign:

The pump was tested to see how long it should operate during an irrigation sequence. When the

sensor showed that the soil was 30% wet and it was time to start watering, we switched on the pump and

let it run for a minute. After that, we turned it off and waited for the water to soak into the soil. Then we

checked how wet the soil was again. It had not increased sufficiently, so the pump was turned back on for

10 seconds, and when the water had spread, the moisture level was measured again. This was carried out

until the desired maximum moisture content of 45% was reached. The test found that running the pump

for 90 seconds produced the greatest increase in soil moisture (Lundblad, 2019).

In the study of Siskandar et al., (2020) categorized soil moisture into three conditions: dry,

humid, and wet. The three soil moisture conditions are calculated using a major percentage of the soil

moisture data collected by the YL-69 soil moisture sensor. We sorted out the different levels of wetness

in the soil by using the humidity percentage we got from watching how water moves in a plant pot that's

12 cm across. The best amount of dampness for plants to grow well is between 25% and 49%. In this

study, the water pump functions automatically. If the sensor detects a big percentage of soil moisture

value of less than 30%, the water pump will automatically turn on. If the sensor detects a soil moisture

value greater than 30% or greater than 60%, the water pump will turn off automatically.

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Local:

In the study of Aguilar et al., (2017) The soil moisture sensing system will detect a soil if watering is

required then the water will be maintained at the constant level. The proposed system uses an ARDUINO

Uno that simplifies the working of microcontroller programming compared to other programming tools.

Whenever there is a variation in moisture content of the soil these sensors will determine the change and

will give an interrupt signal to the microcontroller and eventually will send a signal to the relay driver that

will activate the water pump.

Arduino Uno & Soil Moisture Sensor vs. Commercial Soil Moisture

Soil moisture is directly related to irrigation volume and affects plant yield. As a result, a soil

moisture sensor is a valuable instrument for determining soil moisture content. This study examined prior

research on soil moisture sensors undertaken in the last 2-3 decades, as well as outlined the principles of

regularly used soil moisture sensors and their numerous uses. The advances offered by numerous

academics have established the key applications and performance levels of soil moisture sensors, paving

the way for future growth. This research suggested that future soil moisture sensors should be designed

to attain high precision, low cost, non-destructive, automated, and highly integrated systems. This review

research sought to provide a particular reference for application departments and scientific researchers in

the process of selecting soil moisture sensors and measuring soil moisture (Shamshiri, 2021). However in

the study of Ferrarezi (2019) commercial sensor calibrations may not always suit the needs of all

applications, so soil-specific calibrations, whether developed in the field or in the laboratory, are

frequently used to increase sensor accuracy. Calibration and field testing are required to properly detect

the soil profile moisture content in real-time and comprehend spatial water usage, in order to give a basis

for determining the appropriate irrigation time and threshold and carrying out precision irrigation.

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 In the study of Setyowati et al., (2020) the control systems are designed using the Arduino Nano

platform and the soil moisture sensor YL 69. The accuracy of the sensor is very influential on the

performance of the control system, so that sensor calibration is done before it is applied to smart

irrigation. The calibration method used in this research is the Gravimetric Water Content method. The

media used in calibration is a mixture of soil and sand as Smart Irrigation as one of the implementations

of the Internet of Things (IoT) in agriculture aims to control and monitor water supply in accordance to

crop needs. The control system is designed using the Arduino Nano platform and the soil moisture sensor

YL 69. The accuracy of the sensor is very influential on the performance of the control system, so that

sensor calibration is done before it is applied to smart irrigation. The calibration method used in this

research is the Gravimetric Water Content method. The media used in calibration is a mixture of soil and

sand as much as 5% of the soil. Water weighed 4.71% from soil weight added to increase soil moisture

level in the calibration process. Based on the calibration results obtained from the sensor reading shows

18.31% of soil moisture in dry soil. With nine times of water addition to soil obtained soil saturation

points to water with sensor reading which shows 61.91% of soil moisture. The experimental results show

the polynomial curve of order 3.

No local literature was found.

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Soil Moisture & Plant Growth

Foreign:

During day-to-day activities, many people often forget to water the plants, and thus it becomes

challenging to keep the plants healthy and alive (Punitha, et al., 2017). In the study of Sandoval (2020)

Euphorbia tithymaloides is a succulent, perennial shrub widely cultivated as an ornamental plant.

Healthy plants can produce a lot of water, resulting in an increase in the humidity of the greenhouse air.

However, Straus (2023), wrote that it can be a bit choosy about light and water, though not overly

delicate, making it a great intermediate-level plant project. By knowing the right amount of water for the

plants and the moisture level of the soil, the researchers use an automatic plant watering system to prevent

overwatering.

In the study of Venkatesh et al. (2023) by designing and implementing this simple and easy

Automatic Plant Watering System, maintenance of household plants becomes easy for those individuals

who travel quite often, have a busy schedule, and tend to forget to water the plants. Individuals just have

to see if the container in which the water pump is placed contains enough water to pump. All plants

require a specific soil moisture range; most plants grow in soil with moisture levels ranging from 20% to

60%. If individuals want to produce certain plants, they must not only ensure that the soil is productive

enough to support growth but also be able to keep soil moisture within a specific range (Tajer,2020). The

roots of plants are the first to soak up water therefore, how much air and water they get really affects their

health. Finally, how wet or dry the soil is plays a big part in how well a plant grows and how healthy it is.

Different plants need different amounts of water in the soil, but most plants do well when the soil is about

20% to 60% water (Cherlinka, 2022).

No local literature was found.

15
Soil Moisture & Plant Height

Foreign:

According to the study of Megersa et al., (2018) the production of these potting ornamental plants

needs careful management practices starting from its early stage of development to throughout its lifetime

in order to give a beautification and marketable value. Among the crucially important practices of the

potting ornamental plant, production is controlling of the plant to the desired height. This practice can be

done either by planting the ornamental plants in to the appropriate pot sizes, which have the ability to

limit the plant root development and consequently reduces the nutrient uptake by limiting the root system

of the plant and/or by using of plant growth retardant chemicals, which have the ability to control the

height of plants by suppressing plant growth regulator activities to the desired plant height. Different

research outputs have confirmed that the larger pot size allowed the plant to grow taller whereas the

smaller pot size restricted the height of the plants. Also, applying a high concentration of plant growth

retardant chemicals reduced the internodal stem elongation of ornamental plants by inhibiting the action

of growth hormone activities, which has the ability to enhance the plant, stem elongations by exhibiting

the cell divisions and consequently increases the plant height.

No local literature was found.

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Theoretical Framework

Figure 1. Diagram of the Theoretical Framework of the Study

According to Krammer (1994), the principles governing the distribution and availability of soil moisture

are essential to a proper understanding of plant-water relations. Soil is considered in relation to plant

growth. Furthermore, the proportions of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the soil atmosphere vary with

depth, season, and other factors. As stated by Zhang et al., (1989), when the soil starts to dry, plants close

their stomata in order to reduce water loss, which shows that the plant is becoming less hydrated. At the

same time, root growth is predominantly driven by vertical soil moisture distribution while influencing

soil moisture at the same time (Maan et al., 2023).

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Conceptual Framework

Figure 2. Diagram of the Conceptual Framework of the study

The Automatic Watering Plant System Using Arduino UNO is designed to keep soil moisture

reading. The system uses a soil moisture sensor to measure the moisture of the soil. The data is then

displayed on an i2C LCD screen. If the moisture of the soil is low the relay module switches the water

18
pump on, and it waters the plant. However, if the moisture of the soil is mid or high the relay module

keeps the water pump switched off.

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Chapter III - Methodology

Research Design

In this study, the researchers used an experimental research design. This study

experimented using an Arduino Uno with soil moisture, an I2C LCD to detect the moisture of the

soil, a relay module, and a water pump to automatically water the plant. The system will

automatically water the plant if it detects that the soil is dry. This design was used to clearly

evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of the automated system. This research is to determine

the height, soil moisture, and the relationship of soil moisture to the devil's backbone growth and

development.

Research Environment

The study took place at Jimalalud National High School's Senior High School Department,

located on the ground floor of the TVL Building in South Poblacion, Jimalalud, Negros Oriental.

The school has 22 teachers, two staff members who aren't teachers, more than 500 students, and a

Principal for the Senior High School.

JNHS Senior High School offered two tracks: Technical Vocational Livelihood (TVL)

Track and Academic Track. The strands included in the TVL Track are as follows: Information

and Communication Technology (ICT), Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM), Shielded

Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), and Home Economics. The Academic Track consists of the

following strands: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Humanities and

Social Sciences (HUMSS), Accountancy, and Business and Management (ABM).

Research Instrument

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 This section presents the instruments that are used in the study:tests, experiments, and

observation forms. These instruments were used to determine the moisture of the soil

and the response of the devil's backbone growth.

Materials and Equipment

HARDWARE DEFINITION

Arduino UNO R3 The Arduino UNO R3 is a small board with 14 pins that you can

connect to different gadgets. It has 6 pins for controlling things like

lights or motors, and 6 pins to check sensor readings like soil moisture.

You can hook it up to a computer using a USB cable or use a battery to

power it (Arduino.cc, 2023).

Soil Moisture Sensor The Soil Moisture Sensor checks how wet or dry the soil is. It shows if

the soil has plenty of water or not enough (Electronics, 2020).

LCD I2C The LCD I2C is a display that tells you the soil moisture level. It lets

you easily read the data from the soil moisture sensor (Longan, 2023).

5V Relay Module The 5V Relay Module is like a remote-controlled switch. When it gets

power, it can turn things on or off, like a pump or a light

(Elprocus.com, 2023).

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Solderless Breadboard A Solderless Breadboard is an instrument that has holes to put

components like resistors for LEDs without needing to solderan

instrument that can build temporary circuits (Electronic, 2023).

Jumper Wires Jumper Wires are wires used to connect different parts of a circuit

together easily. Equipped with two or more connection points, which

regulate the electrical circuit board (Wiltronics, 2022).

USB Cable USB Cable

Utilized to establish a connection between an Arduino board and a

computer. These cables facilitate high-speed, error-free data

transmission (Robu.in, 2023).

Easily integrates into water system projects. Operates through a water

force mechanism, drawing water through its tubing and expelling it

5v Water Pump through the outlet. Suitable for applications such as aquarium exhaust

systems and controlled water flow fountains (mybotic.com, 2020).

Palo 9v battery charger 6f22 A nine-volt battery charger, supplying a nominal voltage of 9 volts.

Various sizes and capacities of batteries are manufactured, with a

common size known as PP3, initially introduced for early transistors

(Microbattery, 2021).

22
Commercial Soil Moisture Used to determine soil moisture levels, primarily for irrigation

management purposes. While slightly more costly than basic soil

probes, these devices offer significantly improved accuracy and

straightforward operation (Kujawski, 2020).

Ruler Employed for measuring length in both metric and customary units.

Marked with standard distances in centimeters at the top and inches at

the bottom, with intervals referred to as hash marks (Spashlearn, 2022).

23
Research Procedure

Arduino IDE 2.0.4. The Arduino Integrated Development

Environment - or Arduino Software (IDE) - contains a text editor

for writing code, a message area, a text console, a toolbar with

buttons for common functions and a series of menus. It connects to

the Arduino hardware to upload programs and communicate

with them.

A. Assembling the Model

Step 1. Gather all the required materials.

Step 2. Connect the Soil Moisture Sensor, I2C LCD, Relay to the Arduino UNO R3

microcontroller and the breadboard as well as the water pump to the relay module by the

following step provided in the circuit schematic below.

Step 3. Connect the unit to a power source.

Step 4. Conduct troubleshooting as needed.

Step 5. Test the soil moisture level reflected in the LCD

24
 B. Programming

Step 1. Install the Arduino IDE 2.0.4

Step 2. Gather all the necessary libraries or generate program code.

Step 3. Check for errors

Step 4. Establish a connection between the laptop and the Arduino UNO R3 microcontroller.

Step 5. Upload the codes to the microcontroller.

Step 6. This time, the Arduino UNO can be disconnected from the laptop.

C. Data gathering

After the devil’s backbone plant was replanted into the pot, data gathering commenced.

Soil moisture is recorded in day time from March 9, 2024, until April 8, 2024, at Jimalalud

National High School- Senior High School TVL Building. Gathering data on the height of the

devil’s backbone plant is weekly as it will provide valuable information about the growth.

Utilizing observation forms is a systematic way to record and track the data accurately.

Prototype

25
Process

The Euphorbia Tithymaloides (Devil's Backbone) are replanted in a pot that contains three of

each. One pot was considered the controlled group, and the other was experimental. All samples will have

the same treatment in terms of sunlight and temperature. However, in terms of watering, the control group

will only water once a week for about 500 ml of water.

Table 1: Soil Moisture Reading Device

Daily Standard
Date Day No. 8:30 10:45 1:00 5:00 Mean Deviation
March 9,
2024 0 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
10, 2024 1 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
11, 2024 2 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
12, 2024 3 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
13, 2024 4 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
14, 2024 5 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
15, 2024 6 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
16, 2024 7 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
17, 2024 8 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
18, 2024 9 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
19, 2024 10 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
20, 2024 11 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
21, 2024 12 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 13 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!

26
 22, 2024
March
23, 2024 14 #DIV/0!
March
24, 2024 15 #DIV/0!
March
25, 2024 16 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
26, 2024 17 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
27, 2024 18 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
28, 2024 19 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
29, 2024 20 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
30, 2024 21 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March
31, 2024 22 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April
1,2024 23 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 2,
2024 24 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 3,
2024 25 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 4,
2024 26 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 5,
2024 27 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 6,
2024 28 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 7.
2024 29 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 8,
2024 30 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
HOURL
Y MEAN #REF! #REF! #REF! #REF!
HOURLY
STANDA
RD
DEVIATI
ON #REF! #REF! #REF! #REF!

27
Table 2 : Soil Moisture Commercial

Daily Standard
Date Day No. 8:30 10:45 1:00 5:00 Mean Deviation
March 9,
2024 0 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 10,
2024 1 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 11,
2024 2 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 12,
2024 3 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 13,
2024 4 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 14,
2024 5 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 15,
2024 6 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 16,
2024 7 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 17,
2024 8 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 18,
2024 9 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 19,
2024 10 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 20,
2024 11 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 21,
2024 12 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 22,
2024 13 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!

28
 March 23,
2024 14 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 24,
2024 15 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 25,
2024 16 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 26,
2024 17 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 27,
2024 18 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 28,
2024 19 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 29,
2024 20 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 30,
2024 21 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
March 31,
2024 22 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April
1,2024 23 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 2,
2024 24 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 3,
2024 25 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 4,
2024 26 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 5,
2024 27 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 6,
2024 28 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 7.
2024 29 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
April 8,
2024 30 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
HOURLY
MEAN #REF! #REF! #REF! #REF!
HOURLY
STANDAR
D
DEVIATIO
N #REF! #REF! #REF! #REF!

29
Growth of Devil's Backbone Plant

EXPERIMENTAL
Table 3: HEIGHT (cm)

Date week Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3

March 9, 2024 0
March 16, 2024 1
March 23, 2024 2
March 30, 2024 3
April 6, 2024 4

CONTROL GROUP
Table 4: HEIGHT (cm)

Date week Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3

March 9, 2024 0
March 16, 2024 1
March 23, 2024 2
March 30, 2024 3
April 6, 2024 4

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Statistical Treatment of the Data

The tools that were used by the researchers in analyzing the data were the following:

Mean. This was used in getting the average value for the everyday readings of the soil moisture.

Standard deviation. This was used to measure the dispersion of a data set relative to its mean.

T-test for Independent Data. This was used to identify the significant difference between the collected

soil moisture of soil moisture sensor and commercial soil moisture.

Pearson's Coefficient. This was used to identify the relationship between the growth of the begonia plant

and the soil moisture.

Chapter IV - Interpretations of Results

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, & INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter is dedicated to the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data gathered from

the soil moisture sensor, commercial soil moisture, and plant growth. After assembling the device, the

following data were gathered from March 9 to April 8, 2024.

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 Figure 3: Soil Moisture Sensor Data Sheet

Figure 3 presents the soil moisture data gathered by the device at Jimalalud National High

School- Senior High School Technical-Vocational Livelihood Building from March 9 to April 8, 2024, in

South Poblacion, Jimalalud, Negros Oriental. As shown in the chart, the moisture of the soil recorded at

5:00 PM is the lowest compared to the moisture of the soil of 8:30 AM, 10:45 AM, and 1:00 PM. The

highest soil moisture recorded was 92% at 10:45 AM and 1:00 PM. While the lowest soil moisture

recorded was 32% at 8:30 AM and 1:00 PM.

Table 5: Hourly Mean and Standard deviation of the soil moisture gathered from the device.

TIME 8:30 AM 10:45 AM 1:00 PM 5:00 PM

SOIL MOISTURE HOURLY 60.29032258 62.12903226 60.06451613 59.70967742

MEAN

SOIL MOISTURE HOURLY 15.56297001 15.55996089 16.15037298 15.81178317

STANDARD DEVIATION

As shown in table 5, the soil moisture recorded at Jimalalud National High School- Senior High

School Technical-Vocational Livelihood Building through the system is at its highest point at 10:45 AM

and at its lowest at 5:00 PM as calculated by the average soil moisture. By this information, the

researchers can conclude that at 10:45 AM it is most likely that the soil moisture is moist and at 5:00 PM,

it has the lowest soil moisture for a day. The time that has the highest standard deviation is 1:00 PM

which indicates that the soil moisture currently varies more. While at 10:45 AM, it has the lowest

standard deviation which means that during this time the soil moisture doesn't vary a lot. According to

32
Aguilar et al. (2017) soil moisture sensing system that utilizes an Arduino Uno microcontroller for

detecting soil moisture variations.

Figure 4: Commercial Soil Moisture Data Sheet

33
 Figure 4 presents the soil moisture data gathered by the commercial at Jimalalud National High

School- Senior High School Technical-Vocational Livelihood Building from March 9 to April 8, 2024, in

South Poblacion, Jimalalud, Negros Oriental. As shown in the chart, the moisture of the soil recorded at

5:00 PM is the lowest compared to the moisture of the soil of 8:30 AM, 10:45 AM, and 1:00 PM. The

highest soil moisture recorded was 60% at 10:45 AM and 1:00 PM. While the lowest soil moisture

recorded was 10% at 8:30 AM, 10:45 AM, 1:00 PM, and 5:00 PM.

Table 6: Hourly Mean and Standard deviation of the Commercial Soil Moisture gathered from the device

TIME 8:30 AM 10:45 AM 1:00 PM 5:00 PM

SOIL MOISTURE HOURLY

MEAN 28.22580645 29.19354839 27.41935484 27.09677419

SOIL MOISTURE HOURLY

STANDARD DEVIATION 11.2557073 11.92021691 11.2070663 10.98196421

As shown in table 5, the soil moisture gather from the commercial recorded at Jimalalud National

High School- Senior High School Technical-Vocational Livelihood Building through the system is at its

highest point at 10:45 AM and at its lowest at 5:00 PM as calculated by the average soil moisture. By this

information, the researchers can conclude that at 10:45 AM it is most likely that the soil moisture is moist

and at 5:00 PM it has the lowest soil moisture for a day. The time that has the highest standard deviation

34
is 10:45 AM which indicates that the soil moisture currently varies more. While at 5:00 PM, it has the

lowest standard deviation which means that during this time the soil moisture doesn't vary a lot.

SOP 6

Collected data of plant growth for experimental group

week Plant 1 (cm) Plant 2 Plant 3 AVERAGE

0 10 12.5 16 12.83333333
1 10.5 13 16.5 13.33333333
2 11 16 17 14.66666667
3 11 16.5 18.5 15.33333333
4 11 17.5 19.5 16

Collected data of plant growth for control group

Week Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3 AVERAGE

0 10 12.5 16 12.83333333
1 10 12.5 16 12.83333333
2 10.5 15 16.5 14
3 10.5 15 16.5 14
4 10.5 15 17 14.16666667

35
Comparing the data between the experimental and the control group, it can be viewed that the
experimental group has higher average than the control group.

Chapter V - Summary of Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations

Summary of the Findings
Conclusion
Recommendations

36
APPENDIX
References

References

Aguilar et al., R. (2017). Wikipedia. Retrieved March 25, 2024, from

https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/4042/?

fbclid=IwAR219J78XX4Sz1REI5s1Ky6_GuyT5f4TYBOPjeYgACJ585tx1_bqOBFHwBg

Ferrarezi, R. S. (2019). Performance of Soil Moisture Sensors in Florida Sandy Soils. MDPI.

Retrieved March 12, 2024, from https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/2/358

Johnson, A. (2017, September 17). ,. , - YouTube. Retrieved March 26, 2024, from

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7586312

Kramer, P. (1994, November). Wikipedia. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from

https://www.jstor.org/stable/4353309?

fbclid=IwAR1bmhIqZ04ZwgnhPfM8ugQQBecr1q5EmTezfs0sXGSaEe-kjDWOH4_5E-w

Lundblad, L. (2019). Automatic irrigation system for plants. DiVA portal. Retrieved March 12,

2024, from https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1373560/FULLTEXT01.pdf

Maan et al., C. (2023, June 29). Wikipedia. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from

https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/27/2341/2023/?fbclid=IwAR1hvpgTgiuIAHpuenAXJucU-

qivBih7bj-_XQEaK4qF8kkNqKFW2tLQ5Sw

Megersa et al., H. (2018). Wikipedia. Retrieved March 23, 2024, from

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Habtamu-Megersa/publication/324110792_Effects_of_Plant

_Growth_Retardants_and_Pot_Sizes_on_the_Height_of_Potting_Ornamental_Plants_A_Short_R

eview/links/6257e26ca279ec5dd7f59088/Effects-of-Plant-Growth-Retardants-and-Pot-

Punitha et al. (2017). Automated Plant Watering System. International Journal of Engineering

Research & Technology. Retrieved March 12, 2024, from

https://www.ijert.org/research/automated-plant-watering-system-IJERTCONV5IS18012.pdf

37
Sandoval, J. (2020). Euphorbia tithymaloides (devil's backbone). Wikipedia. Retrieved March 25,

2024, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351052745_Euphorbia_tithymaloides_devil

%27s_backbone?fbclid=IwAR3eOjl04u0DMdEhL1Rdmn8zBRzta0ne0UV-

AC9cgp6MioGkuBpTyJ7zfBI

Setyowati et al. (2020). Preliminary design and soil moisture sensor yl-69 calibration for

implementation of smart irrigation. Wikipedia. Retrieved March 26, 2024, from

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1517/1/012078?fbclid=IwAR2-

3ZMh8NRGpmOl92SfJYd2ImH9RY3UGUTrXp3c3ERXh4OKLy1hAslS6fk

Shamshiri, R. R. (2021, August 18). (PDF) Review of research progress on soil moisture sensor

technology. ResearchGate. Retrieved March 12, 2024, from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353983263_Review_of_research_progress_on_soil_mo

isture_sensor_technology

Siskandar et al. (2020). INTERNET OF THINGS: AUTOMATIC PLANT WATERING SYSTEM

USING ANDROID. CABI Digital Library. Retrieved March 12, 2024, from

https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/pdf/10.5555/20203596608

Soil and Water Relationships – Noble Research Institute. (n.d.). Noble Research Institute.

Retrieved March 15, 2024, from https://www.noble.org/regenerative-agriculture/soil/soil-and-

water-relationships/

Spashlearn. (2022). What is Ruler? Definition, Types, Examples, Facts. SplashLearn. Retrieved

March 26, 2024, from https://www.splashlearn.com/math-vocabulary/measurements/ruler

Straus, R. (2023, August 28). How to Care for Begonias As Houseplants (Care for Indoor

Plants). Apartment Therapy. Retrieved March 15, 2024, from

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/begonia-plants-262335

Tajer, A. (2020). Wikipedia. Retrieved March 26, 2024, from

https://www.greenwaybiotech.com/blogs/gardening-articles/how-soil-moisture-affects-your-

plants-growth?fbclid=IwAR0iEC-uQJBcLoObdA2PNRKo996U7-

38
G1Lx4lB6vX7AsfhxRZxykHWpvRrRw_aem_AUZq0vgvjsGjV6Qv5IutSACip4jm6k3l851buWs

WxuUu4f9fj1EwVk-S_vlggoMWgDlo-eNBTlBMfBdCl

Venkatesh et al., P. (2023). Design and Fabrication of Automatic Plant Watering System. ijrpr.

Retrieved March 26, 2024, from https://ijrpr.com/uploads/V4ISSUE4/IJRPR12189.pdf

Zhang et al., J. (1989). Wikipedia. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/43326040_Control_of_gas_exchange_evidence_for_ro

ot-shoot_communication_on_drying_soil

Zulkiffli et al. (2021). INTERNET OF THINGS: AUTOMATIC PLANT WATERING SYSTEM

USING ANDROID. CABI Digital Library. Retrieved March 12, 2024, from

https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/pdf/10.5555/20203596608

39
Programming Codes
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>
LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 16, 2);

int sensorPin = A0;

int sensorValue = 0;
int percentValue = 0;
int pumpPin = 7; // Pin connected to the relay module controlling the
water pump

void setup() {
lcd.init();
lcd.backlight();
lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
lcd.print("Welcome.......");
delay(4000);
lcd.clear();
pinMode(pumpPin, OUTPUT); // Set pumpPin as an output
}
void loop() {

sensorValue = analogRead(sensorPin);
percentValue = map(sensorValue, 1023, 200, 0, 100);
lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
lcd.print(" Soil Moisture ");
lcd.setCursor(7, 1);

lcd.print(percentValue);
lcd.print("%");

// Adjust these threshold values as needed

if (percentValue > 60) { // If soil moisture is greater than 60%
digitalWrite(pumpPin, HIGH); // Turn off the water pump
} else if (percentValue < 30) { // If soil moisture is less than 30%
digitalWrite(pumpPin, LOW); // Turn on the water pump
}

delay(1000);
lcd.clear();
}

40
Actual Data

Table 1. Soil Moisture Sensor

Daily Standard
Date Day No. 8:30 10:45 1:00 5:00 Mean Deviation
March 9, 1.4142135
2024 0 77 77 76 74 76 62
March 10, 1.9148542
2024 1 73 73 71 69 71.5 16
March 11, 3.7416573
2024 2 67 62 61 58 62 87
March 12, 2.6299556
2024 3 57 56 55 51 54.75 4
March 13, 3.7749172
2024 4 51 48 46 42 46.75 18
March 14, 24.240118
2024 5 37 37 33 84 47.75 26
March 15, 2.2173557
2024 6 80 79 77 75 77.75 83
March 16, 3.9157800
2024 7 74 72 69 65 70 41
March 17, 3.7749172
2024 8 64 61 59 55 59.75 18
March 18, 3.9157800
2024 9 53 51 48 44 49 41
March 19, 2.6457513
2024 10 43 42 40 37 40.5 11
March 20, 14.930394
2024 11 36 35 32 64 41.75 06
March 21, 2.9439202
2024 12 62 60 59 55 59 89
March 22, 3.1091263
2024 13 53 51 48 46 49.5 51
March 23, 5.1234753
2024 14 45 42 39 33 39.75 83
March 24, 24.351591
2024 15 32 82 80 80 68.5 32
March 25, 1.4142135
2024 16 78 75 76 75 76 62
March 26, 1.2909944
2024 17 75 74 73 72 73.5 49

41
March 27, 1.4142135
2024 18 71 71 70 68 70 62
March 28, 2.6299556
2024 19 67 66 65 61 64.75 4
March 29, 4.1633319
2024 20 59 55 53 49 54 99
March 30, 5.5602757
2024 21 47 43 39 34 40.75 73
March 31, 29.681644
2024 22 32 92 92 90 76.5 16
April 2.9860788
1,2024 23 85 83 83 78 82.25 11
April 2, 3.5590260
2024 24 74 75 72 67 72 84
April 3, 4.5734742
2024 25 55 51 49 44 49.75 45
April 4, 2.9860788
2024 26 41 39 37 34 37.75 11
April 5, 2.8722813
2024 27 84 84 81 78 81.75 23
April 6, 3.6514837
2024 28 76 74 70 68 72 17
April 7. 4.8562674
2024 29 67 65 61 56 62.25 28
April 8, 3.8729833
2024 30 54 51 48 45 49.5 46
HOURLY 60.290322 62.129032 60.064516 59.709677 60.548387 5.8114874
MEAN 58 26 13 42 1 51
HOURLY
STANDAR
D
DEVIATIO 15.562970 15.559960 16.150372 15.811783
N 01 89 98 17

42
 Table 2 : Soil Moisture Commercial

Day Standard
Date No. 8:30 10:45 1:00 5:00 Daily Mean Deviation
4.7871355
March 9, 2024 0 45 40 35 35 38.75 39
2.8867513
March 10, 2024 1 35 35 30 30 32.5 46
March 11, 2024 2 30 30 30 25 28.75 2.5
March 12, 2024 3 25 20 20 20 21.25 2.5
2.8867513
March 13, 2024 4 15 15 10 10 12.5 46
March 14, 2024 5 10 10 10 40 17.5 15
2.8867513
March 15, 2024 6 40 40 35 35 37.5 46
March 16, 2024 7 35 35 35 30 33.75 2.5
2.8867513
March 17, 2024 8 30 30 25 25 27.5 46
4.0824829
March 18, 2024 9 25 20 20 15 20 05
March 19, 2024 10 15 15 15 10 13.75 2.5
March 20, 2024 11 10 10 10 40 17.5 15
2.8867513
March 21, 2024 12 40 40 35 35 37.5 46
6.2915286
March 22, 2024 13 35 30 30 20 28.75 96
March 23, 2024 14 20 20 20 15 18.75 2.5
21.794494
March 24, 2024 15 15 60 60 55 47.5 72
5.7735026
March 25, 2024 16 55 55 45 45 50 92
4.0824829
March 26, 2024 17 45 40 40 35 40 05
March 27, 2024 18 30 30 30 30 30 0
March 28, 2024 19 20 20 20 20 20 0
2.8867513
March 29, 2024 20 20 20 15 15 17.5 46
March 30, 2024 21 20 20 20 15 18.75 2.5
March 31, 2024 22 15 40 40 40 33.75 12.5
April 1,2024 23 40 35 30 30 33.75 4.7871355

43
 39
2.8867513
April 2, 2024 24 30 30 25 25 27.5 46
April 3, 2024 25 25 20 20 20 21.25 2.5
April 4, 2024 26 15 15 15 10 13.75 2.5
April 5, 2024 27 40 40 40 35 38.75 2.5
April 6, 2024 28 35 35 35 35 35 0
4.0824829
April 7. 2024 29 35 30 30 25 30 05
April 8, 2024 30 25 25 25 20 23.75 2.5
27.0967741 27.9838709 4.6254356
HOURLY MEAN 28.22580645 29.19354839 27.41935484 9 7 55
HOURLY
STANDARD 10.9819642
DEVIATION 11.2557073 11.92021691 11.2070663 1

EXPERIMENTAL
Table 3: HEIGHT (cm)

Date week Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3

March 9, 2024 0 10 cm 12.5 cm 16 cm
March 16, 2024 1 10.5 cm 13 cm 16.5 cm
March 23, 2024 2 11 cm 16 cm 17 cm
March 30, 2024 3 11cm 16.5 cm 18.5cm
April 6, 2024 4 11cm 17.5 cm 19.5 cm

CONTROL GROUP
Table 4: HEIGHT (cm)

44
 Date Week Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3
March 9, 2024 0 10 cm 12.5 cm 16 cm
March 16,
2024 1 10 cm 12.5 cm 16 cm
March 23,
2024 2 10.5 cm 15 cm 16.5 cm
March 30,
2024 3 10.5 cm 15 cm 16.5 cm
April 6, 2024 4 10.5 cm 15 cm 17 cm

Costs

45
Documentation

SOP 1. Is the device able to measure variations in the moisture levels of the soil?

SOP 2. Is the LCD module able to display

accurate data on soil moisture?

Sahasrabudhe et al. Efficient solution for monitoring and maintaining

(2023) plant health using sensors and Arduino Uno based
circuits.

Mannan et al. (2023) The development and testing of an IoT-based soil

moisture sensor system that aims to replace manual
methods of monitoring soil moisture levels.

Aguilar et al. (2017) Soil moisture sensing system that utilizes an

ARDUINO Uno microcontroller for detecting soil
moisture variations and activating a water pump as
needed to maintain optimal soil moisture levels.

Johnson (2017) To propose a low-cost homemade soil moisture

sensor using Arduino UNO to enable farmers,
especially those with limited resources, to
effectively monitor soil moisture levels.

SOP 3. Is the device able to automatically water the plant when soil moisture
sensor detects a value of < 30?

Tajer (2020) Emphasize the importance of maintaining specific

soil moisture levels within the range of 20% to 60%
for optimal growth and productivity of plants.

Lundblad (2019) The optimal duration for operating a pump during

an irrigation sequence to achieve the desired soil
moisture level.

Siskandar et al. (2020) When the sensor detects soil moisture below 30%,
the system activates the water pump to irrigate the
plants, while it automatically turns off when the
moisture level exceeds 30% or reaches above 60%.
SOP 4. Is there a significant difference in the soil moisture collected by the soil

46
 moisture sensor of the device and the commercial soil moisture?

Shamshiri (2021)
Reviewed soil moisture sensors used in the last 20-
30 years, outlining their principles and various
applications. Found that future sensors should be
precise, affordable, non-destructive, automated, and
integrated.

Ferrarezi (2019): Found that commercial sensor calibrations might

not suit all needs, so soil-specific calibrations are
often used for better accuracy.

Setyowati et al. (2020): Sensor accuracy is vital for system performance, so

calibration using the Gravimetric Water Content
method was done.
SOP 5. Is there a significant relationship between the soil moisture and the

growth of the Euphorbia Tithymaloides (devil's backbone) plant in terms of

height?

SOP 6. Is there a significant difference

in the growth of plants between control group and experimental group in terms
of height?

Cherlinka (2022) The critical relationship between soil moisture,

plant root health, and overall plant productivity.

Punitha et al. (2017) People forget to water plants, so it's hard to keep
them healthy.

Sandoval (2020) Euphorbia tithymaloides is a popular plant that

adds humidity to greenhouses. It's picky about light
and water but great for intermediate-level plant
care.

Straus (2023) Euphorbia tithymaloides needs the right light and

water, making it a good plant for intermediate-level

47
 growers.

Venkatesh et al. (2023) They made an easy automatic watering system for
busy people to keep their plants healthy.

Megersa et al. (2018) Careful management practices in potting

ornamental plant production to ensure
beautification and marketability. The effectiveness
of controlling plant height through pot size
selection and the application of plant growth and
promote taller growth while high concentrations of
growth retardants inhibit stem elongation, thereby
influencing plant height.

48
Curriculum Vitae

49
Performance Evaluation Instrument

50