Grow Cannabis the Smart Way

I have recently moved to the state of Colorado to research smart plant technology with the Cannabis plant.. This post will teach you how to automate your garden but is mainly an update on the overall research, box2 specifically..

Last three years I have been working to put together an educational wifi smart plant kit simple enough to teach anyone with no previous experience how to program and build circuits, ready to use out of the box. No special equipment needed. Just a laptop, wifi and soil :)

To bring more attention to the project, I have decided to move the operation headquarters to a state where cultivation of cannabis plant is legal.

Our kits are solder free, plug and play so any age group can access it. It is also copy & paste programming ready, which means you don't need any background in either of the fields to build a functioning electronic device. You learn by making and reverse engineering the technology. Editable open ended technology, yours to customize if needed.

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you will need;

1x wifi nodemcu board (arduino)

1x usb rechargable battery pack

1x breadboard

1x RGB led

1x temperature & humidity sensor

1x light sensor

1x water sensor

12x jumper wires

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-- project kits are available --

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thePlantDoctor is an open source smart plant research community. Our devices can alarm end user on the phone/tablet and by changing colors when thirsty, cold, sleeping etc.

Our goal is to bring together nature & technology in a simple, non harmful way. Costing only $20 and a weekend to build. Same technology in this post can be implemented in a greenhouse or smart home automation project.

This post is for educational purposes only, please beware of your state laws before starting a garden.!!

Step 1: History

It all started with the plant health monitor. I just wanted to put together a simple device that could check for temperature, humidity, light and soil levels. basically all the things a plant needs.

A device that can offer a second hand in the garden, while collecting valuable data for the more advanced user.

Then the whole idea of smart plant devices came about, the plant doctor family. Different devices for different gardening scenarios. From a single stand alone smart plant pot to a more advanced indoor automated grow boxes or mobile plant sticks

I am currently focusing on a more advanced box2 with hydroponics setup. This post will mainly be talking about box2 and pot2

Step 2: Frame/Design

Design files for pot2 can be found here

The box2 currently is in protoyping stage, you can see more finished 3D designs with the sketchup file included. Basically I want the entire frame like a puzzle piece, where everything locks into place and I can ship it in pieces.

My first harvest was in soil, i am not currently installing the hydro setup and will make an updated post, follow my channel to stay in the loop.!!

A very clean, uninterrupted grow area. White color to maximize light travel/exposure

Step 3: Lights

400W (2x200W) COB full spectrum LED chip. This light is amazing. Very sleek minimalist design, robust and quiet. So far great results. Because the light is very bright and the space is small, I am able to leave it at the same height and instead train the plants to shape.

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The light comes ready to use with built in heatsinks, fans and reflectors. It also has an on board outlet to plug things in, which will run even if the light is off. Very useful to connect the box2 air intake fans also to power the arduino board. And now the pump for the hydro setup can all be run thru the light. So the entire grow box actually only needs 1 outlet to run. Huge benefit

Step 4: Electronics

Our devices are all based off of a WiFi arduino board called nodemcu.

Each device houses the same electronics; temperature, humidity, soil and light sensors to collect data

An RGB LED to alarm locally

It can be powered via solar, powerbank or AC

A very simple yet effective device. All the data collected then can be displayed on a smartphone/tablet from anywhere in the world.

Step 5: Hardware + Software

We encourage open source hardware + software. Our goal is to introduce smart plant technology to as many gardens around the world as possible. Which we believe will effect production and efficiency as far as natural resources are concerned in a positive way.

First picture is the wiring diagram and next two you can see in detail how the app looks. And below is our most current code

visit to learn more about our software + hardware + app

Step 6: Logo

Our smart logo offers a few unique options

It can change color to locally alarm the end user, blue for water, red for temperature/humidity, yellow for light levels and if all sensors are ok, the light stays green indicating that everything is under control.

Also by scanning the QR code via any smartphone you are directed to the user manual, parts and help site. Basically everything about our organization can be reached and shared via our logo. Everything digital, no paperwork.

On it also displays the Creative Commons license "attribution non-commercial share alike"

Step 7: Cannabis

This plant grows just like any other plant. Our devices do not favor a species over another.. It is simply meant to teach the end user about the future of technology and bring forth a loving relationship towards nature ;)

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Here are some pictures from the growth cycle.. The branches were tied down after hitting a certain height, which promoted lots of side growth, basically I trained each plant to act like bunch of mini plants to maximize yield. This technique is called "scrog"

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This is a micro grow due to size of the box. Each plant was kept in a 6" pot. Started from seed. Vegetative stage for +30days, flowering stage for 70days.

Step 8: Conclusion

I hope this post will get you excited and make you want to start your own garden. Always feel free to ask questions on the comments or messages. an instructable specifically about Box2 hydroponics update will be posted soon, I will be comparing the speed and yield of soil vs hydro.

With more and more states legalizing cannabis and the world wide awareness of cannabis oil on cancer and other illnesses, smart plant technology will be improving as well. Any device that can keep this plant alive will have a chance in shaping the future of electronics + nature. Backyard farming of food crops are also on the rise, people want to grow their own food. Such devices can greatly reduce time needed in the garden, enabling us to work smart not hard, spending our valuable time with others enjoying..

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thank you for your interest. please follow, favorite & share

www.instructables.com/id/the-Plant-Doctor-family/

www.instagram.com/smartplantpot/

www.facebook.com/theplantdoctor2014/

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love & peace

Akin

Comments

[dnak_3xt]

Great project! Would it be easy to implement a camera that can stream images to your phone too with this?

[gm280]

I know you may think it is legal in Colorado, but actually it still isn't legal per Federal Laws. So you really need to be careful if you want to post about grow plants. Why not any other typical plant like maybe tomatoes or peppers or something the entire United States can grow totally legal?

[Hydroponyx420]

Some people, myself included, feel we are obligated to keep the pressure on the federal government in order to force them to play their hand sometime sooner than later. With this kind of technology available, and all of the studies being done on the benefits of cannabis, it is only a matter of time before they have to consider other options. Some people just don't have the guts to stand up for what they believe is right or wrong, and some just don't. I'm not sure that is why they chose to release this with cannabis plants by any means, so I am not putting words in their mouth. But I guarantee someone there had this conversation already and they weighed out the pros and cons, and still released the video. The pros must have outweighed the cons, which gives you an answer to the question "why cannabis and not tomatoes." Another, even more forward answer, would be because it is their business and they can do whatever they please. They alone are the ones who suffer any consequences if any ever come as a result of this. No offense to you at all I might add. It's a great question to ask. Can't we at the very least admire the simplicity and beauty of what technology and some very bright, forward thinking minds have created! It's incredible to say the very least! You have to at least agree with that..?

[Akin Yildiz]

hello, i have been doing it with other plants for years now, you can check out my other posts on my channel - including tomatoes. the technology shared in this post doesn't just work with cannabis plant, but all plants..

[Royell]

There are plenty of Marijuana farms in Colorado. State law supercedes federal law, hence how it's legal there.

[Franklin JohnL]

can i use this for my thesis?its educational purposes. I live in the Philippines

[Akin Yildiz]

use away.. sorry I'm late

[Sidabros]

Great Post !

[cteixeira85]

Great post. :)
Do you know, how to make the oil?

[rafununu]

You'll find a lot of tutorials on the net.

[Akin Yildiz]

my personal method is;
1. heat oven to 290F

2. grind up the flower

3. put the ground flower into aluminium foil, cover it (not into a ball, try keeping the foil flat like a book, or it will get into cracks.
4. put it in middle rack oven for 30mins, it is going to smell delicious in 5mins be prepared

5. take out let it sit covered in foil still for 15mins at least to fully cool down

6. right now it is active and ready to consume, you can just take a handful and put it in your mouth, swallow. it will work great
7. to convert this into oil, you can break it up even more into almost powder
8. get 2 pots, medium and small sized. put water in the medium, bring to boil
9. set the small one inside the boiling pot, make sure no water gets into small.
10. put all the cooked, dry flower material in it
11. add as much oil as you want into it, i always use coconut oil. how much oil you use will decide potency. if you have 20gr of flower and add to it 200ml of oil it will be at X strength. if you add to it only 100ml of oil now it will be twice as potent. make sense.? it depends if you want to dilute it and make it last longer, or more strong doses..
12. with the oil and flower in the small pot inside/above the boiling water middle size pot (this is called double boiling, done to make sure you dont burn the oil and risk loosing your flower) CONSTANTLY stir the oil for 10mins while still inside boiling water. and i mean constantly, make sure to use a timer with each step, MAKE SURE. if you dont stir it wont be released into the oil, this is a must, non stop stirring :)
13. your arm will hurt a bit, so switch hands every minute, now your oil is infused, you can strain all the flower material out of the oil using coffee filter or cheesecloth. i normally leave the plant material inside the oil, it doesn't bother me, i like the taste. i just eat it all. you can now take a tea spoon full of the oil with or without the dry flower in it and it will work. if you want to cook with this oil for cookies or smtg, you have to make sure to NEVER go above 315F during cooking of whatever you are making. or it will burn away and loose potency. huge mistake, i never cook with this oil, i just either put it in my mouth as is or on bread, inside a smoothie, anything really. but usually just spoon it, it tastes like olive oil with spices inside, you can dip toast bread to it. just study the dosage, you can do half a teaspoon first on empty stomach first thing in morning, wait 40mins at least to see if you feel anything, if not do another half, maybe a full. based on that, you can adjust potency during adding oil.
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its very easy, just read this twice, you will be fine. :) let me know if you ever get to do it and if it worked.!!

[rafununu]

Here, in France, this kind of post can
drive you to jail. I'm not kiddind, we've got laws from the last
century. It is strictly forbidden to talk about weed ! A guy wearing
a tee shirt showing a canabis leaf has been prosecuted, hopefully
he didn't go to jail, but had to pay a substantial fee. Other countries,
other laws. I'm gonna look at your KS campain.

[Akin Yildiz]

that is very sad to hear. unfortunately this is still the truth in most parts of the world.. hopefully we can help world see the benefit in it one day.

[Cekpi7]

he is in colorado, im sure if he can grow weed, he shoudnt have any problems with posting it

[charles_smith]

Great post. I would like to try it too but I know parents won't allow me :(

[Akin Yildiz]

you can always train with other plants. tomatoes are great to practice with. grow fast, are resilient. you can shape them nicely and they taste great.!! i highly suggest you give it a try even without all the electronic stuff above, plants are amazing. and you will be an expert by when the time is right ;)

[snoop911]

Any thoughts on Rick Story ("Run from the Cure" documentary fame) who uses THC oil for cancer?

Or research findings from lesser known cannabinoids (ex. CBD)? Ben Greenfield's podcast, talks about the work from Kyle Boyar.

[Akin Yildiz]

well "rick oil" is a pretty famous term. its a very simple yet effective way of converting dry plant material to oil form so people who can't or don't want to smoke can digest it in a more healthy fashion.
CBD is amazing stuff. you can release/conver more/less CBD from your plant based on harvest time and cooking methods. it works great with curing cancer is what i research online. Cooking or vaping the plant is always going to release more chemicals and offer a more balanced effect. Where as combustion with flame mainly only releases thc. CBD scene in colorado is huge, lots of patients come here just to use the oils, but many states now legalized cbd oils. check a local tobacco shop, they may have it.