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Daniel Ioni
Daniel Ioni

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🌱 From Code to Soil: How We Built an Arduino-Powered Smart Garden API for MyZubster

#arduino #garden #smart #myzubster

🌱 From Code to Soil: How We Built an Arduino-Powered Smart Garden API for MyZubster

And how you can join the movement — one sensor, one plant, one Monero transaction at a time.
🧭 The idea

MyZubster started as a decentralized ecosystem for privacy, payments, and plant mapping.
But we wanted to go further.

We wanted to connect the digital world with the physical one – to bridge code and soil, sensors and seeds, data and community.

That's why we built the Arduino Garden API: a simple, open, and secure way for anyone to connect their urban garden to the MyZubster network.
🌍 Why permaculture + open source?

Permaculture is about designing systems that are sustainable, resilient, and regenerative.
Open source is about building technology that is transparent, collaborative, and free.

They are a perfect match.

MyZubster is now a platform where:

🌿 Gardeners can monitor their plants remotely.

🧪 Developers can build dashboards and automations.

🌱 Seed savers can share and trade locally.

📊 Researchers can collect open data on urban agriculture.

🤝 Communities can connect over food, soil, and knowledge.
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🛠️ What we built: Arduino Garden API

We added a new module to the MyZubster Gateway:

POST /api/garden/data – receive sensor data (pH, EC, temperature, humidity) from Arduino or ESP devices.

GET /api/garden/:id/stats – retrieve min, max, average statistics for each garden.

MongoDB persistence – all data is stored and ready for dashboards.
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The API is lightweight, self‑hosted, and designed for low‑power devices like ESP8266 or ESP32.
📊 How it works

  1. Arduino reads sensors

    pH, electrical conductivity (EC), temperature, humidity.

  2. Sends a JSON payload to MyZubster
    json

{
"gardenId": "my-urban-garden",
"ph": 6.2,
"ec": 1.8,
"temperature": 22.5,
"humidity": 65
}

  1. Data is stored in MongoDB
  2. You get stats json

{
"gardenId": "my-urban-garden",
"stats": {
"ph": { "min": 6.0, "max": 6.5, "avg": 6.2, "count": 42 },
"ec": { "min": 1.6, "max": 2.0, "avg": 1.8, "count": 42 },
"temperature": { "min": 21.5, "max": 23.1, "avg": 22.3, "count": 42 },
"humidity": { "min": 62, "max": 70, "avg": 66, "count": 42 }
}
}

🧪 Real test: it works

We tested the API with a simple curl command – and it worked instantly:
bash

curl -X POST http://localhost:3002/api/garden/data \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"gardenId": "test-garden-001",
"ph": 6.2,
"ec": 1.8,
"temperature": 22.5,
"humidity": 65
}'

Response:
json

{
"success": true,
"message": "Dati dell'orto salvati con successo",
"data": {
"gardenId": "test-garden-001",
"ph": 6.2,
"ec": 1.8,
"temperature": 22.5,
"humidity": 65,
"timestamp": "2026-07-30T12:00:45.996Z"
}
}

Then we sent three readings and retrieved aggregated statistics – all working perfectly.
🛠️ Code for Arduino (ESP8266/ESP32)

Here's a minimal example of how to send data from an Arduino to MyZubster:
cpp

include

include

const char* ssid = "your_wifi";
const char* password = "your_password";
const char* serverUrl = "http://188.213.161.186:3002/api/garden/data";

void setup() {
Serial.begin(115200);
WiFi.begin(ssid, password);
while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) delay(500);
Serial.println("WiFi connected!");
}

void loop() {
// Read sensors (pH, EC, temperature, humidity)
float ph = 6.2;
float ec = 1.8;
float temp = 22.5;
float hum = 65;

// Create JSON payload
StaticJsonDocument<200> doc;
doc["gardenId"] = "test-garden-001";
doc["ph"] = ph;
doc["ec"] = ec;
doc["temperature"] = temp;
doc["humidity"] = hum;

String payload;
serializeJson(doc, payload);

// Send HTTP request
WiFiClient client;
if (client.connect("188.213.161.186", 3002)) {
client.println("POST /api/garden/data HTTP/1.1");
client.println("Host: 188.213.161.186:3002");
client.println("Content-Type: application/json");
client.print("Content-Length: ");
client.println(payload.length());
client.println();
client.println(payload);
delay(1000);
}
delay(60000); // Send every minute
}

🌱 Seed Exchange: the next layer

We're also building a decentralized seed and cutting exchange to promote biodiversity and local food production.

Open issues:

Repository Type Title Bounty

1 MyZubster-Marketplace Free Data model for Seed Exchange –
2 MyZubsterGateway Bounty API for Seed Exchange 0.06 XMR
3 MyZubsterWeb Free Frontend for listings –
4 MyZubsterWeb Free Form to create listing –
5 MyZubsterGateway Bounty Messaging for exchanges 0.05 XMR
6 myzubster Free Display on map –

🔗 View all Seed Exchange issues
📋 How you can contribute

You don't need to be a developer to help. We need:

Gardeners and permaculturists – to test the map and share knowledge.

Developers – to build the API, dashboard, and Arduino code.

Writers – to create guides and documentation.

Translators – to make the project accessible to more people.
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🔗 Related links

Live site: https://myzubster.com

GitHub Organization: https://github.com/MyZubster-Ecosystem

Gateway Repository: https://github.com/MyZubster-Ecosystem/MyZubsterGateway

Telegram Channel: https://t.me/myzubster

Telegram Bot: @MyZubster_bot
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🌟 A final thought

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."
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MyZubster is no longer just about code and crypto.
It's about growing food, building community, and taking care of the earth – one sensor, one plant, one Monero transaction at a time.

If you believe in a greener, more decentralized future,
welcome aboard. 🌱

Daniel Ioni – Rimini, 2026
🐱 With Chanel watching me write code

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