RESEARCH
Urban Ag Innovators
Follow Our Team on an Exciting Journey to Grow Plants with Less Water
Urban agriculturists, including gardeners and homeowners, often face expensive water bills. Along many western state urban centers, there can often be water shortages.
Join us as we test a Smart Irrigation System using sensors to automate watering. Can we grow greener plants while saving water? Can AI help us do that better? Will there be any difference in the produce at the end of the season?
The Experiment Design
Across urban ag locations in Colorado’s Front Range (Denver area to Fort Collins) we are working together to run an experiment with potted tomato plants. One is watered using sensor technology and a live urban farmer, while the other uses the same sensor technology and AI.
How It Works
A microcontroller (tiny computer) reads soil sensors 24/7. When soil moisture gets too low, it automatically turns on a small pump and applies the perfect amount of water without waste. This same principle can be used to control irrigation systems on farms, gardens, and urban landscapes.
Setting It Up
Video coming soon
See What’s Happening at Each Location
Maybe you’ve visited the experiment at one of the locations and want to see how much water each is using? Or you are just curious and want to watch this season’s progress virtually. Coming soon we’ll provide a link here to each site’s watering use and timings.
Stay Engaged with Our Research
Learn More About the IoT Sensor Kits
We offer a free online eBook to learn more about the technology and skills used in the project, Soil IoT 101 – Introduction to IoT and the CSU Sensor Kit.
Accelerate Your Ag Skills
Would you like to learn more about careers in agriculture or how you can earn Upskill badges? Are you a teacher or youth educator and want to learn more about using this experiment for your students?
Please fill out this short survey or email Deana Namuth-Covert@colostate.edu.
Urban Ag Innovators Team Members
We’re proud to partner with a variety of organizations across Colorado. Click on each logo to learn more about the great work each is doing in their local communities.
Funding Acknowledgement
This project is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number WPDP24-021. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
