There are multiple reasons to love houseplants. These range from their ability to remove pollutants from the air to reducing stress. They help increase our focus and creativity and bring some of the outdoors inside our homes. Almost quite literally houseplants bring in a breath of fresh air we all love. However, the reality is that plants are designed and adapted to live outside the house in the ground according to the natural environment. So, if we decide on keeping them inside our homes we need to give them extra care and treat them really well. So a major reason why we tend to mess up with their care is their watering. Dr. Leonard Perry, a professor of horticulture at the University of Vermont, states:
“Watering, and most often overwatering, is where most houseplant-keepers go wrong. This is not such a difficult task if one considers the environmental factors and plant type”
It sounds very simple yet watering houseplants can be a struggle for many of us. The reason being the variety of variables that tend to make this job a bit tricky. A key point here is that each plant has its own water intake requirements. Different plant species have their own watering needs. Some prefer dryer soil while others thrive in moist soils. Other factors include its location, weather, season, etc. However, once you get hold of the plant and its soil, it is not hard to master the art of watering. What if you do not have to go through all this hassle and have a special device to take care of your plants. Follow along and get to know about the latest invention known as the Exoplanter- the very first smart planter of the world that provides the ultimate solution to overwatering and underwatering.
(Source: ProFlowers)
The Exoplanter
Presently all the existing planting units require artificial watering such as storage-type vases. Everything is currently manual such as watering frequency and amount of water to be given. All this makes the use of such planting units difficult to maintain. The Exoplanter is the very first smart plater in the world that can use air moisture to water plants. It monitors the demand for water through smart soil sensors. This smart planter uses water molecules present in the air.
By running the Exoplanter for a short period of time, it can easily meet the water demand of the plants for a week. This smart planter will monitor and water the plants for you automatically. By deciding on a specific setting, the dehumidifier will be switched on for a limited period of time. Moreover, the Exoplanter has smart soil sensors that will monitor the condition of the soil and will run the dehumidifier accordingly.
Features of the Exoplanter
Following are the features of the Exoplanter that makes it stand out from the conventional planting units:
1- Energy and water-saving
Due to the humidity in the air, air conditioners have to work twice as hard as required consequently increasing your electricity bills. The Exoplanter helps maintain the humidity at optimal levels and also recycles the water for your plant. It is equipped with energy-efficient technology with a power usage of 36W/hour.
2- Automatic self-watering
The Exoplanter is equipped with smart soil sensors that help in detecting the water required by the plant.
3- Wide operational temperature range
The Exoplanter works best within a temperature range from 32°F (0°C) to 114°F (45°C) and humidity over 20%.
4- Travel without worrying with Exoplanter
If you have household indoor plants, you need to think twice before leaving the house. With the advent of this smart planter, you can travel without thinking about the plants behind. The Exoplanter will monitor your plants and will keep a constant check and regulate the water levels.
5- Dehumidification
The Exoplnater is a smart planter that can efficiently measure the humidity level in the surrounding environment. Higher levels of humidity in the air are the major cause of the development of carcinogens. The Exoplnater starts its dehumidifying function as soon as it detects higher humidity levels so to quickly reduce the moisture levels. This consequently prevents the formation of molds and the dust mites from thriving.
Components and Design of Exoplanter
The novel smart planter consists of four major components. The function and design of these components have been discussed below.
1- Semiconductor cooling device
It is the main equipment controlling major operations of the Exoplanter. The semiconductor cooling device is connected with the power supply unit. The power unit transmits an electric current and the charges pass through the semiconductor cooling device. This device comprises of an inlet and an outlet. The hot air in the plant’s surrounding environment enters the cooling device through the inlet. While the outlet releases heat in the air. The cooling device entraps extra moisture.
2- Condenser
This device is used in the Exoplanter for converting gas or vapors into liquid. It entraps the hot air vapors from the surrounding air. Once the vapors enter the device, they are subjected to the condensation process where the endpoint is liquid water. As a result of the condensation process, latent heat which is produced enters the environment. The condenser and water plug both are connected to the power supply system. It helps in lowering the condenser’s temperature while providing electric energy for operation. The condenser is connected with the outlet of the semiconductor cooling device which releases hot air.
3- Water plug
The water plug is used for draining or dewatering the plant so that it does not become over-watered. It is connected with the condenser. It is an important part of the Exoplanter as it removes extra water from soil surrounding the plant roots.
4- Soil sensor
The presence of soil sensors makes these planters smart. The soil sensors are also referred to as the moisture sensors. Their major function is the estimation of the volumetric water content in a particular soil. In the Exoplanter, the soil sensors are set in the soil to which the plant roots are exposed. The sensors work by the deposition of electric charge on the electrodes. This electric charge creates an electrical resistance. Soil sensors in the Exoplanter measure this electric resistance. When a plant uses water, the moisture level of the soil decreases. As a result, there is an increase in the resistance due to the absorbance of water by the sensor. On the other hand, when the plants are in a water deficit environment, the moisture content of the soil decreases. Consequently, there is a decrease in resistance.
Working Mechanism of the Exoplanter
The Exoplanter is an intelligent device for managing the needs of indoor plants keeping them healthy and growing. It automatically waters the plant, providing the right amount of water to the roots and preventing it from over-watering. Knowing how it really works will be interesting for you all. As discussed earlier, the Exoplanter consists of a water plug, semiconductor cooling device, power supply unit, and condenser. In the first step, the power supply unit provides electric energy to the cooling device. The cooling device uses a semiconductor and works by entrapping hot air, carrying out high-temperature gasification, and generates steamed water. In the next step, the condenser unit absorbs the heat released from the cooling device’s outlet and converts the vapors in the hot air into liquid water.
In this way, the Exoplanter also helps in controlling the indoor temperature of your house as well as operates as a dehumidifier. The water released by the condenser reaches the plant soil by a water plug. The water plug also functions as a drain plug for removing extra water from the plant soil. So, as Exoplanter absorbs heat, releases hot air, carries out high-temperature gasification, and generates steamed vapors. Later, these vapors are condensed to provide liquid water for automatically watering the plant. In this way, it manages the plant needs by automatically fulfilling the water requirements of the plant.
What plants you can place in the Exoplanter?
The Exoplanter can work well with all kinds of plants particularly due to its self-watering capabilities. It waters the plants according to their water requirements. Asparagus Ferns, Money Plants, Aloe, and Snake Plants are some of the easy-to-manage plants which you can put in an Exoplanter.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, Exoplanter is a great device that has contributed to a great extent in managing the watering needs of indoor plants. It has significantly reduced the maintenance cost associated with raising indoor plants. Moreover, it is extremely easy to use, plant-friendly and efficient in monitoring the plant’s water needs. If you love indoor plants but worried about over or underwatering them, then Exoplanter is the perfect device for you.