===== Soil-Moisture-Driven Irrigation with VegeHub & B-Hyve =====

This page documents the irrigation upgrade for the vegetable garden beds using **real soil moisture data** to trigger watering through the existing **B-Hyve** irrigation controller.

The goal: **water only when the soil actually needs it**, not on a timer.

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==== 🥕 Project Overview ====

The system uses:

  * **VegeHub WiFi Control Hub (Vegetronix)**
    * Handles wired soil moisture sensors (1–4 per hub)
    * Sends readings to Home Assistant (local API)
    * Has an onboard relay (optional to use)

  * **VH400 Soil Moisture Sensors (Vegetronix)**
    * Extremely accurate, long-term stable, outdoor-rated
    * Low power consumption
    * Ideal for vegetable beds

  * **B-Hyve Irrigation System**
    * Already installed and working
    * Exposed to Home Assistant as zone switches
    * Automations will trigger B-Hyve based on moisture thresholds

Your initial project plan:

  * **Phase 1:** 1 VegeHub + 4 sensors → one sensor per bed  
  * **Phase 2:** Add second VegeHub + 4 sensors (8 total)  
  * **Goal:** Each irrigation zone waters *only* when its beds are dry

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==== 🌱 System Diagram (Text Version) ====

<code>
[ VH400 Sensor A ]   \
[ VH400 Sensor B ]    >  → VegeHub → Home Assistant → B-Hyve Zone 1
[ VH400 Sensor C ]   /
[ VH400 Sensor D ]

Home Assistant logic:
  - Compute per-bed moisture (avg or median)
  - Compute zone moisture = min(bed A, bed B)
  - Trigger watering only when moisture < threshold
</code>

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==== 🔧 Parts List ====

=== **Required (Phase 1 – 4 beds)** ===

^ Qty ^ Item ^ Description ^ Link ^
| 1 | **VegeHub WiFi Control Hub** | Outdoor WiFi hub for soil sensors | https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VG-HUB/ |
| 4 | **VH400 Soil Moisture Sensor** | Capacitive, highly accurate, waterproof | https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VH400/ |
| 4 | 2-conductor outdoor burial wire (18–22 AWG) | Cable from beds to hub | Home Depot / Lowes |
| 1 | Weatherproof mounting hardware | Mount the VegeHub on post/wall | Hardware store |

=== **Optional / Helpful** ===

^ Qty ^ Item ^ Description ^ Link ^
| 1 | 5–12V DC Power Supply | If not using battery mode | Amazon |
| 1 | Drip irrigation tuning kit | Adjust flow per bed | Amazon |
| 1 | Additional VegeHub (Phase 2)** | For 8 sensors total | https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VG-HUB/ |

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==== 🌿 Recommended Sensor Layout ====

**4 sensors → 4 beds**

Place each probe:

  * At **root depth** (3–6 inches)  
  * About **halfway between drip emitters**  
  * **Not directly under** a drip outlet  
  * Slightly angled downward for better soil contact  

For **8 sensors (Phase 2):**

  * 1 probe per bed (best)  
  * OR 2 probes for uneven beds (sun/shade differences)

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==== 🔌 Home Assistant Integration ====

=== VegeHub → Home Assistant ===
The official VegeHub integration exposes:

  * `sensor.bed1_moisture`
  * `sensor.bed2_moisture`
  * `sensor.bed3_moisture`
  * `sensor.bed4_moisture`
  * `switch.vegehub_relay`  (optional)

=== B-Hyve → Home Assistant ===
Your existing irrigation switches:

  * `switch.veg_bed_1_2_zone`
  * `switch.veg_bed_3_4_zone`
  * `switch.veg_bed_5_6_zone`
  * `switch.veg_bed_7_8_zone`

Home Assistant will use the VegeHub readings to automate watering.

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==== 💧 Watering Logic ====

=== Rules ===
  * Water when **moisture < dry threshold**
  * Only run during **allowed time windows** (best: early morning)
  * Continue watering until:
    * Soil **> wet threshold**, OR  
    * **Maximum runtime** is reached (safety)

=== Example Thresholds ===
  * **Dry threshold:** 20–25% VWC  
  * **Wet threshold:** 28–32% VWC  

(These values can be tuned based on your soil and crop needs.)

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==== 🧠 Example Automation (YAML) ====

<code>
alias: "Veg Zone 1 • Moisture Based Watering"
trigger:
  - platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.bed1_moisture
    below: 22

condition:
  - condition: time
    after: "05:00:00"
    before: "09:00:00"

action:
  - service: switch.turn_on
    target:
      entity_id: switch.veg_bed_1_2_zone

  - wait_for_trigger:
      - platform: numeric_state
        entity_id: sensor.bed1_moisture
        above: 28
    timeout: "00:20:00"

  - service: switch.turn_off
    target:
      entity_id: switch.veg_bed_1_2_zone
</code>

Replicate the automation for Zones 2–4 using their matching sensor entities.

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==== ✔️ Why VegeHub Fits This Setup ====

  * Highly reliable agricultural-grade hardware  
  * VH400 sensors offer best-in-class accuracy and stability  
  * WiFi connection avoids outdoor Zigbee issues  
  * Seamless Home Assistant integration  
  * Lets B-Hyve continue controlling the valves  
  * Simple roadmap to expand from 4 → 8 sensors  

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==== 📦 Where to Buy ====

  * **VegeHub WiFi Control Hub**  
    https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VG-HUB/

  * **VH400 Soil Moisture Sensor**  
    https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VH400/

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