Raspberry Pi Pico can keep your Christmas tree lush and green

For those whose trees are starting to look a little lacklustre, YouTube's Pater Practicus offers a timely solution.

Leveraging the power of Raspberry Pi Pico, he has created a device that ensures your Christmas tree, or any houseplant for that matter, gets the water it needs throughout the season.

Pater Practicus, known as YouTube’s most practical dad, has devised a high-tech method to keep the family Christmas tree well-watered and minimise needle drop. The project begins with trimming about an inch off the bottom of the tree trunk, then placing it in a stand that doubles as a water reservoir.

The core of this hack is the Raspberry Pi Pico, initially set up with MicroPython code to flash a red LED for a previous project. Pater Practicus enhanced this setup by adding code to read data from a moisture sensor. The system is designed to flash the red LED when the water reservoir runs dry. Additionally, he programmed a green LED to indicate when the system is operating correctly – a green light signifies the tree is well-watered.

The moisture sensor is positioned strategically on the tree trunk, hanging at the ideal water level within the stand. If the water is at the correct level, the red LED remains off. However, if the water dips too low, the red LED blinks, signalling the need to water the tree.

The inspiration for this project came from an article in HackSpace magazine, which Pater Practicus adapted to suit the needs of Christmas tree care.

While this hack is perfect for keeping Christmas trees fresh throughout December, its application extends beyond the holiday season. The Raspberry Pi Pico-powered system can be equally effective for maintaining any house plant, ensuring they receive adequate water. This is especially beneficial for those who have experienced the demise of houseplants due to insufficient watering.