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Yes—an Agrumino Lemon can monitor plant conditions and control a small irrigation pump through a Telegram bot. The setup described here is a community-built maker project, not an official Agrumino–Telegram integration or a ready-to-use irrigation system. You will need to configure Arduino firmware, connect suitable low-voltage hardware, provide reliable 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, and test the watering system carefully.
The referenced project, published on June 28, 2022, implements three commands: Water runs the pump for two seconds, Info reports readings, and Set HH:MM schedules a two-second watering event. Those commands belong to that sketch; they are not universal Agrumino commands.
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What the system does
The system divides the work between several components:
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- ESP8266 Wi-Fi: connects the board to the network and Internet.
- Arduino firmware: reads sensors, polls Telegram, interprets commands, and controls the pump.
- Telegram bot: provides the remote interface from a phone or desktop.
- Pump, tubing, and reservoir: deliver water to the plant.
Lifely currently describes Agrumino Lemon as a programmable, open-source board with an ESP8266, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, temperature, soil-moisture or humidity, brightness and water-level sensing, expansion connections, and a pump connector. See the official Agrumino product information.
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Is the 2022 project still practical?
The basic design remains technically plausible: an ESP8266 can connect to Telegram, Agrumino provides plant readings, and the board can switch a small pump. However, the Hackster project is several years old, its downloadable code was not accessible for independent verification, and Lifely’s current documentation does not establish an official Telegram integration. Treat the tutorial as a starting point that may require firmware adjustments rather than as a maintained product feature.
The original tutorial refers to a 3 V pump, while Lifely’s current product information specifies a 3.7 V pump connector. Do not generalize either number to every board. Check your exact Agrumino model and revision, connector specification, pump voltage, current draw, and power arrangement before connecting the pump. Agrumino Orange is presented by Lifely as a simpler hobbyist product; compatibility with this programmable Telegram sketch is not established.
Hardware and software checklist
- A programmable Agrumino Lemon, with its exact revision confirmed
- A compatible low-voltage pump
- Tubing, preferably with a drip emitter or flow restrictor
- A water reservoir
- A suitable regulated power supply
- A computer and USB cable for programming
- Arduino IDE
- A Telegram account and bot
- A reliable 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network with Internet access
- Waterproofing, splash protection, cable strain relief, and a physical pump cutoff
- A multimeter for checking voltage and current
Add a non-return valve if the tubing could siphon after the pump stops. Keep the board and electrical connections away from splashes, and do not place the sensor where watering can wet its electronics.
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Create the Telegram bot
- Open Telegram and search for
@BotFather. - Send
/start. - Send
/newbot. - Choose a display name.
- Choose a username ending in
bot. - Save the authentication token in a password manager or another secure location.
Telegram’s official bot documentation describes this process. Anyone with the token can access the bot, so never publish it in a sketch, repository, screenshot, or tutorial. If it is exposed, revoke and regenerate it through BotFather.
Use a private chat for initial testing. A production-minded sketch should also allow commands only from your Telegram chat ID; a bot token alone is not a sufficient access-control strategy.
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- Accurate Soil Moisture Detection: The XLUX Soil Moisture Meter can tell you if the soil deep inside your pot or garden is dry, moist or wet; whereas your eyes and fingers can only determine the moisture level of the soil surface. The probe is 5.5 inches (14 cm) longer than regular styles, allowing it to measure the soil moisture at the bottom of larger and deeper flower pots.
- Easy-to-Read Large Dial: The large dial is easy to read and includes three zones with ten scales, making it very straightforward to understand.
- Immediate Moisture Reading: Insert the probe into the soil, and without waiting, the dial will immediately display the moisture level. You can then decide whether your plant needs watering based on the measurement. Do not leave this moisture meter in the soil for more than 5 minutes, as the metal tip will gradually corrode.
- Less Damage: A single probe causes less damage to plant roots compared to double or multiple probes, and when you remove the probe after testing, it won't bring out much soil.
- Usage Precautions: Do not use it to test very hard soil. Do not test water or other liquids. After testing, please wipe the probe clean.
Install Agrumino support in Arduino IDE
Lifely’s development documentation uses Arduino IDE. The older official guide refers to Arduino IDE 1.8 or later, and a later guide references Arduino IDE 1.8.19 for the classic setup path. Package names and board definitions can change, so check Lifely’s current setup hub before installing.
- Install Arduino IDE.
- Open File → Preferences.
- Add Lifely’s board-manager URL to Additional Boards Manager URLs:
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/lifely-cc/arduino-json-manifest/main/package_lifelycom_index.json - If the setup instructions require it, also add the ESP8266 URL:
http://arduino.esp8266.com/stable/package_esp8266com_index.json - Open Tools → Board → Boards Manager.
- Install the Lifely Agrumino board platform and select the appropriate Agrumino board under Tools → Board.
- Connect Agrumino by micro-USB, select its port under Tools → Port, compile, and upload the sketch.
The official Agrumino guide says the Agrumino libraries are included with the board-core installation. If the current setup page differs from the older PDF instructions, follow the current page.
Configure the firmware
Download the sketch associated with the referenced Hackster project. Because the original attachment was not available for verification, do not assume its exact variable names or that it compiles unchanged with current board packages.
Locate the equivalent definitions for:
- Wi-Fi network name
- Wi-Fi password
- Telegram bot token
The original instructions show placeholders similar to:
String ssid = "MySSID";
String password = "MyPassword";
String token = "MyToken";A clearer modern naming pattern would be:
const char* WIFI_SSID = "your-network-name";
const char* WIFI_PASSWORD = "your-network-password";
const char* TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN = "your-bot-token";For a maintained project, put these values in a separate local configuration file excluded by .gitignore, or inject them through a suitable secrets mechanism. Never commit real credentials.
Rank #3
- Accurate Soil Moisture Detection: The XLUX Soil Moisture Meter can tell you if the soil deep inside your pot or garden is dry, moist or wet; whereas your eyes and fingers can only determine the moisture level of the soil surface. The probe is 5.5 inches (14 cm) longer than regular styles, allowing it to measure the soil moisture at the bottom of larger and deeper flower pots.
- Easy-to-Read Large Dial: The large dial is easy to read and includes three zones with ten scales, making it very straightforward to understand.
- Immediate Moisture Reading: Insert the probe into the soil, and without waiting, the dial will immediately display the moisture level. You can then decide whether your plant needs watering based on the measurement. Do not leave this moisture meter in the soil for more than 5 minutes, as the metal tip will gradually corrode.
- Less Damage: A single probe causes less damage to plant roots compared to double or multiple probes, and when you remove the probe after testing, it won't bring out much soil.
- Usage Precautions: Do not use it to test very hard soil. Do not test water or other liquids. After testing, please wipe the probe clean.
Connect and test the pump safely
The original project connects the pump to Agrumino’s pump connector and runs it for two seconds. That is safe only when the pump matches the connector’s voltage and current limits. Do not connect an arbitrary pump directly.
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- Leave the pump disconnected and upload the firmware.
- Confirm that the board boots and joins the 2.4 GHz network.
- Send
Infoand check that the returned values are plausible. - Place the pump in an almost-empty test container and run a short manual test.
- Check for leaks, overheating, excessive flow, unexpected continuous operation, and resets.
- Only after that, route the tubing into the plant pot.
- Schedule a test one or two minutes in the future.
- Confirm that the pump stops automatically.
Telegram commands in the referenced sketch
| Command | Expected behavior |
|---|---|
Water |
Runs the pump for two seconds and reports “Watering completed.” |
Info |
Reports temperature, soil moisture, and illuminance. |
Set 08:00 |
Schedules a two-second watering event at the specified time. |
These behaviors are attributed to the referenced 2022 sketch. Before relying on it, inspect the code to determine whether commands are case-sensitive, whether a new schedule replaces an old one, whether schedules survive reboot, which timezone is used, and what happens during a Wi-Fi outage. Also check whether the firmware prevents repeated commands from extending watering indefinitely and whether it restricts control to an authorized chat ID.
Calibrate watering instead of trusting “two seconds”
Two seconds is a pump run time, not a universal quantity of water. Delivered volume depends on pump output, tubing diameter, emitter restriction, reservoir height, and the condition of the pump.
- Place the outlet in a measuring container.
- Run the pump for a known interval, such as 10 or 30 seconds.
- Measure the delivered volume and calculate milliliters per second.
- Repeat the test with the actual tubing and emitter installed.
- Choose a plant-specific run time and verify it over several watering cycles.
Soil-moisture readings also need calibration. Soil type, salt content, sensor placement, compaction, and corrosion can change the reported value. Record wet and dry baselines for each pot rather than treating a displayed percentage as an absolute botanical measurement.
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- Soil Moisture Meter: This single probe soil moisture meter is specially designed for testing the moisture level in the soil, helps you decide whether the plants need water or not, helps to keep plants alive.
- Easy to Use:No batteries or electricity needed,just insert the water meter probe into the soil to the plant root level, the indicator pointer will show you the readings immediately.
- Accurate and Reliable: Single probe sensor is very sensitive, pointer on the dial moves quickly and display accurate values when testing soil moisture. 7.6” long probe is also suitable for large potted plants.
- Portable & Lightweight：This soil hygrometer can be used both indoors and outdoors, with its portable and compact design, you can test at any time any place as you want.This soil moisture meter is a great handy tool for potted plants, garden, farm, lawn plant care.
- Warm Prompt: This meter is designed for soil only, can not be used to test water or other liquid directly. Please not let the probe touch stones while inserting. Please wipe the probe after each use.
Useful safeguards include a maximum pump runtime, a minimum interval between watering events, a plant-specific volume limit, and a physical cutoff switch. If the firmware supports only timed watering, consider requiring confirmation for manual watering rather than allowing unlimited repeated commands.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting
The board does not connect to Wi-Fi
Confirm that the network is 2.4 GHz, recheck the SSID and password, move the board near the router, and inspect serial output. A robust firmware implementation should use a connection timeout and reconnect logic instead of blocking forever during startup.
The bot does not respond
Open the bot chat and send /start. Check the token character by character, verify that the board has Internet access, and inspect serial logs for Telegram polling or HTTP errors. If the token was exposed, regenerate it. Make sure you are messaging the intended bot and that chat-ID filtering is not rejecting your account.
The pump does not run
Check the exact board specification, connector seating, polarity, pump voltage, and current under load. Test the pump and supply independently, inspect the reservoir and tubing, and verify that the firmware’s output pin matches your board revision. A blocked tube or empty reservoir can look like a software failure.
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The pump runs continuously
Disconnect the pump immediately. Possible causes include an active-low or active-high mismatch, a stuck output, a hardware short, repeated processing of the same Telegram update, or firmware that lacks a hard stop. Add logging for every command and pump-state transition, advance or acknowledge processed updates correctly, and enforce a maximum runtime in firmware.
Best Value
- 【SAVE YOUR PLANTS】: Over watering can cause problems with your plants or even kill them. This soil moisture meter helps you know the soil is dry, moist or wet.No more over watering!
- 【ACCURATE & FAST READING】: This plant moisture sensor can get accurate and fast reading of moisture level in the soil, just plunge the probe sensor into the soil to the plant root region and read the meter. No need to wait!
- 【NO BATTERY NEEDED】: The plant hygrometer is simple and easy to use, no battery or electricity needed. The meter probe can easily get down to the plant roots area and tell if you need to water or not.
- 【INDOOR OUTDOOR USE】: With 6.7 inch long probe sensor design, this soil moisture meter is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Great lifesaver for indoor outdoor plants and flowers, hanging flower baskets, potted plants,vegetable, grass watering,picky plants.
- 【GREAT SIZE & PORTABLE】: This soil meter is a great handy tool for home gardeners, plant lovers, beginners. Do not leave the soil moisture meter in the soil for long time or directly soak it into a cup of water that will ruin the device.
The plant is overwatered
Reduce the calibrated volume, add a drip emitter, increase the minimum interval, and test one plant at a time. Do not assume that the original two-second setting is appropriate for a different pump, pot, or plant.
Sensor readings look wrong
Check sensor placement and soil contact, compare wet and dry conditions, and establish a baseline for the particular pot. Also inspect the sensor for contamination or corrosion and confirm that your hardware revision matches the firmware.
Scheduling is unreliable
Inspect how the sketch obtains time and handles timezones, daylight-saving changes, reboot, and network loss. The available project description does not verify schedule persistence or offline recovery. A schedule that matters should be stored persistently, use an explicit timezone, and define what happens when the board misses its scheduled time.
Security and reliability upgrades
Before leaving the system unattended, add or verify:
- Telegram chat-ID allowlisting
- Secure storage for Wi-Fi credentials and the bot token
- A hard maximum pump runtime
- Duplicate-command suppression
- Persistent schedules and explicit timezone handling
- Reservoir-level checks
- Sensor-disconnection detection
- Serial or remote event logging
- A physical pump cutoff
- A defined response to Wi-Fi, Telegram, power, and reboot failures
Even with these changes, the system is best treated as an educational prototype unless it has been thoroughly tested for the particular pump, wiring, enclosure, plant, and failure conditions.
When to choose another approach
This project suits a reader who already owns—or wants to build around—an Agrumino Lemon, has dependable Wi-Fi, and values customization and remote manual control. It is a poor fit for multi-zone irrigation, battery-first installations, weather-aware watering, certified electrical safety, commercial support, or maintenance-free unattended operation.
- Commercial irrigation controller: better for reliability, support, and unattended watering.
- Home Assistant or ESPHome: better if you already operate a home-automation server and want integrations, dashboards, or MQTT.
- Simple timer pump: better when you need only basic scheduled watering without sensors or remote commands.
- Agrumino Orange: potentially better for simpler monitoring, but its compatibility with this custom Telegram firmware is not confirmed.
Conclusion
Agrumino and Telegram can make a useful plant-monitoring and pump-control experiment. The 2022 project provides a clear concept—sensor readings through Info, manual watering through Water, and scheduled watering through Set HH:MM—but the implementation should be treated as community firmware that needs current compatibility checks and safety improvements.
Verify the Agrumino revision and pump electrical requirements, protect the bot token, restrict access by chat ID, calibrate water volume, and test every failure mode before connecting the system to a real plant. For a dependable unattended irrigation system, choose a purpose-built controller or substantially extend the firmware and hardware safeguards.
Quick Recap
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