A 300 DOLLARS RASPBERRY PI FARM GROWS YOUR SALAD ON ITS OWN — YOU JUST HARVEST
A Raspberry Pi reads sensors and switches pumps, lights and fans to hold the perfect conditions in a hydroponic system or mushroom chamber — you set the targets once and it holds them around the clock.
by Kyle Gabriel
GardenAutomation
- difficulty
- ●●●○○
- time
- a weekend to get running, then tweaking per crop
- license
- GPL-3.0
- repo
- repo ACTIVE3,267 stars
●●●○○ · a weekend to get running, then tweaking per crop · GPL-3.0 · 3,267 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
Mycodo is mature software that turns a Raspberry Pi into a feedback-driven farm controller. You wire sensors (temperature, humidity, CO₂, pH, EC) and relays (pumps, fans, lights, heaters) to the Pi, set your targets in the web dashboard, and Mycodo holds them using PID loops and conditional logic. It supports dozens of sensor types out of the box and the documentation is thorough. The hard part is not the software — it is deciding which sensors and actuators your specific setup actually needs, then wiring them correctly. A lettuce raft needs different gear than a mushroom fruiting chamber, and the Pi cannot fix bad plumbing or a leaky tent. If you already know what you want to automate and have built the physical system, Mycodo is an excellent brain for it. If you are starting from zero, budget a weekend for the software and another for the first round of hardware mistakes. The single biggest trap: buying a sensor that Mycodo does not support, or a relay board with a voltage mismatch. Check the supported hardware list before ordering anything.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —GPL-3.0 licence, free for all uses including commercial.
- —Full Python web application with sensor drivers, PID controllers and scheduling. Runs on Raspberry Pi OS.
- —Comprehensive manual and setup guide at kylegabriel.com/projects/.
- —No single bill of materials — sensor and relay choices depend entirely on your grow setup (hydro, soil, mushrooms).
- —Active development: last commit July 2026, 3.3k stars, regular releases.
- —The author's own time-lapse videos show real seed-to-harvest results, but every crop and enclosure is different.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the official manual (Start here — the supported hardware page will save you from buying the wrong sensor.)
- 2.Install Mycodo on a fresh Raspberry Pi OS Lite image (The automated installer script handles dependencies; expect 20-30 minutes on a Pi 3B+.)
- 3.Wire your first sensor and test the reading in the web interface(A DHT22 on GPIO4 is a simple first test — if that works, the rest is just more wiring.)
- 4.Set up a basic PID loop for one output(PID tuning is where the learning curve hits — start conservative and tune from there.)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
Partner · KickstarterCodeeBot: build the robot from Lego-compatible bricks and program it by hand; a GPT tutor explains each step.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Buying a sensor that is not on the supported list — Mycodo has drivers for dozens, but not all cheap Amazon sensors will work. Check the docs first.
- Underestimating the wiring effort: each sensor needs power, ground and a data line, and a grow tent full of them turns into a rat's nest fast. Label everything.
- Setting PID gains too aggressively and creating oscillation — your heater or humidifier will cycle on and off every few seconds. Start with low gains.
- Not accounting for sensor placement: a temperature probe taped to the outside of your grow tent will read the room, not the canopy. Put sensors where the plants are.
- Using a relay board rated for 5V signals with 3.3V GPIO — the Pi's outputs are 3.3V and some relay boards need 5V to switch reliably. Check the specs or add a level shifter.
- Skipping a backup power plan: if the Pi loses power mid-cycle, everything stops. A small UPS or at least a proper shutdown script will save a crop.
Can I run this on a Pi Zero?
The docs say it works but recommend a Pi 3B+ or newer for the web interface to stay responsive, especially with multiple sensors logging every few seconds.
Do I need to know Python to use it?
No — the web interface does everything for typical setups. Python knowledge only matters if you want to write custom input or output modules.
Will it work with my specific nutrient doser / CO₂ regulator / etc?
If the device can be switched by a relay or controlled via a supported protocol (I²C, UART, GPIO), yes. If it needs proprietary software, probably not.
How much does it cost to run 24/7?
A Raspberry Pi 3B+ draws roughly 2-3 watts. The real power cost is the pumps, lights and heaters you are controlling — the Pi itself is negligible.
Can I access it remotely?
Yes, over your local network by default. For external access you will need to set up port forwarding or a VPN — the manual covers both.
Community builds
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Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
3,300 stars and eight years of active commits — Mycodo is one of the oldest Pi grow controllers still being developed. What crop or chamber would you automate first?
Kyle Gabriel
Kyle built Mycodo to automate his own hydroponic and mushroom grows, then open-sourced it in 2016. He still maintains it actively — the last release was July 2026 — and the project's longevity shows in the documentation and the breadth of supported hardware.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM23d ago
Practical notes from our verification: The GitHub repo is the canonical source and the docs site (kizniche.github.io/Mycodo) is linked directly from the readme. There is no official YouTube channel — the author posts time-lapses on Instagram (@kylegabriel) but those are results, not walkthroughs. The best third-party setup guides are linked in the community forum. The single biggest decision before you start is not which Pi to buy, it is writing down exactly which environmental parameters you need to measure and control — that list determines your entire parts order, and Mycodo cannot fix a sensor you forgot or a relay you bought in the wrong voltage.