Alright, so let me tell you about this whole “flowerpot b0” adventure I had. It wasn’t exactly rocket science, but man, it felt like a journey sometimes.
So, how did this flowerpot b0 thing even kick off?
Well, I had this one plant, see? A real drama queen. Kept looking like it was on its last legs no matter what I did. I figured, okay, maybe I’m just bad at this. But then I thought, what if I could make something, like, a bit smarter? Not super smart, just… helpful. That’s where the “b0” idea started. Version zero, basically my first clumsy attempt.
First thing, I rummaged through my old boxes of junk. You know, those boxes full of bits and pieces you swear you’ll use someday. I found an old plastic container, a few weird tubes I bought ages ago for some other forgotten project, and a tiny water pump I think I salvaged from a broken coffee machine. Yeah, high-tech stuff, I know.
So, I grabbed the plastic container. My grand plan was to make some kind of self-watering system. The plant sits in an inner pot, and there’s a reservoir of water below. Simple, right? Well, “simple” is a funny word.
I started by trying to drill some holes. My drill bits were dull as heck. Took me ages just to get a few clean holes in that tough plastic. Then, I tried to fit the inner pot. It was a bit too snug. Had to shave off some plastic with a utility knife, nearly sliced my thumb a couple of times. Safety first, kids! Or, well, try to remember it, anyway.
Next up was the “smart” part. That tiny pump. I wanted it to move water from the reservoir up to the plant. I didn’t have any fancy sensors or timers at this stage for “b0”. My super advanced idea was just to manually turn it on for a bit each day. But even getting that pump to stay put was a challenge. I tried glue, didn’t hold. Tried some weird sticky tape, nope. Ended up sort of wedging it in with a piece of foam I found. Looked terrible, but hey, it was wedged.
Then connecting the tubes. The tubes were a bit too small for the pump outlet. I spent a good hour warming the end of the tube in hot water, trying to stretch it over the nozzle. Finally got it on, but I was pretty sure it would leak. Spoilers: it did, a little bit. Just a slow drip, nothing a small rag couldn’t handle for testing.
- Drilled holes (the struggle was real).
- Fitted the inner pot (more cutting and swearing).
- Attempted to mount the pump (foam to the rescue, sort of).
- Connected the tubing (hot water and hope).
So, I put it all together. Poured some water in the reservoir. Put the sad plant in its inner pot. Flicked the switch I’d crudely wired to the pump (just a battery and a switch, super basic). The pump whirred! Water actually moved up the tube! And then… it just kind of dribbled unevenly over one side of the soil. Not quite the gentle, even watering I envisioned.
What I learned from this “b0” mess
Well, for starters, “b0” really lived up to its name. It was basic. It was buggy. The water distribution was a joke. The pump was noisy. And the whole thing looked like something a kid made in a craft class gone wrong. But, technically, it did move water from point A to point B, sometimes.
I realized I needed a better way to distribute the water, maybe some kind of drip irrigation thing, even a homemade one. And definitely a better way to mount that pump. And maybe, just maybe, I should invest in sharper drill bits.
So, “flowerpot b0” wasn’t a stunning success, but it was a start. I got my hands dirty, figured out a bunch of things not to do, and the plant, well, it didn’t immediately die, which I guess is a win for a version zero. It definitely made me think about what “b1” might look like, if I ever get around to it. For now, “b0” sits on my workbench, a monument to trying stuff out, even if it’s a bit clumsy.
