With warmer weather around the corner here in the US, it's time for gardeners to start making plans for spring and summer. For the more technically minded among us, it's also a good time to start working on DIY projects that can keep things running smoothly. As it turns out, projects based around the Arduino open hardware development board are an excellent place to start. In this article, I've rounded up three cool Arduino-based projects that take your garden to the next level.

Build a self-watering smart garden

This project from Austin, Texas-based civil engineer and hobbyist Grady Hillhouse uses a moisture sensor and a solenoid valve to automatically water plants when the soil gets dry. As an added bonus, it logs soil temperature, air temperature, relative humidity, and light levels throughout the day.

Instructions and code for this project are available on GitHub under an MIT license.

Save money with a low-cost IoT sprinkler control system

If you've been to a hardware store lately, you've probably noticed that high-end sprinkler control systems can be pricey. Thanks to this Arduino project from MySensors.org users BullDogLowell and PeteWill, you can build your own for less than US $50.

Full instructions are available on MySensors.org and code can be found on GitHub.

Turn a wine cooler into an urban kitchen garden

Gardening can be a bit trickier for those living in apartments, but it doesn't have to be. This space-saving indoor garden project from Eric William of MKme Lab fits nicely on a kitchen counter.

William converted a Koolatron eight-bottle wine cooler into an LED-lit, temperature-controlled enclosure for his basil plants and other herbs. The project can also be modified to include automatic watering and humidity monitoring.

Detailed instructions are available on Hackaday.io and the code is available on GitHub.