How to Join in

Precision Irrigation with Wireless Sensors: Driving Peat-Free Production in Ornamental Horticulture

The project is funded through ADOPT (Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies), a multi-year funding programme within the UK Defra Farming Innovation Programme, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.

ADOPT supports collaborative grower-led, on-site trials or experiments to generate, test, and demonstrate, innovative solutions that address commercial production challenges.

Visual summary of the events staged at Hillier Nurseries and Fleurie Nursery on 30 April and 1 May 2026

Events to explain the project and discuss the selection and use of sensors to determine growing media moisture content and electrical conductivity.

Stephen Carr explains sensor use at Hillier Nurseries

WET 150 sensor within a crop

Steve Carter explains sensor use at Fleurie Nursery

Nicholas Cryer, RHS, demonstrating a handheld version of the sensor

Steve Carter discusses irrigation requirements during plant establishment

Project pull-up banner

Handout from the event

The handout containing information about the sensors being examined within the project, the system set up at each nursery, and the development of a dashboard to display relevant parameters.