A knowledge index · Not a storefront
Catalog.
A knowledge index of the products, components, and tools growers actually use to build and operate their monitoring and control systems. Each entry describes what a product does, where it fits, where it does not fit, what to watch for, and how it integrates with the approach this site teaches. Nothing is sold here. No affiliates. No revenue from any purchase a reader makes.
What it is
The Fundamentals teach the categories. The Catalog names the products.
Throughout the Fundamentals lessons the site teaches categories — what temperature sensors are, how communications technologies differ, what kinds of controls exist, how data systems work. The Catalog takes the next step. For each category, it lists specific products growers actually use, with enough detail that a reader can make a buying decision without needing to search elsewhere. The catalog entries are consistent in structure — every entry covers the same nine topics — so a reader comparing two products can see them side by side against the same questions.
Catalog entries are written by members of the collective based on real use. Where a grower in the collective has deployed a product, they describe how it has actually worked — not just what the spec sheet claims. Where a product has limitations that are not obvious from the marketing, those limitations are named. Where alternatives exist, they are named too. The Catalog is a reference, not a recommendation — a grower reading an entry should come away better equipped to decide whether the product fits their specific situation, not persuaded that they should buy it.
Six categories
Browse the archive.
One for each Fundamentals lesson that involves a buying decision. Click any to see the entries within. Most categories are pre-launch — entries land as collective members write them up.
Sensors
Devices that measure physical conditions — temperature, humidity, light, soil moisture, CO₂, water flow, pressure, presence. The largest category.
1 published · ~40 planned 02Power
Batteries, solar components, POE injectors, power supplies, UPS units — everything that keeps sensors, controllers, and hubs running.
0 published · ~20 planned 03Communications
Radios, gateways, networking equipment — the infrastructure that moves data from sensors to hubs and beyond.
0 published · ~25 planned 04Controllers
Hub computers, relays, smart plugs, solenoid valves, motor drives — the devices that take actions in the physical world.
1 published · ~30 planned 05Data Systems
Software platforms, dashboards, storage solutions, backup services — the tools that capture, display, and preserve what the sensors produce.
0 published · ~15 planned 06AI
AI tools, integrations, local model runtimes, and services a grower can apply to their data. Coding assistants, computer vision, agent platforms.
0 published · ~12 plannedHow to use it
For the grower who already knows what they need.
A grower who already knows what they need can navigate directly to the category. A grower still figuring out what they need should start with the Fundamentals lessons — Understanding Sensors, Understanding Communications, and so on — to develop a clear sense of what the category involves. The Catalog is most useful to readers who have a question like "I need to measure soil moisture in my greenhouse beds — what are the real options" rather than "tell me about soil moisture sensors."
Each entry covers the same nine topics: Summary, What It Does, Where It Fits, Where It Does Not Fit, Technical Notes, Integration, Pitfalls, Alternatives, and FAQ. This consistency lets a reader compare two products against the same questions. Where a product has weaknesses, the entry says so plainly. Where alternatives would serve better, those alternatives are named.