You, too, can build this ESP32-S3 planter that shows your plant’s status with an emoji

Credit: ShebinJoseJacob Published Nov 10, 2026, 1:22 AM EST Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Sign in to your XDA account Summary Fyto pot gives plants emoji faces so you feel guilty (and water them) using ESP32-S3. Emoji meanings: 😊 happy; 🥵/🥶 temperature; 💧 thirsty; 😴 low light; 😍 pampered. Full BOM and schematics on Hackster; creators plan a crowdfund to sell the Fyto. I think things would be a lot easier to manage if everything had a little Tamagotchi-like face that told you how it's 'feeling' at any given time. Fortunately, if you're someone who tends to forget to water your houseplants until it's far too late, this ingenious little ESP32-S3 project may just be the thing you're looking for. The Fytó is a special, technologically enhanced pot that shows how your plant is doing with an emoji. And the best part is, everything you need to make one is readily available online. The Fytó adds the element of shame to the experience of taking care of houseplants You wouldn't want to make your plants sad, would you? Over on the ESP32 subreddit, user ShebinJoseJacob gave everyone a miniature tour of the Fytó. It's a planter with a little digital 'window' on the side that lets you know the status of whatever's inside the pot. It achieves this by taking in environmental and soil data via sensors, deducing the current state of the plant, then using an emoji to represent what's wrong (if anything). Here's what each emoji means: 😊 Happy: everything’s in range 🥵 Hot / 🥶 Freeze: temperature is off 💧 Thirsty: the soil is drying out 😴 Sleepy: not enough light 😍 Pampered: you touched it, so you get hearts and big eyes If you'd like to see the bill of materials and schematics, head over to the project's Hackster page for all the details. If it seems a little too complex, the creators plan to crowdfund the Fytó as a product pretty soon, so keep an eye out for that.