1. What is the FYTA Terra?
The FYTA Terra is a robust outdoor soil sensor that shows you in real time how your plants are really doing. It measures four key parameters directly in the soil and its surroundings:
Soil moisture (VWC) – how much water is actually in the soil
Salinity (EC) – provides information about the nutrient supply of your plants
Light (PPFD/DLI) – how much usable light energy is reaching the plant
Temperature (°C/°F) – soil and ambient temperature
The Terra is the weatherproof outdoor version of the FYTA Beam – with a direct Wi-Fi connection, hybrid power supply from solar and rechargeable AA batteries, and IP65 protection against rain, splashing water and UV radiation.
The Terra measures and transmits this data every 15 minutes. Without sunlight and with good Wi-Fi reception, the battery lasts approximately 72 days at this setting. With plenty of sunlight, the Terra can operate autonomously. In shadier environments, we recommend extending the transmission intervals (e.g. hourly) to save battery life significantly.
It can also act as a hub and transmit measurement data from other FYTA sensors (Beam, Beam 2.0, Mini, Sphere) to the FYTA Cloud.
2. Where should I place the Terra?
The Terra is designed for outdoor use and works best for:
Raised beds and vegetable gardens – tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce, herbs
Flower beds – roses, perennials, summer flowers
Lawns – uniform monitoring of larger areas
Shrubs and hedges – placed in the root zone
Potted plants in unprotected outdoor areas
Ideal placement in a bed: Place the Terra as close to the centre of the planting area as possible. Avoid spots directly next to fences, walls or under dense overhangs that could block the Wi-Fi signal.
You find more recommendations in this article.
💡 Wi-Fi connection required A Wi-Fi connection is required to operate the Terra. The app will guide you through a Wi-Fi signal check at your chosen location during setup.
3. Wahl der richtigen Stablänge
The soil stakes measure moisture at the depth they reach. For accurate readings, the stakes should reach into the lower third of the root zone – or, for larger plants, into the area where the plant absorbs most of its water. This is not an exact science, but a general guide:
Root depth / substrate height | Recommended stake length |
10 – 14 cm | 7.5 cm |
15 – 19 cm | 11 cm |
20 – 24 cm | 14 cm |
25 – 29 cm | 20 cm |
30 – 34 cm | 25 cm |
35 – 39 cm | 30 cm |
≥ 40 cm | 35 cm |
For lawns and beds we recommend 14 cm (resting on the surface) or 11 cm (flush with the ground).
💡 The stakes should disappear completely into the soil. Make sure not to hit a drainage layer (e.g. expanded clay) – this will skew the readings.
4. Components – Parts overview
Terra – Parts
Light sensor – on top, measures PPFD/DLI
Solar panel – for hybrid power supply
Button – for pairing and resetting
Status LED – shows the current device status
Battery compartment – for 2× AA batteries (rechargeable recommended)
Housing – IP65, UV and weather resistant, made from recycled plastic
Soil stakes – removable, available in various lengths
Status LED – what does it mean?
LED behaviour | Meaning |
Flashing blue | Pairing mode active |
Solid orange | Firmware update in progress |
Brief red flash | Device has been reset |
Status-Icons in der App
⚠️ Status icons in the app: This section is currently being revised and will be added shortly.
5. Preparation
What you need:
Your smartphone with the FYTA App installed (App Store | Google Play)
A FYTA account (or register in the app)
Your Wi-Fi network credentials (2.4 GHz – important!)
2× AA batteries (rechargeable, included)
A shovel or planting stick to loosen the soil
Approx. 5 litres of water for watering in after installation
Prepare the app
Add a plant or bed in the FYTA App before pairing the Terra. This speeds up the setup considerably, as you can assign a plant to the sensor straight away.
⚠️ Important: The FYTA Terra only connects to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks. 5 GHz networks are not supported. If your router combines both frequencies under the same name, check your router settings to see if you can address the 2.4 GHz network separately.
Prepare the soil
Loosen the soil at the planned location with a shovel and remove stones, roots or other obstacles. Then make a conical hole at least as deep as your chosen stakes.
6. Setup – Step by step
Phase 1 – Activate and pair the Terra via Bluetooth
Step 1: Insert batteries
Remove the screw on the bottom and open the battery compartment by sliding it down. Insert the two AA batteries – the LED will now pulse blue, indicating the Terra is ready to pair. Leave the battery compartment closed but don't tighten the screw yet.
💡 During the next steps you may need to press the button to restart pairing, so keep it easily accessible for now. You can fully secure the screw once the Wifi- setup is complete.
Step 2: Pair in the app
Open the FYTA App and tap "+" or "Add device". Select "Terra" from the device list. The app will automatically search for the Terra nearby – keep your smartphone close to the device. Once found, the app connects automatically.
Step 3: Select stake length
After successful pairing, you will be asked which stake length you are using. Select the appropriate length (see Section 3). If you are unsure, you can adjust this later in the device settings.
⚠️ Weak batteries: If the batteries are too low, a "Low Battery Warning" will appear immediately after connecting. Replace the batteries before continuing – a stable setup and reliable data sync are only possible with sufficient power.
Phase 2 – WLAN verbinden und Firmware aktualisieren
Schritt 4: Select Wi-Fi network
The app shows available Wi-Fi networks nearby. Select your 2.4 GHz home network. If your network does not appear, tap "Other Network" and enter the name manually.
Step 5: Enter Wi-Fi password
Enter your network password and tap "Connect". You can save the network for future setups.
Step 6: Connection & firmware update
The Terra connects to Wi-Fi. If a firmware update is available, it will be installed automatically – this usually takes a few minutes. Keep your smartphone nearby and do not close the app.
Step 7: Attach soil stakes & confirm stake length
Tighten the screw on the battery compartment and attach the soil stakes to the underside of the Terra. Then select the length of your soil stakes in the app.
Step 8: Wi-Fi signal check at the planned location
The app will ask you to take the Terra to its planned location in the garden and run a Wi-Fi signal check there. This step is important: it ensures the Terra can reliably transmit data later.
Take the Terra to the planned installation spot
Tap "Start" – the check takes approx. 10 seconds
Signal good: Continue to Phase 3
Signal weak: The app recommends placing the Terra closer to the router or Wi-Fi repeater. You can still continue, but data sync may be intermittent.
Phase 3 – Pflanzen zuweisen
Step 9: Select plants
The app asks which plants the Terra should monitor. You can select multiple plants from your plant list – group plants that grow under similar conditions (same light conditions, similar water needs, same area of approx. 10 m²). If you haven't added any plants yet, you can do so at this point.
Step 10: Name your Terra
Give your Terra a name (e.g. "Tomato bed", "Rose bed" or "North Lawn"). The name helps you find the sensor quickly in the device overview later.
Phase 4 – Install the Terra physically
Step 11: Prepare the soil
If not already done, loosen the soil as described in Section 5.
Step 12: Attach soil stakes and close housing
Screw the soil stakes into the underside of the Terra housing. Tighten them firmly but without excessive force. Then close the housing.
Step 13: Insert the Terra
Press the Terra vertically into the prepared soil until the stakes are completely buried. Push it evenly and straight down without putting pressure on the stakes. The housing should stand upright with the solar panel facing the sky.
Step 14: Water in
Pour approx. 5 litres of water around the Terra so the soil settles and the sensor makes direct contact with moist earth. This significantly improves the accuracy of the first readings.
Step 15: Finish in the app
Tap "Done" in the app. The Terra will now start collecting data. The first complete readings and analysis will be available after approx. 48 hours.
🌱 Tip for optimal readings: Make sure the stakes are fully in the soil, the Terra is standing upright and the solar panel is not permanently covered by leaves or branches.
7. Troubleshooting & FAQs
Terra won't pair
Terra won't pair
Press the button on the Terra again – the LED should flash blue. Keep your smartphone close to the device (less than 1 metre). Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your smartphone. Restart the app and try again.
Wi-Fi connection fails
Wi-Fi connection fails
Check that you have selected a 2.4 GHz network – 5 GHz is not supported. Double-check your password. Make sure your router is within range. Try activating the Terra closer to the router first, then move it to its final location afterwards.
Wi-Fi signal too weak at the installation spot
Wi-Fi signal too weak at the installation spot
Place a Wi-Fi repeater or access point closer to the garden. Note: the Terra requires a stable Wi-Fi connection for cloud sync – without Wi-Fi, no data will be transmitted.
Firmware update fails
Firmware update fails
Reset the Terra: remove one battery, hold down the button and reinsert the battery. Once the LED briefly flashes red, release the button. Then try the update again via the app (Settings → Device → Firmware Update).
Battery warning during setup
Battery warning during setup
Replace the batteries with freshly charged rechargeable AA batteries (NiMH recommended). Note: if non-rechargeable batteries are inserted, the solar charging function is disabled.
Data not updating
Data not updating
Check the Terra's connection status in the app. Make sure the Terra has Wi-Fi reception at its location. Check that the battery level is sufficient. The first complete data will only appear after 48 hours.
Readings seem implausible
Readings seem implausible
Check that the stakes are fully inserted in the soil and not touching a drainage layer (e.g. expanded clay). Pour at least 5 litres of water around the Terra after installation. Check that the selected stake length matches the root depth of your plants.
How often do I need to replace the batteries?
How often do I need to replace the batteries?
Battery life is 2–12 months, depending on sunlight exposure (solar charging) and Wi-Fi signal strength. In sunny locations, the solar panel recharges the batteries – replacement intervals will be significantly longer there.
Can the Terra stay outside in winter?
Can the Terra stay outside in winter?
The Terra is weatherproof (IP65), but in prolonged hard frost (below -10 °C) we recommend removing the batteries to prevent damage. Readings in frozen soil are also of limited reliability.
What does the hub function do?
What does the hub function do?
This feature is coming soon (ETA: 1–2 weeks). We will update this section as soon as it goes live.