Nurtio Installation Guide
New to Nurtio? Let us guide you through your first installation.
Alternatively, you can also download and print out a portable paper-based guide.
There are a few steps you need to accomplish before you go to your service site:
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Step 2. Make sure you have a customer account and log into Backoffice
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Step 3. Create a service site and optionally invite your colleagues
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Step 4. Install the mobile app
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Step 5. Locate NFC on your phone and practice scanning the sensor
Then, there are several steps for when you are at the service site:
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Step 6. Install the gateway
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Step 7. Install a sensor in a plant
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Step 8. Link the sensor to a plant
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Step 9. Test collection of data
Step 1. Test the equipment you have just received
Congratulations on receiving your first Nurtio parcel!
We do our best to pack your hardware securely before shipping. However, to avoid any surprises later, we strongly recommend testing all the equipment as soon as you receive it. This ensures everything is working correctly and that nothing was shaken loose during transport.
Testing the gateway(s)
This part is simple:
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Plug in the gateway using the provided power adapter.
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Check the lights on the gateway panel:
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✅ PWR light on? Great - the gateway is receiving power.
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🔄 4G light blinking? Perfect - it’s searching for a cellular signal.
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✅ D7 light solid? Excellent - it’s connected and ready to receive sensor data.
The whole process usually takes up to 10 minutes, but in some regions (especially remote ones), the gateway might need a bit longer to find a network. If it’s been over an hour and the lights haven’t settled as described, just shoot us an email at support@nurtio.com - we’re happy to help troubleshoot.
Testing the sensors
Also super easy:
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Insert the included batteries into each sensor, making sure the polarity is correct.
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You should see a green flash through the sensor’s transparent top.
Missed the blink? No worries - just remove and re-insert the batteries and try again.
Once you’ve confirmed everything’s working, remove the batteries from the sensors, unplug the gateway, and store all the hardware safely until you're ready to install it at your service site.
Step 2. Make sure you have a customer account and log into Back office
When a new customer joins Nurtio, we create a company account and send an email invitation to the designated admin.
Once they accept, they can invite as many colleagues as needed - there’s no user limit per company.
Are you a new customer and your company doesn't have an account yet?
Are you an existing customer, and your company has made orders before?
Ask your colleagues to add you to the Nurtio platform.
To join your company account:
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Accept the email invitation.
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Create a secure password (or log in using Google/Apple).
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Confirm your email using the verification code provided.
Once you have confirmed your email, log in to the Nurtio Back office using your new login credentials. If you are able to log in successfully, then you are all set to start using the platform.
Step 3. Create a service site and optionally invite your colleagues
Now, let’s set up your first Customer and their corresponding Service Site - this is where the sensors will be installed.
🔍 Example: Your customer could be Hilton, and the service sites could be Hilton London, Hilton Paris, etc.
To do this:
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Go to the Customers section from the left-hand menu.
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Click Add Customer, enter the name and (optionally) a reference code. Click Save.
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Head to the Service Sites section and click Add Service Site.
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Enter the service site name and link it to a customer using the dropdown. The rest of the fields are optional. Click Save.
Repeat this process if you’re installing at multiple sites.
Want your colleagues to access sensor data too?
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Go to the User Management section.
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Click Invite a New User, enter their email, and hit Send Invite.
They’ll receive an email similar to yours to join the platform.
Step 4. Install the mobile app
To work with sensors, you’ll need our mobile app:
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Search "Nurtio" on the Apple App Store or Google Play and tap Install.
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Or use the direct links we’ve provided:
After the app was installed, please open it and use the login credentials you made in Step 2.
Step 5. Locate NFC on your phone and practice scanning the sensor
Each Nurtio sensor has an NFC tag on top - this helps you assign sensors to plants and trigger immediate readings.
What is NFC?
It’s like Bluetooth, but for ultra-close-range communication (e.g., contactless payments). In our case, it's used to identify plants and trigger instant sensor readings.
Make sure NFC is enabled on your phone:
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iPhones: Newer models read NFC automatically. For older ones, enable it in the Control Center.
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Android: Swipe down > Settings > Search for NFC and make sure it’s turned on.
🔓 Your phone must be unlocked to scan.
To test:
Hold your phone near the sensor cap (don’t worry, no need to touch). If NFC is working, your phone should vibrate and display a prompt.
If not, adjust your phone's position - NFC readers can vary in placement. Google your phone model if needed.
Step 6. Install the gateway
You're at the service site - great! Time to set up the gateway.
Quick facts:
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It doesn't need to be next to the plants.
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Connectivity range: ~50 meters (~165 ft).
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Avoid thick concrete walls between the gateway and the sensors.
To install:
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Plug in the gateway.
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Wait for all three lights to appear - PWR, 4G, and most importantly, D7.
⚠️ If 4G keeps blinking and D7 doesn’t appear, try moving the gateway closer to a window.
Step 7. Install a sensor in a plant
Depending on your setup, here's how to install the sensor:
➤ For container plants:
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Insert the sensor vertically, ideally perpendicular to the floor.
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Push it into the soil until the thick part is flush with the substrate surface.
➤ For soil-based directly planted living walls:
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Insert the sensor vertically.
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Ensure foliage doesn’t cover the cap - it affects light readings.
➤ For living walls with tray systems:
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Install vertically in the plant pot, even if the pot sits at an angle.
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Ensure foliage doesn’t cover the cap - it affects light readings.
➤ For hydroculture living walls with tray systems:
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If you use a tray system with hydro plants, you can also monitor water level (cm/inch) using the same sensor.
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If you are connecting the hydro living wall, once you have installed the sensor and connected it to a plant, enable the “water level” setting in the plant properties in the Back Office.
For this type of installation, we provide a small mechanical fixture that keeps the sensor vertical inside the tray and prevents the sensor probe from touching the hydro granules. If you intend to install the sensors in the hydroculture living walls, please let us know in advance when placing the order so we can include this fixture in your parcel.
Step 8. Link the sensor to a plant
Now, scan the sensor’s NFC tag and log into the app.
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Choose to link it to a new plant (or to an existing one if replacing a sensor - this keeps historical data).
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Fill in the details - Service Site is mandatory.
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Optionally, add a plant photo for easy identification.
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Click Add sensor to a plant. If you see "Plant created", you’re all set.
Step 9. Test collection of data
Scan the NFC tag again:
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If you see “Last measurement received just a moment ago” - congrats, the sensor is live!
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A chart will start to populate as data flows in.
🕒 Sensors take readings hourly and transmit data every 4 hours. If you see no data after 4-6 hours, email us at support@nurtio.com - we’ll help.
Step 10. Set up alerts and notifications in the Back office
Being added as a user doesn’t automatically enable notifications—you choose what each person receives.
We offer two types:
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Mail Alerts – real-time alerts when plant parameters fall out of range (great for technicians).
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Mail Reports – daily summaries of all alerts (ideal for managers).
To set up:
Go to the Notifications section in the Back Office and add the emails of users you want to notify.
If you want to change the measurement units (for example, from Lux to Foot-candle), you can do so in the Generic section of the Back office.
🌟 Bonus: Share Your Green Success
Our sensors are used in some of the most stunning projects in the industry—and we love celebrating them!
Are you open to showcasing your project on our website or social channels? If yes, let us know—we’d be proud to highlight your work.