Abstract Consistency issues limit the sharing of horticultural data across multiple systems, resulting in challenges for users to analyze data effectively across various systems utilizing artificial intelligence technology. Introducing data governance principles can help standardize and unify data practices, making it easier for analysts to locate, comprehend, transfer and integrate data from diverse sources to enable data-driven horticulture. Implementing data governance and principles specific to horticulture can assist in standardizing the layout and format of data structures from different sources. This study aims to propose a new governance framework, Horti-IoT, based on the Data Management Body of Knowledge and several structured frameworks for the Internet of Things (IoT) governance that will lead to data-driven horticulture. This study is empirical in nature. The Dutch horticulture stakeholders are involved in this initiative, providing the data, knowledge, and experiences needed for this study. The data stream from various sources, including camera images, sap flow sensors, climate sensors and manually measured growth data. The key findings following the implementation of the Horti-IoT framework’s principles are reduced workload for data analysts, efficiency in plant monitoring, savings time in pre-processing, enhanced water resource management, reduced system administrator contacts and compliance with General Data Privacy Regulation. The new proposed Horti-IoT framework, compatible with Dutch horticulture, is presented. The data were obtained from the Lab greenhouse at the World Horti Centre in the Netherlands, in the framework of the Regionale SIA RAAK MKB call March 2022-September 2024 subsidy funds for project title ‘Gewasgroei Goed Gemeten (GeGoGe). This project is a collaboration between three educational institutions. Inholland University of Applied Science, the Hague University of Applied Science, Lentiz Vocational School, and stakeholders.