Editorial policy

Garden advice should be useful, sourced, and honest about its limits.

Plant by ZIP uses structured plant data and plain-language explanations to help gardeners compare options. Recommendations are starting points, not a substitute for local extension guidance.

How guidance is written

Plant pages prioritize hardiness, light, soil, water, timing, spacing, yield ranges, risk notes, and visible source links over decorative copy.

How data is checked

Quantitative fields are generated from the site database, then validated for missing records, duplicate IDs, missing photos, stale exports, and oversized assets.

How updates happen

Profiles are updated when better sources, photos, plant records, or user-reported corrections are available. Plant profile pages show the latest reviewed date when present.

Use of automation

Automation may help normalize data, generate code, and flag inconsistencies, but user-facing claims should remain grounded in structured fields, source notes, and visible methodology. Uncertain plant data is presented as a planning range rather than a guarantee.