Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 19, 2026

30-second summary. GardenAR is a single-page web app. Every garden plan, soil test, harvest entry, photo, note, and profile field you enter is stored only on your device, in your browser's localStorage. Nothing is transmitted to a GardenAR server, because GardenAR does not currently operate one. The only data that leaves your device is your ZIP code (sent to phzmapi.org for USDA zone lookup) and your approximate latitude / longitude (sent to open-meteo.com for the weather forecast).

1. What we collect — and where it lives

Everything listed below is stored in your browser's local storage. It never leaves your device unless this policy says otherwise.

Garden plan data: bed dimensions, plant choices, layout mode
Soil test results: pH, P, K, organic matter, free-text notes
Harvest log entries: plant, date, quantity, notes
Photos you take with your camera or upload — stored as compressed image data inside localStorage
Per-plant profile entries: planting date, progress notes, plant-specific photos
Achievements + tier progress: points awarded for in-app actions, day-streak counter
Optional contact info you enter into the grower profile or market-host profile sections (name, business name, email, phone, bio)
Settings: unit preference, gardening-days preference, layout mode

2. Data that leaves your device

Only two pieces of information are ever transmitted off your device, and only when you actively use the features that need them.

2.1 ZIP code → phzmapi.org

When you enter a US ZIP code in the planting calendar section, GardenAR sends only the 5-digit ZIP to phzmapi.org. The response includes your USDA hardiness zone and approximate coordinates, which are cached in your browser. phzmapi.org is a free public API operated independently of GardenAR. Their data-handling practices are governed by their own terms.

2.2 Latitude / longitude → open-meteo.com

To fetch weather forecasts and historical rainfall, GardenAR sends the coordinates (returned by the ZIP lookup above) to open-meteo.com. The response is cached in your browser for 30 minutes to avoid repeat calls. Open-Meteo is a free public weather API operated by an independent project and is governed by their own terms.

2.3 Cloudflare Pages (hosting)

GardenAR is hosted as static files on Cloudflare Pages. Cloudflare logs basic request metadata (IP address, user agent, requested path, timestamp) as part of its standard hosting operation. GardenAR does not access those logs.

3. What we share with other parties

Today: nothing. No garden data, photos, contact info, or achievements are sent to other users, other parties, advertising networks, or data brokers.

Several sections of the app preview features that will share data once the supporting backend exists. Every one of those features is clearly marked “coming soon” in the UI and does not transmit data today. They include:

Community photo sharing to local gardeners (section 8)
Neighborhood leaderboard competition (section 11)
Direct research-data submission to USDA / extension office programs (section 12)
Marketplace listings for restaurants and florists (section 14)
Open calls from farmers market hosts (section 15)

When any of these sharing features launches:

You will see an explicit consent dialog before any data leaves your device.
You will be able to choose what to share at the field level (e.g., the existing “anonymize” toggle in the research export already scrubs ZIP, bed labels, and free-text notes while preserving the research-relevant data).
This policy will be updated with the specific recipients, what they receive, and what they may do with it.
Users who have opted in to launch notifications will receive an email at the address they provided.

4. Cookies and tracking

GardenAR sets no cookies. We use no analytics services. There is no Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, Mixpanel, Plausible, or any other behavioral tracking. The only persistent storage on your device is the localStorage described in section 1, used to remember your garden plan between visits.

5. Children’s privacy

GardenAR is intended for general audiences. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. The app contains no age-targeted advertising. If you are a parent or guardian and want to erase data your child entered, clear the site data for gardenar.app in your browser settings — everything is gone.

6. Your data rights

Export: Section 12 (“Research data export”) lets you download your complete garden data as JSON, CSV, or a Markdown report at any time, with an optional anonymize toggle.
Delete: Clearing the site data for gardenar.app in your browser (Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data, or equivalent) permanently erases everything. There is no server-side copy to delete.
Portability: The JSON export is schema-versioned and machine-readable. You can move your data to another tool that accepts JSON.

7. Third-party services we link to

The app links externally to GitHub for the source repository. Following those links is subject to GitHub’s privacy policy. We do not embed GitHub trackers or analytics.

8. Changes to this policy

As community-sharing features launch, this policy will be updated. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Material changes (anything that expands the categories of data transmitted off your device) will be announced in-app.

9. Contact

Questions about this policy or your data? Email privacy@gardenar.app.

Prototype disclaimer. GardenAR is currently a prototype. This policy is offered in good faith but is not a substitute for legal advice. If you are building a commercial product on top of GardenAR, or relying on it for regulated activities (sale of fresh produce, certified organic operations, etc.), consult a privacy attorney for your jurisdiction.