About Planting Atlas

Hi, I'm David Rodgers, the founder of Planting Atlas and the person who researches, writes, and maintains the information on this site.

Why I Built Planting Atlas

After 40 years of trial-and-error gardening in Oklahoma's unpredictable Zone 7 climate, I got tired of generic advice that didn't account for real backyard conditions. I created Planting Atlas in 2024 so every home gardener could get hyper-local, zone-specific recommendations without paywalls or fluff.

My Gardening Background & Credentials

• ✓40 years of hands-on experience growing vegetables, flowers, herbs, and fruit trees in Oklahoma — not always successfully.
• ✓Self-taught through years of backyard trial and error, soil testing, and learning from local extension offices.
• ✓In the hope of minimizing the struggle of others, I decided to assemble all the information I wish I had access to over the years.

How Our Content Is Created

Every one of the 50+ Plantopedia guides and the Garden Architect recommendation engine follows a strict process:

• ✓Research is drawn from primary sources: USDA Hardiness Zone data, university extension publications (e.g., Oklahoma State University, Texas A&M), peer-reviewed horticulture journals, and real-world trial data from my own garden and community testers.
• ✓All care calendars, companion-planting charts, and pest solutions are cross-checked against at least two university or extension sources.
• ✓Content is updated annually or whenever new research emerges.

Our Mission

Planting Atlas exists to make expert-level gardening simple, free, and tailored to your exact backyard. Whether you're in Zone 3 or Zone 11, growing in raised beds, containers, or hydroponics, you deserve accurate, trustworthy information you can actually use.