Last updated: August 30, 2026
Eco Garden Gains publishes practical gardening information for home growers. This Fact-Checking & Sources Policy explains how we evaluate factual claims, choose sources, handle uncertainty, and review technical guidance before publication.
Our Source Priorities
When an article includes technical, scientific, safety-related, or product-specific claims, we prefer sources that are close to the original information and have clear expertise.
Depending on the topic, useful sources can include:
- Government agriculture, environment, and conservation agencies.
- University extension programs and horticulture departments.
- Peer-reviewed scientific publications.
- Botanical gardens and recognized horticultural organizations.
- Official plant, pesticide, fertilizer, or product labels and manufacturer documentation when product-specific details are necessary.
- Reliable primary sources for regulations, specifications, and safety instructions.
How We Use Secondary Sources
High-quality secondary sources can be useful for explanation and context, but they should not replace a stronger primary source when a claim depends on exact technical information.
We avoid relying on anonymous summaries, copied articles, unsupported social media claims, or search snippets as the sole basis for important gardening guidance.
Practical Experience vs Factual Claims
Some gardening advice comes from practical observation rather than a laboratory result. We aim to distinguish those situations clearly.
For example, an article may explain a common method for checking soil moisture by hand while also linking to more formal irrigation or soil guidance where relevant. Practical experience can add context, but it should not be presented as universal scientific proof.
Regional Differences
Gardening recommendations can change by climate, growing zone, soil type, rainfall, cultivar, and local pest pressure. We avoid presenting regional advice as a universal rule when meaningful differences exist.
Where appropriate, we encourage readers to consult local extension services, local authorities, product labels, or other region-specific sources.
Measurements and Numbers
When an article includes planting depths, spacing, temperature ranges, fertilizer rates, watering amounts, or other numbers, we aim to check that the values are reasonable for the context and not copied without explanation.
If different reputable sources use different ranges, we may present a practical range rather than implying that one number is exact for every garden.
Safety-Related Claims
Claims involving pesticides, fertilizers, edible plants, toxic plants, food safety, electrical garden equipment, or other safety-sensitive topics deserve extra care.
Readers should always follow current product labels, local regulations, and qualified professional guidance when a decision carries significant safety or legal consequences.
Product Information
Product specifications, prices, availability, formulas, packaging, and instructions can change. When a claim depends on current product information, we prefer official manufacturer or retailer documentation and encourage readers to verify current details before buying or using the product.
Linking to Sources
When a source adds meaningful value, we aim to embed the link naturally in the relevant organization, study, or resource name instead of displaying a separate raw URL.
Links are provided so readers can review the source and understand where important guidance came from.
Conflicting Sources
Reliable sources sometimes disagree because they address different climates, species, products, or growing systems. When that happens, we aim to compare the context rather than choosing a conclusion solely because it sounds simpler.
AI-Assisted Research and Drafting
AI tools may assist with organizing research, drafting, editing, or identifying areas that require verification. AI output is not treated as an authoritative source by itself. Important claims should be checked against appropriate sources or clear practical evidence before publication.
Updates and Reverification
Older articles may be reviewed when sources change, links break, new guidance becomes available, or a reader identifies a possible issue. Updated content may receive new sources or clearer context even if the original statement was not strictly incorrect.
Corrections
If a source check reveals a meaningful error, we aim to correct it under our Corrections Policy. Readers can report possible issues through our Contact page.
Our Goal
Fact-checking is not about making every gardening article sound academic. It is about giving readers practical advice that is clear about what is known, what varies, and what should be verified locally.