About Root & Ruler
A garden plan should survive contact with the garden.
Root & Ruler is an independent, tool-first reference for backyard growers who want fewer guesses and more useful notes.
What we make
We build visual planning tools, transparent calculators, compact crop references, seasonal checklists, and source-linked field notes. The practical goal is a better shopping list today and a better decision record next season.
The site works without an account. Bed plans, crop favorites, checklist progress, and garden-log entries stay in your browser unless you choose to print or export them.
What we do not pretend to know
No universal calculator can see your drainage, microclimate, seed variety, local rules, water pressure, soil test, or tomorrow’s weather. We identify the inputs we use, expose the formula, and say where a seed packet, product label, local extension service, qualified contractor, or authority should override a generic estimate.
The product in four parts
Sketch the bed and decide where space will go.
Translate real dimensions into materials and time.
Keep a record of what the calculator cannot predict.
Use that record to make next season less generic.
Who publishes the site
Root & Ruler is independently published and edited by Laurel. Laurel is not presented as a horticulturist, and the site does not claim field trials that did not occur. Calculator behavior is checked with automated reference cases, while factual gardening guidance is linked to named public sources. Specialist reviewers are credited only when they have reviewed a page and agreed to be named.