Each tool exists because there's a real-world question it answers better than generic advice. They run entirely in your browser — no signups, no tracking of the inputs you type. Pick one to open it below.
No rewritten SEO fluff. Each article below covers a topic where most online advice is either wrong, vague, or both. We link them to the relevant tool so you can act on what you read.
What this site is. Rootwise is a single-page collection of 22 plant care calculators and 8 longer-form articles. Everything runs in your browser. We do not have accounts, we do not require an email, and we do not save the values you type into the tools.
Who built it and why. The site was built by an indoor gardener who got tired of advice like "water when the top inch is dry" — advice that is technically correct and completely useless when your apartment has dry winter air, your pothos is in a glazed ceramic pot with no drainage, and the leaves are starting to crisp at the edges. The tools here try to put numbers on those variables: vapor pressure deficit, daily light integral, root-to-soil ratio, buffer capacity. The articles explain why those numbers matter.
Who it's for. Beginners who want to stop killing succulents. Intermediate plant parents who suspect their monstera is "stuck" but can't figure out why. Anyone trying to diagnose a specific symptom without scrolling past 1,500 words of life story first. People planning a vacation who want a real plan, not "ask a neighbor."
Limitations. Plant care is local. The tools here use general models based on common houseplant species and average indoor conditions. They will not be perfectly calibrated for your specific microclimate, your specific cultivar, or your specific hardiness zone. Treat the outputs as a starting hypothesis, not gospel. If a tool tells you one thing and your plant looks like another, trust the plant.
Editorial standards. We do not publish content sponsored by fertilizer brands, grow-light sellers, or any other product vendor. Tool recommendations reference general principles (e.g., "well-draining mix") rather than pushing affiliate links to specific bags of soil. If we ever change that policy, we'll say so here.
Contact. Found an error, or a tool that gave you a bad result? We can't promise to respond to every message, but the feedback form below the footer on the live version is the fastest way.
Last updated: January 2026.
Nothing personal. The tools on Rootwise run entirely in your browser using JavaScript. The numbers you enter — your pot size, your last frost date, your tap-water source — are processed on your device and never sent to our servers. We have no server-side database of user inputs.
What we do see. Like virtually every website, basic anonymous traffic data is collected by our hosting provider and by Google AdSense. This includes your IP address (anonymized where required by law), the pages you visit, the device and browser you use, and the referring page. We use this in aggregate to know which tools are popular and to fix things that are broken.
Rootwise displays ads served by Google AdSense. Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on this site. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visit to this site and/or other sites on the Internet.
You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. You may also opt out of certain third-party vendors' use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info.
Rootwise itself does not set any cookies. Third parties (currently Google AdSense) may set cookies for advertising purposes as described above. Your browser's privacy settings can block or delete these cookies; some site functionality (such as remembering your tool settings, which we do not currently offer) may be affected.
This site is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect any information from children. The pet-toxicity tool is informational only — if you suspect a child or pet has ingested a plant, contact a medical professional or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately.
If you are in the EU, UK, or California, you have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal data we hold about you. Because we do not collect personal data directly, most requests will be empty. For data held by Google through AdSense, please contact Google directly via the Ads Settings link above.
We may update this policy. The "last updated" date above will reflect the most recent change. Material changes (such as adding analytics or new third-party vendors) will be highlighted with a banner on the homepage for at least 30 days.
Last updated: January 2026.
The tools and articles on Rootwise are provided for general informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for professional horticultural, agricultural, veterinary, or medical advice. The calculators use generalized models that do not account for your specific microclimate, plant cultivar, soil composition, or local pest/disease pressure.
All content is provided "as is" without any representations or warranties, express or implied. We make no representations or warranties about the accuracy or completeness of any information on Rootwise or related links. Plant care involves living organisms and unpredictable variables; outcomes will vary.
The pet-safety tool summarizes publicly available toxicity data from sources including the ASPCA and university extension services. It is not exhaustive — many "non-toxic" plants can still cause mild gastrointestinal upset if ingested. If you suspect a pet or child has eaten a plant, contact your local emergency number or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435, US) immediately. Do not rely on this site for emergency decisions.
From time to time we link to external resources (university extension articles, scientific papers, manufacturer pages). We do not control the content of those sites and are not responsible for their accuracy or practices.
Rootwise currently does not participate in any affiliate programs. If that ever changes, the relationship will be clearly disclosed on the specific page or in a post, in line with FTC guidelines.