Editorial Guidelines

Herb & Hollow exists to help people grow herbs, vegetables and houseplants in small spaces, and to use what they grow safely in the kitchen. A garden guide that sends you out to plant three weeks early, or an herbal note that skips a pregnancy warning, does real harm. These guidelines describe how we try to prevent that.

Where our information comes from

We rely on sources that answer to evidence:

Climate and timing: the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map and published average frost dates for your area.
Plant care: university and cooperative extension services, botanical gardens, the Royal Horticultural Society, and growing information published by seed companies (days to maturity, spacing, sun, container size).
Herb safety: the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), the U.S. National Library of Medicine, and similar public health resources.
Pet safety: the ASPCA's list of toxic and non-toxic plants.
Food safety: USDA and university extension guidance on drying herbs, infused oils and home food storage.

When reliable sources disagree, we say so and explain which approach we've chosen and why.

Plant names and varieties

Common plant names overlap and mislead. We include botanical names where confusion is possible, for example Matricaria chamomilla for German chamomile, and we name specific varieties when it matters for container growing or flavor.

Thinking in zones, not months

"Plant in April" means something different in Minneapolis than in Atlanta. Our guides tie timing to your hardiness zone and last frost date, and we flag when advice applies mainly to one climate.

Product recommendations

Recommendations for seeds, planters, tools and grow lights come from research of public product information, specifications and buyer reviews. We haven't tested every product or grown every variety we mention. When a guide reflects our own hands-on experience, it says so directly.

Drafting and human review

AI tools may help with research, drafts and images, as our AI policy describes. Nothing is published without human review. An editor reads every article in full, checks planting times, plant care and safety notes against the sources above, rewrites for clarity, removes anything unsupported, and approves the final text. The "Reviewed by" line shows who.

Our fact-checking routine

Before a guide is published, the editor confirms that:

planting and harvest timing matches zone and frost-date guidance
container sizes, spacing and light requirements match extension or seed-company sources
every herb in a kitchen apothecary post has been checked for pregnancy, medication, allergy and pet cautions, and those cautions appear in the article
food safety steps for drying, infusing and storing follow current guidance
product details and links are accurate, with prices given only as approximate ranges

Keeping guides current

Gardens run on seasons, and so does our review schedule. Before each growing season we revisit our seasonal and most-read guides, refresh variety and product recommendations, and update guidance when sources change. Meaningful revisions carry a new "Updated" date.

Corrections

Please tell us when we get something wrong: [email protected], with the article link and the problem.

Minor corrections, such as a typo, a broken link or a discontinued product, are fixed quietly.
Substantive corrections, such as a wrong planting window, an incorrect spacing or container size, or a misidentified plant, are fixed and noted at the end of the article with the date and a short explanation.
Safety corrections are our highest priority. Reports marked "Safety" are reviewed first, and any article found to contain unsafe herbal, toxicity or food safety guidance is corrected or taken down immediately, with a note explaining the change.

We aim to review every reported error within five business days, and safety reports sooner.

Independence

Herb & Hollow is independently owned, with no financial ties to seed companies, nurseries or garden brands. Advertisers and affiliate partners have no influence over what we cover or what we conclude, and no company reviews our articles before publication. We do not accept payment for favorable coverage. Any sponsored content would be clearly labeled. See our disclosure for how the site is funded.

Respect and inclusion

Gardening traditions come from everywhere, and so do the herbs in our kitchens. We credit the cultures behind the plants and practices we write about where we can, write for every budget and level of experience, and never share a reader's garden or story without permission.

Herbal use and safety

This is the part of our work we take most seriously.

Not medical advice. Kitchen apothecary content covers culinary uses and simple home preparations. It does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition, and it is not a substitute for a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified professional.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Some herbs that are fine in cooking amounts are not recommended in concentrated teas, tinctures or essential oils during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Our articles flag these, and we encourage anyone pregnant or nursing to check with their care provider before using herbs medicinally.
Medications and health conditions. Some herbs interact with prescription drugs. St. John's wort, for example, is known to interact with many medications. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before combining herbs with medication.
Pets. Several common garden and herb plants are toxic to cats or dogs, and essential oils can be dangerous to pets. We check plants against the ASPCA's list and note the result.
What we won't publish. We don't publish instructions for ingesting herbs with well-documented toxicity, such as pennyroyal or comfrey taken internally, and we don't publish wild foraging guides for eating.

The full notes, including emergency numbers, are on our herbal and garden safety page.

Reviewing this policy

We review these guidelines each winter, before the new growing season, and whenever our process changes. Last updated October 7, 2026.