Affiliate Disclosure
Transparency is at the heart of everything we do. Here’s exactly how Gardening at Home earns money, how our product recommendations work, and what affiliate links mean for you.
📅 Last Updated: January 15, 2024The One-Minute Summary
Gardening at Home participates in affiliate marketing programs. This means when you click certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission — at no additional cost to you.
These commissions help us keep our content 100% free for everyone. We never accept payment for positive reviews, and we only recommend products we genuinely believe in after thorough research and testing.
If you want the full details — how it works, which programs we’re part of, and our ironclad commitment to honest recommendations — keep reading. We’ve laid it all out below.
How Affiliate Links Work
When we write a guide — say, about the best potting soil for indoor plants — we include links to products on retailers like Amazon. These are called affiliate links. They work just like regular links, with one small difference: they contain a special code that tells the retailer, “This customer came from Gardening at Home.”
You Read Our Guide
We research and recommend products based on quality, value, and real-world testing.
You Click a Link
The link takes you to the retailer’s website — Amazon, a brand’s store, or another marketplace.
You Make a Purchase
You buy the product (or anything else from that retailer during the cookie window).
We Earn a Commission
The retailer pays us a small percentage of the sale. You pay the exact same price.
💡 Key Point: The price you pay is identical whether you use our affiliate link or navigate directly to the product. The commission comes from the retailer’s marketing budget — not from your wallet.
Affiliate Programs We Participate In
We are selective about which affiliate programs we join. Each program is evaluated based on the quality of products available, the retailer’s reputation, and whether the program aligns with our commitment to recommending only genuinely useful products.
| Program | What We Link To | Cookie Duration | Commission Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Associates | Plant care products, tools, books, pots, soil, fertilizers, pest control | 24 hours (extended to 90 days for items added to cart) | 1% – 10% depending on category |
| ShareASale | Specialty gardening brands, seeds, organic products | 30 – 90 days (varies by merchant) | 5% – 20% depending on merchant |
| Direct Brand Partnerships | Premium soil mixes, grow lights, specialized tools | Varies by brand agreement | Negotiated per partnership |
📢 FTC Disclosure: In accordance with Federal Trade Commission guidelines, every page containing affiliate links includes a clear disclosure near the top of the content. Individual affiliate links are also marked where appropriate.
Our Product Recommendation Philosophy
Affiliate commissions do not — and never will — influence what we recommend. Our editorial integrity is the foundation of your trust, and we guard it fiercely. Here’s how we decide what to recommend:
Research First
We read product specifications, scientific studies, and user reviews across multiple platforms.
Hands-On Testing
Our team tests products in real homes with real plants — not in controlled lab conditions.
Community Feedback
We incorporate experiences from our reader community and professional gardener networks.
Value Assessment
We consider whether a product delivers genuine value for its price point.
What We Never Do:
- We never accept payment for positive reviews. If a brand offers us money for a favorable review, we decline — and we stop considering their products.
- We never recommend products we haven’t vetted. Every product that appears in our guides has been researched, and most have been tested by our team.
- We never hide negative information. If a product has flaws, we tell you about them — even if we earn a commission on it.
- We never let affiliate availability dictate our picks. If the best product isn’t available through an affiliate program, we recommend it anyway and don’t earn a commission.
🏆 Our Transparency Pledge
If you ever feel a recommendation seems biased or questionable, please email us at trust@gardeningathome.com. We take these concerns seriously and will investigate every report.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Affiliate Practices
No. You pay exactly the same price whether you use our affiliate link or go directly to the retailer. In some cases, we may even have access to exclusive discount codes that save you money.
Absolutely. You can search for products directly on any retailer’s website. Our guides include enough information — product names, specifications, and key features — that you can find items without clicking our links. The links are a convenience, not a requirement.
Never. Commission rates vary by product category, not by individual product. Within the same category (say, potting soil), all products pay the same commission rate. This means there’s no financial incentive for us to push one brand over another within a category. Our picks are based entirely on quality, value, and performance.
We update our guides regularly. If we learn that a product we recommended has declined in quality, been reformulated poorly, or if better options have become available, we update our recommendation. We also encourage readers to share their experiences — your feedback helps us keep our guides accurate.
Occasionally, brands send us sample products for evaluation. When this happens, we disclose it clearly in the relevant guide. Receiving a free sample does not guarantee a positive review — we evaluate every product honestly, regardless of how we acquired it.
Commission rates vary widely by product category and retailer. Most gardening products fall into categories with 1-5% commission rates. This means if you purchase a $30 bag of potting soil through our link, we might earn between $0.30 and $1.50. These small amounts add up across thousands of readers, allowing us to cover hosting costs, pay our writers, and keep creating free content.
Amazon Associates Program Disclosure
Gardening at Home is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its international sites (Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com.au, etc.).
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This means:
- When you click an Amazon link on our site and make any purchase within 24 hours (or within 90 days if you add the item to your cart), we may earn a commission.
- The commission applies to your entire purchase, not just the specific item we linked to. If you click our link for a $15 moisture meter and also buy a $200 grow light, we earn a commission on both — without you paying anything extra.
- Amazon determines commission eligibility and rates. We have no visibility into individual purchases — we only see aggregated earnings data.
🔒 Privacy Note: We never see your Amazon order details, payment information, or personal data. The affiliate tracking only tells us that “someone” made a purchase through our link — we don’t know who or what specific items were bought.
Sponsored Content & Brand Partnerships
On rare occasions, we may publish sponsored content — articles or guides created in partnership with a brand. Sponsored content is always clearly labeled at the top of the page with language like “This guide is sponsored by [Brand Name]” or “Created in partnership with [Brand Name].”
Our Sponsored Content Rules:
- Clear labeling: Sponsored content is explicitly marked so you never confuse it with our independent editorial guides.
- Editorial control: We retain final approval over all content. Brands cannot dictate our opinions or conclusions.
- Honest assessment: Even in sponsored content, we provide honest evaluations. If a product has limitations, we discuss them.
- Limited frequency: Sponsored content represents a small fraction of our overall content. Our primary focus is and always will be independent, research-driven guides.
How You Can Support Gardening at Home
If you find our guides helpful and want to support our work, here are meaningful ways to do so — none of which cost you anything extra:
- Use our affiliate links when shopping: If you’re planning to buy a product we’ve recommended, clicking through our link ensures we earn a small commission on your purchase at no extra cost.
- Share our guides with fellow plant lovers: Word of mouth is powerful. If a guide helped you, share it with a friend or on social media.
- Subscribe to our newsletter: It’s free, and it helps us understand what topics matter most to our community.
- Send us feedback: Tell us what’s working, what’s not, and what you’d like to see next. Your input shapes our future content.
- Disable ad blockers on our site (if you use them): We keep ads minimal and non-intrusive. Whitelisting us helps support our work.
We’re deeply grateful for every reader who supports us. Our mission is to make gardening knowledge accessible to everyone, and your support — in any form — makes that possible.
Questions About Our Affiliate Practices?
We welcome your questions, concerns, and feedback about our affiliate relationships or product recommendations. Transparency is a two-way conversation, and we want to hear from you.
- Email (Affiliate Questions): affiliates@gardeningathome.com
- Email (Trust & Integrity Concerns): trust@gardeningathome.com
- General Contact: Contact Us Page
We respond to all inquiries within 48 hours during weekdays.