The Beanstalk Garden Companion
Privacy Policy
Last updated October 29, 2026
The app is operated by John Terry, an individual, who is the data controller responsible for your personal information. This policy explains what information The Beanstalk Garden Companion ("the app", "we") collects and how it is used. We collect only what the app needs to work, and we never sell your information.
Information we collect
- Account details: your email address, an optional display name, and sign-in records, including when you sign in with Google.
- Garden data: the beds, sizes, positions and plants you save in the garden planner.
- Location you enter: the ZIP code you provide, used to find your growing zone, frost dates and weather.
- Planting records and membership status: the dates you log in the tracker and whether your membership is active.
- Preferences on your device: light/dark mode and color theme choices, stored in your browser only.
- Basic visit statistics: anonymous page-view counts that help us improve the app.
How we use it
We use your information to sign you in, save and show your gardens, create your planting calendar, and show local weather. We don't use it for advertising. We rely on providing the service you asked for (contract), our legitimate interest in keeping the app secure and improving it, and your consent where required.
Services we rely on
To provide forecasts and zones, the app sends your area's coordinates or ZIP code to the U.S. National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), a hardiness-zone lookup (phzmapi.org) and a postal-code lookup. Episodes and audio are loaded from Acast. These services receive only what's needed to answer the request. We also share data with our hosting providers, professional advisers when needed, and authorities where the law requires it.
Payments
Memberships are sold through Paddle.com, our Merchant of Record, which receives your name, email, billing details and payment information to process the sale, manage subscriptions, handle taxes and issue invoices. We never see or store your full card details.
Security and your rights
We use encryption and access controls to protect your data. Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, export or object to use of your data, and to complain to a data protection authority. Contact us through The Beanstalk podcast to make a request; we aim to respond within one month.
Keeping and deleting your data
We keep your account and gardens until you delete them. You can delete your account at any time from Account settings → Delete account; this permanently removes your login, profile, saved beds and planting records. Information we no longer need is deleted or anonymised.
Children
The app is not directed to children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect their information.
Changes and contact
If this policy changes, we'll update the date above. Questions? Reach out through The Beanstalk podcast. See also our Terms of Service.