It may be the middle of winter, but here at Planter we’re busy getting ready for the new growing season. We’re also very excited to announce a host of new features and improvements that we will be adding to the app in 2023!
But first, I have some personal news…
Starting this month I have transitioned to working on Planter full-time! When I originally released the app in 2017, I never imagined it would grow to be what it is today. Honestly, I was skeptical if even a dozen people would download it. But you did! Apparently I wasn’t the only person who wanted a simpler garden planning process 😉. Gardeners are a great group of people, and I’m truly thankful to be able to work on this app and connect with you each gardening season. Today, Planter consists of a small team of 3, including myself, Erin Thomson, our lead Growing Guide writer, and Jessalyn Krenicki, our Content Intern. Together, we have been working hard to make Planter more useful and add more features to the app!
So, enough talking, let’s get to the reason you’re reading this; What do we have planned?
Expanded Companion Planting Info
One of the biggest changes we are making is the addition of the “why” behind companion planting. Companion planting information varies widely and sometimes sources contradict each other, so we’re delving deep into the research to make sure Planter’s companion planting info is both correct and explanatory. Gardeners will soon be able to understand exactly why certain plants are companions or combative, giving them even more control over their veggie gardens. You can expect this feature early this spring!
Redesigned Plant Details Page
We are also completely redesigning the plant details page, with the primary goal of making it better on larger screens such as tablets and desktops. It also includes your most recently used varieties so they are easily accessible. And any notes you’ve created will appear at the top of the plant details page. Both varieties and notes were previously hidden in separate tabs, so now they’re much more visible. This redesign is slowly being rolled out, since it’s such a big change. It’s currently live on the website and the Android beta, with iOS and the rest of Android coming soon.
And more!
There are many more features that we are working on that I can’t share just yet. When deciding what feature to add, we typically start with the most commonly requested features in the Feature Requests tool. And now with my full attention on the app, I can confidently say that these features will roll out at a much faster pace than ever before! As always, we welcome feedback and suggestions from you as we continue to develop and improve the app, so keep suggesting new features and upvoting existing feature requests!
Finally, we’d like to thank each and every gardener who has downloaded and tried out Planter. Your support, whether it be subscribing to the app or leaving a 5⭐ review, has made all the difference, and without it none of this would have been possible (and I’d still be working for a boring real estate company 😉). So, from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU!
Cheers and happy gardening 🌱,
Peter Keefe
(Founder of Planter)