Membership · Three ways to support
How to be part of the Guild.
The Planters' Guild is free to read for everyone. A smaller group decides to fund the work, and there are three ways to do that.
How membership works
Free to read. Three ways to fund.
The publication itself is free. The Plant Library, the Substrate Library, the Field Manual dossiers, California Natives, the Care Guides, the reference shelves, and the Apprenticeship when it opens in September. All of it free to read, no paywalls, no ads. That's the point. No tier to join, no account required. You can stop here, and most people will.
There are three ways to fund the work if you want to. Membership is the ongoing path. Founding Member is the one-time lifetime tier. Or send a one-time pledge of any size, no commitment.
Member
$5 / month or $50 / year
- Everything published, same as any reader gets. Free, no paywall
- Printable bench-notes PDFs with the Guild seal, workshop-formatted versions of the most-used guides
- The Founder's monthly note, direct correspondence about what's being built
- Your support keeps the publication free for everyone
Or pay annually: $50 / year (save $10). Cancel anytime.
Founding Member
$200 once · Capped at 1,000
- Everything Members get, for life. No recurring charge, no expiration
- Your name on the founding members wall at the future physical Guild
- Founding privileges at the physical Guild: early entry, founding event, moments held only for the original 1,000
- A one-time act that funds the publication's first year
1,000 lifetime spots. Then the tier closes for good.
One-time Pledge
Any amount from $5 · No commitment
- Choose any amount; send it once
- No recurring charge, no perks owed in return
- Funds the publication's first year directly
- For when you want to support the work without joining as a member
Not tax-deductible. The Planters' Guild LLC is a for-profit publication.
Common questions
Before you decide.
What's free?
Everything published on the site. The Plant Library, the Substrate Library, the Field Manual dossiers, California Natives, the Care Guides, the reference shelves, and the Apprenticeship when it opens. No account, no payment. The Window Box newsletter is free too, first Monday of every month. There is no paywalled editorial content; the publication is free by design.
What's the difference between Member and Founding Member?
Member is the ongoing way to support the work, $5/month or $50/year, cancel anytime. Founding Member is a one-time $200 payment that locks in lifetime access to every Member benefit, plus your name at the future physical Guild and founding privileges there. Founding Membership is capped at the first 1,000 supporters, then closes permanently.
What's the one-time pledge for?
Some readers want to support the work without joining as a member. The one-time pledge is for that. Send any amount you'd like, no recurring charge, no perks owed. The publication's first-year budget benefits directly from one-time pledges, same as it does from membership.
Why is there a Member tier at all if the publication is free?
Because publishing costs money, hosting, photography, the eventual physical site, the working capital reserve. The Member and Founding Member tiers are how the publication funds itself without venture money, ads, or paywalls. The bench-notes PDFs and Founder's note are real perks for paying members, but the core editorial stays free because that's what The Planters' Guild is for.
How does Member checkout work?
Click the Subscribe button on the Member tier above and you'll be taken to a Stripe-hosted secure checkout page. Enter your email, billing details, and payment method. After successful payment you'll land on a welcome page with what to expect next. Monthly subscriptions bill on the same day each month; annual subscriptions bill once a year on the anniversary of signup. Cancel anytime from the email receipt or by writing to [email protected].
Can I switch from Member to Founding Member later?
Yes, as long as Founding Member spots are still available. If you join as a Member and decide to upgrade, the $200 Founding payment converts you and any unused Member subscription credit applies. Once Founding closes (cap or June 2027), the tier is gone permanently.
Is membership tax-deductible?
No. The Planters' Guild LLC is a for-profit publication and membership is a paid product, not a donation. If you'd like to support garden access and horticulture education in your area, look up local nonprofits doing that work, most counties have one.