Disclaimer

General Disclaimer

The information and tools provided by OrchardHome (“https://www.thepicko.com”) are for general educational purposes only. Everything here is offered in good faith, but we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, as to the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, or completeness of any information or result on the site.

Any use of the information or tools is entirely at your own risk. It is your responsibility to ensure the results meet your specific requirements and to verify them before acting.

A Learning Aid, Not Certified Advice

OrchardHome’s calculators — the harvest time calculator, the tree spacing calculator, the chill hours calculator, the fruit yield estimator, the pruning calendar, and the jam sugar-ratio calculator — are designed to help you plan a backyard orchard and check your assumptions. They do not constitute professional horticultural, agricultural, or arborist advice, and none of the content on this site is medical, nutritional, or health advice of any kind. For a planting, spacing, or pruning decision that really matters, confirm the result with your local extension office or a nursery familiar with your climate.

Results Are Rounded Estimates

The tools apply published horticultural rules of thumb and round their output for readability. That rounding, together with the assumptions of a deliberately simple model, means a displayed value may differ from what actually happens in your yard. Real trees vary by cultivar, rootstock, soil, and weather — always treat a result as a starting point, not a guarantee.

Why a Result May Look Off

A calculator can return a surprising or unhelpful answer when:

• Zone or units are mismatched: entering the wrong USDA hardiness zone or swapping Celsius and Fahrenheit changes the answer entirely.
• The fruit or variety isn’t a close match: chill-hour needs and harvest timing vary a great deal between cultivars of the same fruit.
• A microclimate isn’t captured: a sheltered yard, a slope, or a nearby wall can shift bloom and harvest dates well outside a zone-level estimate.
• The tree hasn’t reached the assumed age or care level: yield and pruning needs both depend on how a tree has actually been trained and maintained, not just its age in years.

No Warranty

OrchardHome expressly disclaims all warranties, whether express, implied, statutory, or otherwise, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that our tools, calculations, or information are error-free or complete, or that the website will be available without interruption.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, OrchardHome shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages — including a failed crop, a lost tree, or a spoiled batch of preserves — arising out of or related to your use of our tools and services.

External Links & Advertising

The site may link to third-party websites and displays advertisements from networks including Google AdSense. We do not investigate, monitor, or endorse third-party content, and the presence of a link or ad is not an endorsement of any product or service.

Changes to This Disclaimer

We may modify this disclaimer at any time. Changes are posted here with an updated revision date, and your continued use of the site indicates acceptance of the changes.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Disclaimer, please visit our Contact page or email us at support@thepicko.com.