Paging Dr. Plant. If you love to garden but need to strengthen your green thumb, consider consulting with a plant doctor. Like medical doctors, these professionals can help diagnose disease and prescribe formulas to help restore health in a living thing. Only plant doctors focus on the ficus and other leafy greens in and around your home and garden.

The Study of Plants

Yes, there is a plant doctor degree. While you don’t necessarily need one for all plant-related professions, it certainly doesn’t hurt. Interested students study plant pathology, entomology, plant science, and other subjects related to thriving horticulture.

So, why do we need plant doctors? Well, when more attention is being paid to planting sustainable gardens, green spaces, and farm-to-table meals, we need people who know about the bacteria, pests, and weeds that can negatively impact production, businesses, and overall wellbeing. And we need them STAT.

Types of Plant Doctors

In general, plant doctors are trained in diagnosing problems with plants—from disease to injury. After considering the symptoms, a good doctor will recommend methods of management, prevention, and control. However, like medical doctors, plant doctors can also have specialties. Some may concentrate on plant pests while others may focus on weeds.

You may be able to find a practicing plant doctor in your neighborhood nursery or research more specialized professionals online. Some could even do a virtual visit to help diagnose plant issues. Other doctors could be put on staff at large gardens or farms. For more comprehensive results, direct contact with the plant and surrounding soil may be needed to run diagnostic tests. If your plants require some extra TLC, consider calling the plant experts at Elite Tree Care. Not only are we knowledgeable about the issues that can affect your plants, but we also have excellent garden bedside manner.

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