As tree care companies look to deepen client relationships and diversify their revenue streams, one opportunity continues to stand out – launching a plant-health-care (PHC) program. Yet, for many business owners and managers, the idea of starting a new service line – especially one that requires technical knowledge, licensing and client education – can feel overwhelming.

At TCI EXPO ’24 in Baltimore, Maryland, I had the chance to connect with company leaders eager to grow in this area. What I’ve learned from launching and scaling PHC programs across a variety of markets is this: the most successful programs don’t begin perfectly – they begin intentionally. You don’t need to know everything to get started, but you do need a smart approach, good partners and a willingness to evolve as you grow.

Whether you’re in the early planning stages or just trying to get more traction, here are eight foundational strategies to help you cultivate success.

1. Tap into local ag universities and extension offices
Your local agricultural university or cooperative extension office is one of the most valuable – and underutilized – resources available to tree care companies. These institutions are deeply connected to your region’s plant-health challenges and regulatory landscape.

Here’s what they can help you with.

• Understanding local pesticide regulations: Every state has different rules, but land-grant universities are typically involved in regulatory education and pesticide-applicator training.
• Identifying primary disease and insect issues: Extension plant pathologists and entomologists often conduct research specific to your area and can offer diagnostic services.
• Soil testing and lab services: You can usually submit soil samples for pH, nutrient levels and organic matter at a fraction of what private labs charge.
• Free educational materials and training: From pest ID guides to continuing-education classes, these institutions are often publishing updated resources to keep the green industry informed.
• Talent pipeline: Don’t overlook the opportunity to recruit trained interns or graduates from horticulture, forestry and plant-science programs.

Forming a relationship with these institutions early on will keep your program science based, locally relevant and well supported.

2. Lean on product vendors for training, research and support
Vendors aren’t just product reps – they’re your technical partners. From insecticides and fungicides to bio-
stimulants and soil amendments, every product you apply should come with detailed support on:

• How it works.
• When to use it.
• Proper dosage and timing.
• How to avoid phytotoxicity or treatment failure.

Most vendors offer in-person or virtual training sessions, and many – such as Rainbow Ecoscience – go even further. Rainbow’s Roots Academy is an excellent free resource with on-demand courses covering PHC fundamentals, application techniques and tree biology.

Other things to ask vendors for include:

• Access to research trials backing their product recommendations.
• Help building protocols and treatment recommendations.
• Labels and SDS documentation for your technician records.
• Marketing language or sales sheets to help you explain services to customers.
• Before-and-after photos to help customers visualize the results they can expect.

The best vendors are the ones who go out of their way to see you succeed. Build a relationship and lean on them to help train your team, increase your confidence and grow your service offerings.

And remember – you are their partner, too. Give them feedback about what your team is seeing in the field so they can better support you. When selecting a vendor, prioritize the quality of the product and the support team behind it. But always compare pricing – and don’t be afraid to ask for their best price.

3. Start with soil health for quick wins
If you’re unsure where to begin, start with soil.

Soil care doesn’t typically require a pesticide license, and can often be implemented immediately while you’re ramping up licensing, training and more complex services. It’s also one of the most customer-friendly ways to introduce PHC. Most clients intuitively understand that healthy roots need healthy soil.

Examples of soil-focused services include:

• Root collar excavations.
• Deep root watering and fertilization.
• Liquid soil amendments (e.g., humates, seaweed extract, mycorrhizae).
• Organic-matter replenishment, such as radian trenching or vertical mulching.
• Stress-recovery programs.
• Beyond accessibility, soil care is a great entry point to long-term plant-health management. Trees suffering from chlorosis, compaction or nutrient deficiencies can often be improved with better soil conditions. And when you get results, clients take notice.

4. Integrate PHC into every customer touchpoint
Once your PHC program is live – even if it’s just a single service – you need to tell people about it. Don’t wait for customers to ask for PHC. Instead, make it a routine part of your sales and service process.

Ways to do this might include:

• Call intake: Train your office team to ask questions like, “Would you like us to assess the health of your trees and shrubs while we’re out there?”
• On-site visits: Have arborists include PHC observations during routine property walks. Look for chewed leaves, leaf discoloration, bleeding bark or root damage. These may be indicators of insect pests, disease symptoms, root issues and stress indicators. When assessing the health of a tree, start at the roots, move to the trunk and then assess the leaves and canopy.
• Estimate bundling: Offer combined pruning and soil-care packages. Use good/better/best pricing to educate clients and encourage upgrades.
• Annual proposals: Include recurring PHC services in your maintenance plans or subscription models.
• Emailing your client list: Don’t underestimate the power of a simple announcement. Send an email to your existing customer base introducing your new soil-care services – what they are, how they work and why they matter. This is one of the fastest ways to generate interest and schedule early work.

By normalizing PHC in your day-to-day interactions and marketing channels, it becomes a natural extension of your tree care service rather than a specialty upsell.

5. Focus on five to 10 key issues in your area
Rather than trying to build protocols for every disease or insect on day one, start by focusing on the most common and impactful problems in your region. Once you have the top five to 10 issues dialed in, your team can become confident in their ability to diagnose and treat.

Examples of regional issues:

• Iron chlorosis (frequent in high-pH soils).
• Scale (cottony camellia, magnolia scale, etc.).
• Foliar fungal disease (apple scab, rust).
• Root rot or drought stress.

For each target issue, build a protocol that includes:

• Diagnosis cues.
• Treatment method and timing.
• Product details.
• Customer expectations.
• Follow-up plan.

This tight focus will reduce overwhelm, allow your team to deliver high-quality results and help you market your expertise more effectively.

6. Train early and often
Training is essential – not just for compliance and safety, but for confidence.

Every PHC tech should be trained in:

• Proper PPE and equipment use.
• Product labels and mixing instructions.
• Tree biology and pest identification.
• Application timing and environmental conditions.
• Recordkeeping and reporting.

Don’t forget your sales team, either. Arborists and client managers should know:

• What services are available.
• When and why to recommend them.
• How to explain PHC benefits to clients.
• Common objections and how to overcome them.

Many tree care companies hold seasonal boot camps or quarterly refreshers. Online learning platforms and vendor training can supplement this, but nothing replaces regular, hands-on field education.

7. Build pricing with clarity and confidence
One of the most common stumbling blocks when launching PHC is pricing. Your pricing model should reflect:

• Material cost + markup.
• Labor time.
• Travel/set-up time.
• Desired profit margin.

Keep it simple by building tiered pricing into your CRM (customer-relationship-management platform). For example, price soil-health services by square footage with a minimum charge, and price insect/disease treatments by DBH (tree trunk diameter at breast height) wherever possible. Make sure your sales team has a quick-reference sheet or built-in calculator to avoid hesitation during proposals.

Also, teach your sales team to talk about PHC in relatable terms – especially human health. For example, compare soil care to gut health, trunk injections to vaccines and tree inspections to annual physicals. When customers understand that PHC is proactive care – just like they expect from their doctor or vet – they’re more likely to invest.

And remember – clients aren’t buying chemicals. They’re buying healthier plants, expert service and peace of mind. Teach your sales team to talk about PHC in relatable terms like human health.

8. Ask for help – you’re not alone
No matter how much planning you do, you will hit roadblocks. You might encounter an insect you can’t identify, a treatment that doesn’t work as expected or a technician struggling with application technique. That’s normal.

What matters is that you reach out. Lean on:

• Your vendors (technical support is part of the deal).
• Your local ag university.
• Peer tree care companies who’ve done it before.
• TCIA and its resources.

You’re part of an industry that’s collaborative and generous with knowledge. All you have to do is ask.

Final thoughts: Start where you are
The most successful PHC programs don’t start with perfection – they start with progress. Don’t let the desire to have every label memorized or every pest protocol in place stop you from launching. Instead, take one step at a time.

Start with soil. Start with a vendor partner. Start by asking a customer if they’d like help with that struggling oak in their front yard.

The road to a successful, profitable PHC program is built one small win at a time. Start where you are – and grow from there.

Heather Dirksen is the head of plant-health-care growth at Canopy Service Partners, where she leads the development and expansion of PHC programs across a national network of tree care companies. Canopy Service Partners is a two-year TCIA member company based in Chicago, Illinois.

This article is based on a session covering the same topic that she presented at TCI EXPO ’24 in Baltimore, Maryland.