Plant Healthy for Small Businesses and Community Tree Nurseries
Whether you’re a small business or a community tree nursery, this page brings together everything you need to get started with Plant Healthy certification. Explore practical guidance, free resources and step-by-step support to help you meet the Plant Health Management Standard and build good plant health practices with confidence.
Plant Healthy protects our green environment by minimising the risks of introducing or spreading serious plant pests and diseases.
A number of these pests and diseases are already established in our wider countryside so, whether you import, grow your own or a mix of the two, it’s important that you practice good plant health management and that this is embedded in all your practices on your site(s).
By becoming Plant Healthy certified you can be confident that you are doing all you can to make sure that the trees and plants you are supplying are healthy, and that the risks of spreading plant pests and disease have been minimised.
Plant Healthy certification might not be suitable for everyone, and we recognise that it can be hard when budgets and time are tight, but we offer free resources, guidance and e-learning to help you understand what you need to do to meet the requirements of the Plant Health Management Standard. Take a look at our ‘How Do I Get Started’ section below to find out more.
The team at Plant Healthy are always ready to help with any support you might need.
How Do I Get Started
A simple, stepwise journey to Plant Healthy certification.
The Plant Healthy scheme is based on a set of industry-developed plant health and biosecurity requirements. These are set out on the Plant Health Management Standard.
Our ‘Practical Guidance to Help You Meet the Plant Health Management Standard’ section will help you understand what you need to do.
The Self-Assessment Tool (you’ll need to register for access) lets you check how your organisation currently measures up against the Standard before you formally apply.
Using the tool will help you recognise where the gaps are and what processes, documents and records you’ll need to develop as you prepare for your certification audit.
To become certified:
- Contact either or both of our approved Certification Bodies for a quote.
- Your chosen Body will send you an application pack (forms, fees, guidance on evidence you need to submit).
You’ll be asked to include information about:
- a. Your business scope (i.e. whether you are a nursery, retailer, landscaper)
- b. Where and how you grow or handle plants
An auditor from your chosen Certification Body will:
- Review your procedures and records
- Check how you manage plant pests and disease risks
- Assess whether you comply with the Plant Health Management Standard
If your business meets the Standard, you’ll be granted Plant Healthy certification (a certificate and listing in the official directory). If there are any issues you will have time to address them following the audit.
Plant Healthy encourages ongoing improvement rather than simply just passing an initial audit.
Once certified, you are expected to:
- Maintain your plant health practices
- Update and improve systems as needed
- Carry out an annual self-assessment using our checklist
- Be ready for your annual audits to maintain your certification
If at any point you have questions on the Plant Health Management Standard, or the certification process, please contact us at info@planthealthy.org.uk and we'll be happy to help.
Download our guide to help you meet the Plant Health Management Standard.
You’ll find practical advice, templates and examples to make meeting the requirements as straightforward as possible.
Group Schemes
Group schemes offer an opportunity for applicants to become Plant Healthy certified at a lower individual cost. They involve the joint certification of multiple applicants, with approval applying collectively rather than to each applicant separately.
For the group scheme to work a Group Scheme Leader must be appointed, who is responsible for administering the scheme and acting as the main point of contact with the certification body.
Download our Group Scheme Guide (Word, 233KB) – A practical guide and template to help you develop and document the procedures required to manage your group certification scheme. Complete the guide, save it and share it with participating members where appropriate.
If you have any questions on setting up a group scheme, please contact us at info@planthealthy.org.uk and we'll be happy to help.
What Our Members Say
Hear directly from some of our Plant Healthy certified members. They share how they’re taking proactive steps to protect plants, trees and landscapes, and why plant health matters to them.
What is Plant Healthy?
Plant Healthy is a certification scheme helping UK growers, landscapers and other plant professionals protect against harmful pests and diseases through proactive, best-practice plant health management.
Who is Plant Healthy For?
Whether you’re a grower, nursery, landscaper or other plant professional, Plant Healthy certification helps you play your part in protecting the UK’s plants and trees. Find out who the scheme is for and why it matters.
Benefits of Certification
Discover how Plant Healthy certification raises standards, protects landscapes and gives your business a genuine commercial and environmental advantage.
The Commercial Benefits
Plant Healthy isn’t just good for plants, it’s good for business. Learn how certification helps manage risk, build reputation and deliver lasting value.
Benefits for Your Staff
Plant Healthy certification strengthens staff skills, boosts confidence and supports a culture of continuous improvement across your organisation.
Advice
Becoming Plant Healthy certified is easier than you might think. This video offers reassurance and advice on getting started and explains why certification delivers long-term benefits across the sector.
What to Expect on Audit Day
To help the day run smoothly:
- Have documents and records ready and easy to access
- Make sure relevant staff are available and aware of the audit
- Provide a suitable space to meet the auditor
On the day, the auditor will:
- Review your documents, records and risk assessments
- Talk through your policies and procedures
- Tour your site(s) to see what you do in practice
You will receive initial feedback on the day. A full written report will follow shortly afterwards.
Biosecurity for Seed Sourcing & Collection
If you are a Community Tree Nursery you might also find this section useful.
If not buying in seed, whether you collect it from around the local area or further afield it’s important to secure permission from a landowner before collecting seeds on their property.
Only collect seed trees that look healthy and disease free.
Be careful about cleaning boots before and after collecting seeds to avoid spreading pests - ‘arrive clean and leave clean’.
You should have a process that links all the trees that leave the nursery to the site where the original seed was collected or cutting made. This is known as ‘traceability’. Traceability reassures the buyer and means that any problems are easier to identify and contain. A plant-labelling system and computer database can help you record and store all the information such as:
- Tree locations, and details of what, how and when seed was collected and processed.
- Unique numbers for each seed batch, to be used as part of the labelling for trees grown on
- Records of who trees were sold to
