She now works at Safe Tree Ltd as the Plant Health Care Specialist. In her role, she helps develops treatment plans for trees and shrubs in Niagara, using integrated pest management (IPM) to diagnose pests and diseases, and perform fertilizer and pesticide treatments as needed. Read on to learn about her journey.

I graduated from the Horticultural Technician Co-op program in April 2024.

I read a testimonial from a Horticultural Technician graduate who had started their own market garden growing organic vegetables (shout out to Grumpy’s Greens!). It was exciting to see that a two-year program could lead directly to a successful, hands-on career after graduating.

I worked for HESIC from March 2023 to April 2024 as a Greenhouse Research Assistant.

Since graduating, I’ve been working for a family-owned tree company in Fenwick, Ontario called Safe Tree Ltd. I’m the Plant Health Care Specialist, which means I help develop treatment plans for trees and shrubs in Niagara. I use integrated pest management (IPM) to diagnose pests and diseases and perform fertilizer and pesticide treatments as needed.

Working for HESIC gave me hands-on experience which helped me integrate the theoretical knowledge from my coursework. I gained investigative skills in IPM scouting, maintaining greenhouse crops with proper watering, fertilizing, and pruning. Attending the Canadian Greenhouse Conference, I learned about the importance of industry partnerships, networking, and professionalism.

That would have to be the Squid Juice research trial we conducted at HESIC in the Cannabunker. We were testing a product that diverts the waste from the squid harvesting process and how effectively it worked as an organic fertilizer for cannabis plants. I admire the founders for their environmental values, but the strong smell of the squid juice made us laugh every day and definitely made for a memorable work experience!

The field trip to Montreal was amazing and a fun way to connect with other students outside of class. I also had a great time at the Project Brew events tasting the student creations and enjoying the courtyard space by night!

Long before going back to school, I was mentored by a dear friend and coworker, Judy, who taught me about plants and gardening while we worked as landscape gardeners together. She lived an exciting life guided by her love for plants and people, which inspired me to follow my passion and crack jokes along the way.

Take advantage of your instructors and participate in class discussions. Being engaged in class can motivate others to participate and will enrich your overall experience.

Working with the certified arborists and consultants at Safe Tree, I have learned that nearly every urban landscape tree is stressed and often planted incorrectly. Any stressors can take months to years to show up in the canopy and can take the same time to recover. That’s a LOT of stressed trees. Homeowners and municipalities should be watering and fertilizing their trees, especially during hot weeks in summer!

I like to cook, work on craft projects, read, and practice yoga.

Diving into a busy spring season of work with Safe Tree. Despite challenges, I continued to show up and do my best every day, while building positive relationships with my co-workers.