Did you know that UF/IFAS Extension Orange County has a group of trained volunteers to help you with your plant needs? If your plants are in need contact our Residential Plant Clinic!
What exactly is a Plant Clinic? Think of it as a one-stop-shop for all your plant health questions or walk-in clinic for your plants. Having problems with disease or insect pests? Looking to start a vegetable garden and don’t know where to start? We can help! Our Residential Plant Clinic is open to the residents of Orange County to help you with your everyday plant needs. If you are a contracted landscaper or horticulture professional, please check out our Commercial Plant Clinic.
New Operating Hours:
- In-Person: UF/IFAS Extension Orange County Office
- 6021 S. Conway Rd. Orlando, FL 32812
- M-TH, 10-5 pm
- By Phone: 407-254-9200
- By Email: orangecomgv@ifas.ufl.edu
- In- Person: UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research & Education Center
- 2725 S. Binion Rd., Apopka, FL 32703
- Tuesdays from 9-12 pm
- By Phone: 407-814-6175
Services:
- Plant ID
- Pest ID
- Recommendations for Plant Selection
- Plant Health Diagnostics
- Backyard gardening and landscape consultations
- pH Soil Testing
- UF/IFAS Extension Orange County Plant Clinic offers soil pH testing for $2 per sample (exact cash or check only.)
- UF/IFAS Soils Lab: $10/sample includes pH, Lime Requirement, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur, Copper, Manganese, and Zinc. Click here for a submission form!
- SoilKit by mail: $29.95/sample and includes pH, Buffer pH, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Copper, Boron, CEC, and organic matter. Order your kit here!
- To learn more about the differences in each testing option, check out this blog post: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/orangeco/2023/08/03/soil-ph-testing-returns-to-orange-county-plant-clinic/
- And so much more!
Bringing in a Sample:
- Plant material samples should include flowers, live leaves, and roots if possible. Bring a sample which includes as many features as possible of the plant you want to I.D. or problem you wish to be diagnosed. Use a plastic bag to maintain the moisture of the tissues. Do not add a wet paper towel or water to the plastic bag. Bring it to our clinic office the day you collect it, otherwise keep it refrigerated until you can bring it to our office.
- Pictures are worth a thousand words! If the plant in need is too large to transport, please take photos of the planting site and symptoms the plant is displaying.
- Insect samples should be placed in a jar or other suitable enclosed container. Collect more than one specimen if possible. Bring the insect in a plastic or glass container, they can be dead or alive. Insects may be killed and preserved in alcohol. Very small insects may be collected with a gummed tape.
- Sod samples should be about 6″x6″ with mostly green turf and some brown turf to determine what pest may be eating your yard. Use a plastic or paper bag, shoe box, or any suitable container to bring the sample to our office. The fresher the material is, the easier it is to diagnose the problem.
We look forward to assisting you with your plant needs!
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