About
Our Mission
Sick Plants empowers growers to understand where and how their plant health problem started, how to manage it, and what to do differently next season. Using a scientific approach and customized management recommendations, Sick Plants ensures each grower sees measurable improvements in their current and future growing seasons.
Our Approach
Sick Plants is built for the growers who don’t fit the conventional model. We understand the complexity, diversity, and resource constraints of small-scale production. We specialize in supporting certified-organic and no-spray small farms and dedicated home gardeners growing dozens of crops and ornamental varieties at once.
Our work is rooted in strengthening the backbone of local and micro food economies—the growers who supply farmers markets, local restaurants, and their own communities. We provide practical, whole-farm plant health strategies tailored to diversified operations that deserve expert support just as much as large commodity farms.
Our Story
Sick Plants is led by Abby Beissinger, a Seattle-based plant pathologist with expertise in plant diagnostics of vegetable, fruit, ornamentals, and house plants. Prior to starting Sick Plants, Abby spent more than a decade working with farmers, home gardeners, municipalities, and resource conservation districts to improve their plant health issues using science-based management decisions.
Abby received a Master’s Degree in Plant Pathology at Washington State University, and collaborated with WSU Extension specialists, farmers, and WSDA agents to address Potato virus Y in western Washington. Following her graduate work, she was the director of University of Connecticut’s Plant Diagnostic Lab and coordinator of University of Connecticut’s Natural Resources Conservation Academy. She transitioned into urban forestry consulting, and worked for more than 30 cities to better manage their urban forest populations. Abby is an alumna of Viva Farm’s Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture, and is deeply rooted in Seattle’s local food system as an alumna of Seattle Culinary Academy, and a chef at The Pantry.
After years of work in the food system from the large to small scale, Abby started Sick Plants because she is passionate about supporting small growers who make our food system and communities more connected. Her strength is taking complicated scientific concepts and translating them into the education, resources, and trainings needed for all to execute a successful growing season, vibrant plantings, and measurable plant health improvements.
