PCH Associate - Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association

PCH Associate Program

PLNA is raising the bar for green industry certification. After a year of collaboration with LandStudies, we’re thrilled to unveil a modernized, expert-crafted PA Certified Horticulturist (PCH) manual—available early 2026—with a new exam to follow.

What You Need to Know:

Now–Dec 1, 2025: Last chance to apply under the current PCH program
Jan 2026: Pre-orders open for the new manual
Feb 4–5, 2026: Launch at the PLNA Annual Conference
- Final in-person exam for the current manual
- Earn CEUs toward your new certification
April 2026: New PCH exam goes live

Questions or ready to schedule your exam? Contact Tiffany Carpenter, PLNA Certification Coordinator at tcarpenter@wannerassoc.com.

Become a Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturist (PCH) Associate

Whether you're a student exploring horticulture or an industry employee building your career, the PCH Associate program offers a recognized certification to validate your foundational knowledge in:

Plant health care
Basic botany
Soils & climate
Plant identification

This “core” module of the professional PCH exam is designed for those who aren’t yet ready for full certification but want to demonstrate their expertise and grow in the green industry. Ongoing certification is maintained through continuing education—ensuring you stay sharp and up to date.

Why PCH Associate Was Created

At the request of the PA Department of Education, the PCH Associate program was developed for high school and technical school students in horticulture and is designated as a PA Department of Education Industry-Recognized Credential for career and technical programs in Pennsylvania’s career clusters.

These industry-recognized credentials measure competence in core content and performance standards in a specific set of work-related tasks. The work-related tasks and assessment must connect with workforce demands.

The PCH Associate certification is listed under CIP 01.0601 – Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations, General.

But it quickly became clear: employers see it as a powerful tool to upskill their teams. That’s why we offer two tailored tracks:

PCH Associate Student – for high school, career & technical, or college students (APPLY HERE)
PCH Associate Employee – for green industry professionals early in their careers (APPLY HERE)

For High School and CTE Teachers

Interested in implementing the PCH Associate in your classroom? Contact Tiffany Carpenter, Certification Coordinator, at tcarpenter@wannerassoc.com to learn more about logistics and proctoring details.