Providing Professional Expertise
CLIENT DRIVEN SOLUTIONS
Horticulture Services
Roots 1st is your premiere source for all aspects of ornamental horticulture information. With a Plant Health Centric approach, our expertise can provide solutions that improve production quality, increase operational profitability, and create maximum value of your nursery or landscape investment.
Arboriculture Services
Let our ISA Certified Arborist assist in meeting your needs and goals for all your overstory tree needs. We provide services including tree risk assesment, lab analysis and diagnosis, as we all as tree care programs designed to meet your goals and your budget!
Irrigation Services
With over 25 years of irrigation experience we have the know how to maximize your irrigation efficiency whether for a residential landscape, commercial landscape, or Agricultural irrigation system.
About Us
Austin Spivey, President of Roots 1st, is a Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Irrigation expert working with Growers, Landscapers, Tree Care Professionals, and Private Clients to overcome challenges, maximize efficiencies, and help their businesses become more profitable. Austin is passionate about holistic Plant and Tree Health Care that focuses on the root causes of issues. Creating comprehensive Best Management Practices (BMP’s) which maximize client investment and guide their plants, trees, and landscapes to meet their ultimate potential through factual science based approaches.
For nearly a decade Austin has overseen all production aspects of the largest ornamental tree farm in the Southeastern United States. It is during this time he has been able to conduct research, trial new solutions and technologies, and help grow the company into one of the most successful ornamental nurseries in the United States. For over 20 years he has been involved in numerous areas of the green industry and has traveled all around the world to study the science of plants and trees. Commercial landscape installation and maintenance, commercial Arbor care, Agricultural/ Horticulture, and all aspects of irrigation are just a few of the things Roots 1st specializes in.
Austin is a Florida Certified Horticulture Professional, an ISA Certified Arborist, a Florida Water Star Accredited Irrigation Professional,is BMP Certified in the state of Florida, and has extensive training in Lean Six Sigma Project Leadership. Austin is a former Board of Director for the FNGLA Action Chapter and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Lake County Farm Bureau. Austin is on the Advisory Board for the Lake County IFAS Extension and is heavily involved in community outreach and education in the Agricultural and Horticultural community of Central Florida. Austin has won numerous awards for his work including the Agriculture Environmental Leadership Award, presented by the Commissioner of Agriculture, in 2016.
Austin holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of Central Florida. Austin is also a graduate of the University of Florida Wedgworth Leadership Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
