What exactly is horticulture?
For those who are unaware of the word horticulture, it means the art of gardening. However, it is not as simple as it sounds and it definitely is not the same as agriculture. According to American horticulturist Liberty Hyde Bailey, “Horticulture is the growing of flowers, fruits and vegetables, and of plants for ornament and fancy”. In relation to art, Horticulture entails gardening and landscaping, dealing with high-value and luxury crops. The difference between agriculture and horticulture are:
- Horticulture carefully includes plant development just while agriculture manages the development of harvests just as animal farming.
- horticulture may incorporate plants that are not for human utilization while agriculture predominantly centers around crops for human utilization.
- Horticulture is done on a minor, encased areas while horticulture is done on broad parcels on a huge scale.
All about horticulture
Horticulture does not only help with gardening of dealing with plants and flowers, however, it also improves the mindset of individuals in a way that their knowledge about plants, flowers, etc. will be enhanced, as well as they will be more aware of the beauty around them. People would appreciate the flowers, the trees and all the living this that positively impacts us. They would then plant more of these, take care of the plants, and try to make the environment better and a world that would be filled with colours, greenery, a beauty worth exploring.
Some of the branches of horticulture you should be aware of includes:
- Olericulture – This branch deals with vegetables of all kinds. The entire process of growing, processing, as well as marketing.
- Pomology – This branch deals with fruits.
- Floriculture – This branch of horticulture deals with management as well as the cultivation of flowers.
- Landscape horticulture – As the name suggests, this branch deals with taking care of the landscapes, public as well as private. Not just taking care, but managing them, designing them, as well as their entire construction process and procedure.
- Plant Propagation – This branch of horticulture deals with young trees, and shrubs. From their seeds to planting them and taking care of them.
How can you learn about horticulture?
Not many people are aware of this but horticulture is a proper degree and is offered by a large number of universities. Apart from the universities, you can also learn short as well as long courses online and there are various sites offered by universities as well as online sites. Some of these online horticulture courses can be found at academies as well.
The first and foremost step of learning all about horticulture is to learn online as much as you can. You should be aware of the different branches of horticulture and the different types of fields and careers/jobs you want. A short summary of horticulture is mentioned below.
Careers in horticulture
Regardless of whether you need to work in a lab, a field, a flower shop, at an arboretum, at a professional flowerbed, on the green, or something totally unique like starting your own business related to any of the above mentioned branches, the potential outcomes are inestimable. Both plant science and nourishment frameworks majors start their profession encounters right on time with a necessary temporary position and is told of numerous different entry-level positions and low maintenance employments consistently.
Some of the major types of jobs include:
- Teaching – when everything fails, one can always teach in a college or university and earn a good salary package as a horticulture degree is not as common and institutes need horticulture degree holders.
- Research and counsellors – Research related jobs are available in every sector, be it private or public. If you have a curious mind you can go for that.
- Government jobs – The government hires horticultural specialist individuals and teams to give a new look to the city or to improve the landscape.
- Own start-up – After the degree or courses, individuals can open their stores, start their websites, possibilities are endless. Whatever is the field of interest, after a small market survey, a new business can be started.
- Management – People pay individuals to manage their lands, improve, as well as design them to make it look nicer and picturesque.
- Supervisors and investigators – if you are not interested in hands-on related work, you can always supervise and investigate. There are private companies as well as government-related jobs who are looking for supervisors and investigators to give suggestions and look for ways to make their land or products better.
