Horticulture is the science or art of cultivating fruits and vegetables. This also includes flowers and ornamental plants. It came from the words hortus, meaning garden, and cultus, meaning tilling. The society considers this an important part of our life. Horticultural professionals conduct research. They apply their knowledge to various industries. This includes crop management, gardening, production, marketing, research, and landscape design. It improves how we use plants for food and for other human purposes. It also helps us in repairing the environment and personal aesthetics.
Horticulture covers a wide spectrum. Here are some of the different branches of horticulture that you should know about.
- Arboriculture
This is the study and cultivation of individual trees. As well as other perennial woody plants, vines, and shrubs. It also includes the selection, planting, care and removal of those.
- Floriculture
Floriculture is more known as flower farming. It is the study of growing and marketing flowers and foliage plants. It also includes the cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants. Cosmetic and perfume industries use these for direct sale or for use as raw materials. The pharmaceutical sector also uses them. This includes the production of planting materials through seeds, cuttings, budding, and grafting. Floriculture is also known as the art and knowledge of growing flowers to perfection.
- Landscape horticulture
Landscape horticulture is a broad category. It includes the production, marketing, and maintenance of plants for the landscape. This especially covers lawn turf and nursery crops such as shrubs, trees, and vines.
- Olericulture
This is the production and marketing of edible plants. It deals with the culture of non-woody or herbaceous plants.
- Pomology
It is the science of growing fruit. This is a branch of botany devoted to the study and cultivation of fruit.
- Viticulture
This is also known as growing grapes. It is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. This is important in making wines.
- Oenology
This is the science and study of everything that has to do with wine and wine-making. This does not include vine-growing and grape-harvesting which is under viticulture.
- Postharvest
This is the stage of crop production after harvesting. It includes cooling, cleaning, sorting and packing. The crop begins to deteriorate when you remove it from the ground or when you separate it from its parent plant. To prevent this, horticulturists take care of the crops as soon as harvested.
Horticulture does not focus on staple crops. It uses creativity to look for sustainable solutions in horticultural research. This will make our quality of life better. Floriculture and landscape horticulture is common even in local households. Most residential houses and buildings have gardens of some sort. It is advisable to check with your garden centre wholesale suppliers. They can help you with the items you need in maintaining your garden or landscapes.
