Objective 5.01Objective 5.01

What is the broad field of horticulture and its different divisions?

What is Horticulture?

• Horticulture comes from the Latin words hortus which means “garden” and cultorum which means “cultivation”.

• Horticulture is the cultivation, processing and marketing of flowers, ornamental plants, vegetables, fruits and nuts.

Divisions of Horticulture

• Fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants• Floriculture• Landscape and nursery industry• Olericulture• Pomology

Floriculture

• Floriculture is the science and practice of growing, harvesting, storing, designing, and marketing flowering plants.

Landscape and Nursery

• Landscape and nursery industry is the science and practice of propagation, growing, planting, maintaining and using grasses, annuals, shrubs and trees.

Olericulture

• Olericulture is the science and practice of growing, harvesting, storing, processing and marketing vegetables.

Pomology

• Pomology is the science and practice of growing, harvesting, storing, processing and marketing tree grown fruits.

What are some jobs in horticulture?

Greenhouse Employee

• Grows vegetables and flowers including• cut flowers• bedding plants• potted plants• hanging baskets

• Performs both sexual and asexual propagation of plants

Nursery Employee

• Grows seedlings and plants for landscaping, replanting in forests, or producing fruit

Garden Center Employee

• Cares for plants• moves plants and supplies• arranges and displays plants and

supplies• sells plants and supplies

Grounds Maintenance Employee• Cares for the land area and plants

that surround a business, school, church, industry or other public or private places that have lawns and plants that have to be maintained

Golf Course Employee

• Responsible for maintenance of:• golf course including turfgrass• irrigation and drainage• sand trap• trees and shrubs• buildings and equipment

Park Employee

• Maintains plants, grounds, buildings, facilities, equipment and driveways in national, state, city or privately owned parks

What qualifications do I need to work in

the horticulture industry?

Skills

Skills vary from unskilled to highly skilled depending on the career in horticulture. A materials handler needs few skills, but an inspector needs many skills to check for quality, for insects or diseases or for following governmental rules.

Personal Interests and Qualifications• Before seeking a job one must

consider:• Work inside or outside or a combination• Work in a group or alone• Work with people or plants• Work at routine tasks or varying jobs• Physical strength to do the job

Educational Qualifications

• Educational qualifications vary depending on the careers• High school graduate or less for

unskilled entry-level jobs• Technical degree for skilled jobs• Bachelors, masters or doctorate degree

for most professional areas because of required licenses, paperwork, research and/or teaching

Career Outlook

• Outlook for the horticulture industry is expected to grow because of the increase in population and new home construction.

I see plants in your future!