Horticulture

The word horticulture is derived from Latin word -‘ hortus’ meaning garden and ‘ cultura’ meaning culture or growing.

Horticulture is the branch of plant agricultural science involving cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, ornamental plants, medicinal plants, gardening etc. It even involves landscaping and gardening.

It includes components like:

Olericulture : production of vegetables; Pomology: production of fruits ; viticulture: growing of grape vines for wine making and good quality grapes production; Floriculture: production of flowers and ornamental plants; production of aromatic plants, spices, medicinal plants , Arboriculture: cultivation of herbs, shrubs, woody plants for landscape and beautification. It even involves nursery management of plants by using techniques like grafting, cutting, pruning etc, bonsai etc..

Scope of horticulture:

It involves propagation of plants, landscaping and garden designing, cultivation of exotic and indigeneous fruits and vegetables, nursery production, topiary { it is an art of training, cutting, trimming trees or shrubs into various shape for ornamental purpose}, growing plantation crops like rubber, tea, coffee, coconut etc, production of spices like black pepper, cardamom, ginger, turmeric etc ,cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants like patchouli, stevia, aloe vera, tulsi, lemon grass, rosemerry etc. , cultivation of flowers, involves greenhouse cultivation of crops too, bonsai ( Japanese art to cultivate small tree that mimicss large tree) , turf and lawn preparation etc.

Importance of Horticulture:

It helps us to meet the nutritional aspects through consumption of fruits and vegetables.

It provides us medicinal plants, herbs to cure ailments. It too provides spices that adds aroma and flavour.

It increases asthetic value through landscaping and beautification.

Gardening helps us to destress and relax and can be done as a habit too.

Urban gardening through use of nursery and kitchen gardening to meet everyday kitchen needs.

It can be used to beautify our indoor places in house and adds asthetic value to it.

Helps to increase income and generate employment opportunities through value addition and food processing industry.

So, it serves as an all purpose as well as recreational activities in our daily life.