31 Incredible Horticulture Facts And Benefits To Learn About

In this article, we will be going through some interesting facts about horticulture.

Horticulture is a long word derived from the Latin words 'Hortus,' which means garden, and 'Colere' means to cultivate. It is the art of cultivating plants in gardens to produce food and medicinal ingredients or for ornamental purposes and comfort.

Agriculturists known as horticulturists grow flowers, nuts, fruits, herbs and vegetables, and lawns and ornamental plants. To conserve horticultural science, many organizations globally encourage, educate, and promote the advancement of horticulture.

Beginnings Of Horticulture

The practice and study of horticulture can be traced back thousands of years ago.

• What is the most interesting thing about horticulture? The field of horticulture has contributed to various transitions from nomadic human communities to semi-sedentary or sedentary horticultural communities.
• The origin of these fields exceeds the timespan of origin of botany and origin of agriculture.
• The genesis of horticulture lies in the transition of human communities from a nomadic lifestyle to semi-sedentary hunter-gatherers to sedentary and horticultural communities.
• Natives used biochar, which is a process to enhance soil productivity by smoldering plant waste, in the Pre-Columbian Amazon Rainforest.
• This soil was titled Terra Preta de Indio by European settlers.
• It is claimed that horticulture was often carried out in 'swiddens' or 'slash and burn' areas in forest regions.
• In pre-contact North America, the Eastern Woodlands comprised of the semi-sedentary horticultural communities who grew squash, maize, and sunflower.
• These communities markedly contrasted with the nomadic hunter-gatherer communities of the plains people.
• The Mesoamerican cultures primarily emphasized cultivating crops on a small scale, such as 'milpa,' also known as maizefield.
• They cultivated them in specialized plots or around their dwellings which were occasionally visited during migrations from one area to the next.
• Maya horticulture found in Central America involved augmentation of the forest with advantageous trees such as avocado, sapodilla, cacao, papaya, and ceiba.
• Many crops such as squash, beans, chili peppers, and pumpkins were grown in cornfields, and in some cultures, these crops were exclusively tended to by women.

Different Types Of Horticulture

This field is separated into various categories, emphasizing the processing and cultivation of different species of plants and food items for specific purposes. There are numerous major areas within horticultural science that include the following.

• What are the types of horticulture? Olericulture: In this type, horticulturists grow vegetables that deal with the culture of non-woody plants for food (herbaceous).
• Pomology: This is also known as fruticulture and includes the production of nuts and fruits.
• Viticulture: In this type, a horticulturist focuses on the production of grapes, which is mainly intended for winemaking.
• Floriculture: Here, a horticulturist focuses on the production of flowering plants and ornamental trees.
• Turf Management: This type stresses the production and maintenance of turfgrass for leisure, sports, and amenity use.
• Landscape Horticulture: This type focuses on the selection, production, and care of plants utilized in landscape architecture.
• Postharvest Physiology: This type includes the management of horticultural crops to retard spoilage while they are stored or transported.
• Arboriculture: This type includes the planting and care of individual vines, trees, shrubs, and also other perennial woody plants that are primarily used for amenity purposes and landscapes.

Different Areas Of Horticulture

Temperate zones for horticulture cannot be specified precisely by lines of longitude and latitude.

• What are the main areas of horticulture? Several parts of North America, Europe, and North Asia are included in temperate horticulture zones.
• However, some parts of the USA, such as Southern Florida, are generally considered sub-tropics.
• Some parts of the Mediterranean Islands and the northern coast of the Mediterranean are also sub-tropical in nature.
• In the Southern Hemisphere, a few parts of Australia, southern parts of South America, and nearly all of New Zealand comprise temperate climates.
• Altitude is also important for horticultural purposes; lower slopes of great mountain ranges such as the Andes and Himalayas are considered suitable.
• As a result, the temperate zones are very wide in area, and the range of plants that can be cultivated in them is vast, which might be more significant than those in either tropical or sub-tropical zones.
• There is no sharp differentiation between the subtropical and tropical zones.
• Many tropical trees can be cultivated in sub-tropical regions.
• Similarly, many sub-tropical and temperate trees and shrubs can satisfactorily grow in the tropical region. In this case, elevation is an essential factor.
• For instance, the scarlet runner bean, a common plant cultivated in temperate zones, grows flowers and develops pods normally near the Equator on the high slopes of Mount Meru in Africa.
• But it won't set pods in Hong Kong, which is located in the sub-tropical region, a little south of the Tropic of Cancer, due to a low elevation.

Importance Of Horticulture

Some of the notable horticulturists are Luther Burbank and Luca Ghini. Learn about horticulture's importance below.

• What is the purpose of Horticulture? Horticulture plays an important role in various aspects of the environment.
• Many horticulturists emphasize horticultural crops, especially vegetables and fruits.
• Horticulture has enriched diets when fruits and vegetables that provide critical nutrients important to ensure a balanced diet are primarily grown.
• Horticulture has proved to increase incomes as many farmers across the world get the opportunities to earn and make a living.
• It has improved livelihoods by increasing profits for farmers and diversifying nutrient-rich diets.
• It also has several health benefits involving physical activity; investing at least an hour can do miracles to your health.
• This field gives more return as compared to field crops.
• The crops involved in this activity are sustainable for marginal and small farmers.
• Horticultural plants and crops play an important role in improving environmental pollution.
• It also conserves the water and soil and helps develop the socio-economic status of the farmer.