Career in Horticulture

Horticulture Career

Horticulture Career – Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with plants basically and the art, science and business of plant cultivation. So basically this vocation deals with plants and their cultivation, hence this career option of a Horticulturist is for someone who has an inclination towards plants and everything flora.

Horticulture Career basically deals with cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts & ornamental.

Horticulture Career can be divided into four main branches.

• Pomology.
• Olericulture.
• Floriculture.
• ​Fruit & Vegetable Preservation.

Job Profile. 

1. Designs, installs & maintains annual & perennial beds, grass, shrubbery & trees.
2. Supervises & directs grounds personnel by establishing schedules,assigning tasks, monitoring & reviewing projects to ensure deadlines & quality standards are met.
3. Applies pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers complying with state and federal guidelines.
4. Records the application of pesticides & maintains a record of the chemicals store in the facility.
5. Plans unit activities & decides priorities; assists in implementing policies & procedures & enforcing rules & regulations.
6. Coordinates the activities between the maintenance & grounds departments.
7. Ensures that the department is in compliance with the regulations concerning chemicals stored at the facility.
8. Confers with others in the industry about new plants & ideas.
9. Maintains the cleanliness of assigned areas by mechanical or manual hand methods.

​Skills Required.

• Excellent knowledge about the flora world and also about basic biology.
• Knowledge of equipment & tools in landscape design maintenance.
• Knowledge about all rules, laws & regulations that govern the area under a Horticulturist’s responsibility.
• Knowledge about the proper & efficient method for using Fertilizers & pesticides.
• Must be able to manage time methods and techniques.
• Excellent communication skills, Both oral & written.
• To be able to identify unsafe conditions & to take respective actions.
• Must have knowledge about all the supervisory techniques & principles.
• Theoretical & practical knowledge of entomology, botany, ornamental horticulture.Ability to deal with public effectively.

Must be well acquainted with all the related Horticulture Career​ equipment’s such as.

1. Tractor.
2. Mower.
3. Weed eater.
4. Trailer.
5. Power fertilizer spreader.
6. Sod cutter.
7. Verticutter.
8. Aerifier.
9. Roller.
10. Chemical sprayer.

Must have the innate ability to work well in a team set up.

Salary Package. 

• An assistant Horticulture inspector, whether appointed by the state or central governments, command a salary of 7,000 I NR and the base salary can reach up to 17,000 I NR, after relevant experience.
• Horticulture scientists may charge a pay of 18,00 I NR to 25,000 I NR.
• District Horticulture commands a pay of above 20,000 I NR.

Job Prospects. 

The different avenues available for a Horticulture Career to work in, are 

• Industry support.
• Inspection.
• Landscape design.
• Communications.
• Pest Management
• Teaching.
• Research.
• Production & Sales.
• Public gardens.
• Marketing.
• Landscape construction & Management.

Horticulture Career is an intensely diversified field. There are immense job opportunities in this field in India, as India has this vast flora and fauna.

Horticulturists & landscapers are employed in 

• hotels.
• resorts.
• health farms in order to decorate their settings.

The Postgraduate horticulturists / Horticulture Career can work as engineers, researcher, distributor, supervisor etc.

How Do i get there ?

The following colleges / Universities offer course on Horticulture.

• Kerala Agricultural University.
• University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore.
• Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth.
• University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharward.
• Annamalai University.
• Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Allahabad.
• Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur.
• Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore
• Calcutta University, Kolkata.
• Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University.

One can pass 12th science stream with combination Physics, Chemistry, Maths / Architecture / Biology can opt for a Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture separately or as a subject within B.Sc Agriculture science. 

Horticulture course includes numerous subject areas.

• Crop nutrition.
• Entomology.
• Economics & business.
• Crop production.
• Post harvest handling.
• Plant propagation.
• Plant materials.
• Tissue culture.
• Plant breeding.
• Pollination management.