Introduction to Horticulture
Learn more about horticulture with the help of Penn State Extension’s resources. Learn about soil management, plant diseases, pests, growing plants from seeds and seedlings, ornamentals, and how to landscape your garden.
What is Horticulture?
Horticulture is a branch of plant agriculture that deals with growing garden crops such as fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. Horticultural crops also include trees and shrubs and turf and lawns. A horticulturist is a person with the knowledge, skills, and technologies to grow plants for food and non-food uses.
Growing Plants
The production of high-quality fruits and vegetables allows us to maintain a healthy balanced diet. At the same time, flowers and ornamental plants help to make our surroundings beautiful.
If you want to grow plants in your backyard, farm, or homestead, you need to learn and understand quite a few things about plant growth and health. First, to grow productive and beautiful plants you have to provide the right conditions. Maximize your garden space and you can increase your yield. This applies whether you’re growing vegetables, fruit, or ornamentals.
Healthy plants require light, water, nutrients, oxygen, and a physical medium that allows seeds to germinate, shoots to emerge, and roots to anchor the plant. The best medium for this is good quality soil. If you’re struggling to provide the right conditions for growth, a raised bed could be the answer.
Choosing the right seed is also important. If, for example, you intend to be a certified organic farmer, you must use certified organic seeds and seedlings. Stand establishment is a critical step in producing a successful crop of vegetables. You have to create optimum conditions for your seeds or seedlings to become established and grow.
Plant pests and diseases can decimate a garden. If you learn how to diagnose plant health problems, you can solve them before the plant is lost.
If you’re considering tree fruit production on a commercial scale, planning and research are critical to your success. Essential factors include site plannng and preparation, climate conditions, marketing, and financing your operation.
To create and maintain a healthy landscape, you have to choose your plants wisely. Plants that have the right conditions will thrive without a lot of attention. You can grow, for example, almost any plant in a container garden. There are, however, some that will grow better than others. When it comes to growing turf and ornamentals, consider the climate, soil texture and drainage, and their specific needs before you make a purchase.
Landscape Horticulture
Landscape horticulture includes the production, marketing, and maintenance of landscape plants. Professional landscape horticulturists possess a vast range of skills and extensive knowledge that includes how trees and shrubs grow and when and how to prune them. When a tree is pruned correctly, it improves its structural strength, maintains its health, enhances its beauty, and increases its value.
Planning a garden landscape involves also assessing the site, the amount of sunlight and water the plants will get, and how they would work together. Penn State Extension resources are available for planting in various conditions – see advice for heat and drought tolerant plants, for suitable plants for shade, planting in moist soils, and more.
If you plan to start a green industry business, employee landscape training is available for new and seasonal employees. Basic training covers pruning, planting, watering, mulching, and the latest landscape updates.
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Producción de pimiento
Los pimientos se prestan bien para la producción agrícola a pequeña escala y a tiempo parcial. - Articles
Potato Production
With many varieties and high consumer consumption, potatoes fit well with many small growers and can be marketed through various outlets. - Articles
Recursos para comenzar la producción de hortalizas en camas elevadas de siembra
Los educadores de extensión han producido artículos y videos en inglés y español para ayudar a los agricultores urbanos y otros productores que utilizan camas elevadas de siembra o lechos elevados. - Articles
Resources for Beginning Raised Bed Production
Extension educators have produced articles and videos in English and Spanish to help urban farmers and other growers relying on raised beds. - Articles
Identificación de mercados para productores latinos de frutas y hortalizas
La creación de relaciones con los clientes constituye un valor fundamental para alcanzar el éxito empresarial. El objetivo es ser visto como un socio, no sólo como otro vendedor de productos. - Articles
Orchard Nutrition: An Overview
Nutritional requirements of fruit trees differ from those of agronomic crops, cover crops, and orchard sod. - Videos
How to Build a Raised Bed
Length 3:42Raised bed gardening can be an important tool for growers. They allow for gardening in conditions that may not be ideal for growth. This video teaches you how to build one. - Tools and Apps
Models for the Future: Strawberry Budget
A spreadsheet tool for assessing cover crops for improving soil health in strawberry plantings. - Tools and Apps
Models for the Future: Winter Squash Production Budget
A spreadsheet tool for assessing cover crops for improving soil health in winter squash plantings. - Tools and Apps
Models for the Future: Tomato Production Budget
A spreadsheet tool for assessing cover crops for improving soil health in tomato plantings. - Articles
Models for the Future: Harvest Valley Farm
Harvest Valley Farms is a fourth generation family farm. The farm is now owned and operated by Larry, Art, and David King. - Articles
Models for the Future: Bedminster Orchard
Bedminster Orchard is located on 16 Acres in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, and is owned and operated by Brett Saddington. - Articles
Models for the Future: Good Works Farm
Founded in 2011, Good Work Farm feeds 125 families through Community Supported Agriculture Shares (CSA). - Videos
El Sistema de Planos para Huertos de Manzano
Length 10:39El equipo de horticultura de la oficina de Extensión de Penn State ha identificado siete componentes fundamentales para un sistema de planos para huertos de manzana exitosos llamado "blueprint" - Tools and Apps
Models for the Future: Apple Budget
A spreadsheet tool for assessing pre-plant practices for improving soil health in orchards. - Videos
The Peach Pruning Blueprint
Length 8:30Peach trees are pruned to maintain tree size and shape and to help manage light and crop load. - Videos
The Apple Orchard System Blueprint
Length 9:19The Penn State Extension Tree Fruit team has identified seven fundamental components of a successful intensive apple system "blueprint." - Videos
Where Do I Put My Crops
Length 9:13This video outlines the basic steps you can take to plan a vegetable crop rotation from the start. - Articles
Growing Strawberries
Strawberries are the ideal fruit crop for growers with very limited space. - Videos
Innovaciones en Sistemas de Formación de Duraznos
Length 9:09Este video muestra los sistemas de muralla frutal Quad V y Hex V en duraznos. - Articles
Establecimiento y Preparación de una Huerta
El éxito de una huerta va de la mano con la planeación y preparación del sitio. - Articles
On the Road: Huntsinger Farm – Potato Planting
Huntsinger Farm Inc. in Hegins, Pennsylvania specializes in potato production, packing, and wholesale marketing. - Articles
Guia Para Plantar y Transplantar Verduras
Versión en español de la Guía de Plantación y Trasplante de Hortalizas. - Articles
Extendiendo la Temporada Productiva con Túneles Altos
Los túneles altos ofrecen protección a las plantas de tierras saturadas de humedad y temperaturas bajas en la primavera y el otoño con lo cual se extiende la temporada productiva. - Articles
Beginning Grower: Planning and Planting an Orchard
Planning and preparing a site for a new orchard begins two to three years ahead of planting. Mistakes made in planning and planting an orchard cannot easily be reversed.