Horticulture: Plant Propagation & Landscape Design

• Horticulture is the branch of agriculture concerned with the art, science, technology, and business of intensive plant cultivation for human use.
• It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants.

Plant Propagation

• Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from seeds, cuttings, bulbs, and other plant parts.
• Sexual propagation uses seeds, resulting from the fusion of male and female gametes.
• This method allows for genetic diversity but may not produce plants identical to the parent.
• Asexual propagation uses vegetative parts of a plant like cuttings, leaves, stems, and roots.
• This method produces clones, plants genetically identical to the parent plant.
• Grafting and budding are asexual methods where parts of two plants are joined to grow as one.
• Tissue culture (micropropagation) grows plants from small pieces of tissue in a sterile environment.

Landscape Design

• Landscape design is the art and science of arranging land features for aesthetic and/or practical reasons.
• Principles of landscape design include unity, balance, proportion, rhythm, and emphasis.
• Unity refers to the coherence of the design, where all parts work together.
• Balance can be symmetrical (formal) or asymmetrical (informal).
• Proportion involves the relative size of elements in the landscape.
• Rhythm is created through the repetition of elements like plants or structures.
• Emphasis involves creating a focal point in the landscape.
• Elements of landscape design include plants, landforms, structures, and water features.

Pest Control

• Pest control involves managing unwanted organisms (pests) that harm plants.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) focuses on long-term prevention of pests through a combination of techniques.
• IPM includes biological, cultural, physical, and chemical controls.
• Biological control introduces or encourages natural predators or parasites of pests.
• Cultural practices include crop rotation, sanitation, and using pest-resistant varieties.
• Physical controls include traps, barriers, and hand-picking pests.
• Chemical controls use pesticides judiciously and as a last resort.

Crop Production

• Crop production is the cultivation of plants for food, fiber, or other economic purposes.
• Key factors in crop production include selecting appropriate crops, soil preparation, planting, irrigation, fertilization, pest and weed control, and harvesting.
• Soil preparation includes tilling, amending with organic matter, and ensuring proper drainage.
• Irrigation is the artificial application of water to plants.
• Fertilization provides essential nutrients through organic or inorganic fertilizers.
• Weed control is essential to reduce competition for resources.
• Harvesting involves gathering the mature crop.
• Sustainable crop production practices aim to minimize environmental impact.
• Crop rotation involves planting different crops in a sequence to improve soil health and reduce pest and disease problems.
• Cover cropping involves planting crops specifically to protect and improve the soil.
• No-till farming minimizes soil disturbance.

Soil Management

• Soil management is the practice of manipulating soil to improve its health and productivity.
• Soil properties include physical (texture, structure, porosity), chemical (pH, nutrient content), and biological (microorganisms).
• Soil texture refers to the proportion of sand, silt, and clay particles.
• Soil structure refers to the arrangement of soil particles into aggregates.
• Soil pH affects nutrient availability.
• Essential plant nutrients include macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and micronutrients (iron, manganese, zinc).
• Soil organic matter improves soil structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient availability.
• Soil conservation practices prevent erosion and degradation.
• Contour plowing involves plowing across the slope of a hill to reduce water runoff.
• Terracing creates level platforms on slopes to reduce erosion.
• Windbreaks are rows of trees or shrubs that protect soil from wind erosion.

Classification of Horticultural Crops

• Horticultural crops can be classified based on their usage, botanical characteristics, or growth cycle.
• Based on usage, they can be categorized into:
  • Pomology: Fruits.
  • Olericulture: Vegetables.
  • Floriculture: Flowers and ornamental plants.
  • Landscape horticulture: Plants used for ornamental purposes.
• Based on botanical characteristics, they can be classified by plant family (e.g., Rosaceae, Solanaceae, etc.).
• Based on growth cycle, they can be annuals (completing their life cycle in one year), biennials (completing their life cycle in two years), or perennials (living for more than two years).
• Fruits are classified as:
  • Pome fruits (apples, pears).
  • Stone fruits (peaches, plums, cherries).
  • Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries).
  • Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, grapefruits).
• Vegetables are classified based on the plant part consumed:
  • Roots (carrots, radishes, beets).
  • Stems (asparagus, celery).
  • Leaves (spinach, lettuce, kale).
  • Fruits (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers).
  • Flowers (broccoli, cauliflower).
  • Bulbs (onions, garlic).
• Ornamental plants include:
  • Annual flowers (marigolds, petunias).
  • Perennial flowers (daylilies, hostas).
  • Shrubs (roses, azaleas).
  • Trees (maples, oaks).