Horticulture: a green career

If you’d rather spend your days surrounded by greenery than working at a desk, the field of horticulture may be perfect for you. Here’s a look at the important work of horticulturists.

What’s a horticulturist?
Horticulturists are agricultural scientists that focus on finding better ways to develop, grow, harvest, store, process, and ship fruits, vegetables, and decorative plants.

They use their expertise to develop new plant varieties that can better resist insects or disease or adapt to growing in various climates and soils. This has far-reaching benefits and greatly impacts the lives of many people.

Where do they work?
The career of a horticulturist can be exciting because there are many different types of jobs to choose from. For example, horticulturists can find employment in:

• Nurseries and greenhouses
• Government departments
• Universities and colleges
• Horticulture, floriculture, and agriculture research companies
• Fruit and vegetable farming operations
• Garden centers and plant retailers
• Zoos and botanical gardens

Horticulturists are integral in improving the planet’s biodiversity and sustaining food security for future generations. Find out if a college or university near you offers programs in horticulture.