grassroots Horticulture : Horticulture

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Horticulture is the art and science of cultivating Herbaceous plants including fruits, vegetables, flowers, ornamental plants, herbs and spices, and many other plants used directly by humans.

Horticulturists work with landscape architects, botanists, farm and orchard managers, grocers, cultural preservers for historic gardens and arboretums, media specialists, and artists.

Horticulture is divided into the cultivation of beneficial edible plants (pomology and olericulture) and plants for ornamental beauty and design (floriculture and landscape horticulture). Pomology is the study and cultivation of fruit and nut crops. Olericulture deals with herbaceous plants for the kitchen. Floriculture involves production and design uses of flowers and ornamental plants; generally, cut flowers, pot plants, and greenery. Landscape horticulture that includes plants for the landscape, including turf, but particularly nursery crops such as shrubs, trees, and climbing vines.

Herbaceous plants fit roughly into 3 categories, namely annuals, biennials, and perennials.

Annuals are plants that complete their growing cycle in a single year or season. They germinate, grow vegetatively, flower, set seed, and then die. Many plants grown as annuals in temperate climates may actually be "tropical perennials".

Biennials are similar to annuals, except that they do their vegetative growing one year, then flower, set seed, and die the following year.

Perennials are plants that live year after year, going through regular cycles of vegetative growth, flowering, setting seed, and then returning to vegetative growth (usually with periods of dormancy in between). Woody plants such as trees, shrubs, and vines are also perennials.

Horticulture is promoted in the US by many organizations, including the American Society for Horticulture Science (www.ashs.org) and the American Horticultural Society (www.ahs.org) and throughout the world by the International Society for Horticultural Science (www.ishs.org). They offer assistance to help teach horticulture.