Having a horticulture degree can make a difference
Life moves at a lightning pace these days, and the same can be said of the horticulture industry. Plant varieties are always being tweaked and improved, different methods of growing are tested, new technology is being developed – and pests and diseases are always a threat.
That’s why attending a college or university with a horticulture program is more important than ever.
Usually a two-year undertaking, an associate’s of applied science in a horticultural field can provide students with the basic skills and knowledge to begin a career in the green industry. That includes careers in nurseries, garden centers, greenhouses, landscape operations and grounds maintenance operations. That’s a lot of options, especially for someone who isn’t starting from the ground up.
Four-year programs, usually earning a Bachelor of Science degree, take it to the next level. Students are immersed in both the science and the business of growing and using plants while thinking about the world’s soil, air and water resources. Time is spent in the classroom and with hands in soil, transplanting, scouting, watering, fertilizing, harvesting and more.
Like most other degree programs, students begin their studies on broader topics before becoming more focused. Do they want to home in on floriculture? Vegetable production? Fruits and orchards? Landscape design and management?
There is literally a green world of possibility out there.
According to Kansas State, there are many career options available to those with horticulture degrees: Food systems project management, urban farming or food production management (a quickly expanding area), nonprofit management and even education. Those with degrees could end up helping other growers by working with their state Extension service.
The next generation doesn’t need to carry the financial burden of a higher education degree all alone, either. There are hundreds of scholarship opportunities available to help them advance their knowledge, from their local Master Gardeners to the Garden Club of America. The GCA lists their opportunities at gcamerica.org/scholarships.
Other well-known options include Seed Your Future (seedyourfuture.org), the Horticultural Research Institute (hriresearch.org), the American Floral Endowment (endowment.org), the National Horticulture Foundation (nationalhorticulturefoundation.org/scholarships) and even Proven Winners (provenwinners.com/scholarship). These organizations want to provide the next generation of farmers and growers a helping hand.
Even those who grew up in the green industry can benefit from college. Consider what President Harry S Truman said: “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
Experience and firsthand knowledge are invaluable, but so is learning the “why” behind what you do in the greenhouse, in the field or at the farmers market.
Going forward, Country Folks Grower plans to partner with more colleges and universities to highlight their horticulture programs and assist our youngest growers follow their paths to success.
by Courtney Llewellyn
