Majors at the University of Connecticut

Horticulture

The Department of Plant Science provides instruction in the horticultural areas of floriculture, fruit and vegetable crops, and ornamental horticulture. Curricular options for horticulture majors are Horticultural Commerce and Professional Horticulture. Horticulture has an important role in maintaining high-quality diets and enhancing environmental quality through the aesthetic and functional uses of plants. Career options include leadership positions in federal, state and local governments, public and private gardens, the Cooperative Extension System, education, research, and a variety of horticultural industries. Students planning to pursue graduate study should obtain a comprehensive background in the biological and physical sciences.

Academic Department

• UConn's Department of Plant Science

Nature of Work

Horticulture graduates are responsible for a variety of tasks necessary to achieve a pleasant and functional outdoor environment. They also care for indoor gardens and plantings in commercial and public facilities, such as malls, hotels, and botanical gardens. (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 1998) Students are trained and work in specialized fields of horticulture including plant propagation, nursery and greenhouse production, floriculture, sales and marketing, designing, maintenance, business and personnel management, communication, and Horticulture therapy. Most entry-level technicians work as growers, propagators, or salespeople. The nature of work within each field of horticulture is different. Work can range from determining the correct soil conditions for different plants and choosing the best fertilizer to promote growth, to being responsible for the indoor climate of greenhouses. Horticulturists also maintain inventory of wholesale or retail outlets, deal with customers and suppliers, are responsible for the maintenance and construction of commercial or public lands, and seed production and sales. As you can see, the nature of the work each individual does depends on the field of Horticulture that is chosen.

Sample Job Titles

Potential Employers

Horticulturalists are employed by private and public industry including government, educational institutions, hospitals, golf courses and private estates. Some other potential employers of horticulturalists are: Greenhouses, orchards, farms, nurseries, wholesale or retail outlets, flower, fruit and vegetable production and interior landscaping companies, the food processing industry, museums, parks, arboretums and zoos.

Useful Skills

Students undertaking a career in Horticulture possess the following qualities: "perseverance, independence, patience, stamina, adaptability, cooperation, willingness to work with others or as part of a team and enthusiasm. (Opportunities in Horticulture Careers, 1995) Skills and abilities necessary for a particular job will vary because of the wide variety of career options within the field of Horticulture. Some of them include strong organization, initiative, creativity, imagination, leadership, problem solving and persuasion skills, the ability to help others through instruction, have an eye for detail, imagination, and sometimes manual dexterity.

Getting Experience

For individuals entering horticultural fields, there is no clean, clear cut job path to follow. Instead, these individuals must narrow down the types of organizations and positions they may naturally gravitate toward, and then pursue the proper avenues for future employment.

Performing an internship, fieldwork, volunteer work, or some other type of experiential learning opportunity allows the student to start this narrowing down process, while simultaneously increase the student’s marketability. The more internships one performs, the more he/ she develops a feel for potential job interests, and the more marketable he/she becomes. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that individuals entering this field obtain as much practical experience as possible.

Employment Opportunities

There are a variety of jobs within the horticulture field which provide a number of opportunities. Those with a major in horticulture can be employed in agriculture, food, health care, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. There is a continued demand for workers who plant and grow various crops. In addition, there are employment possibilities in landscaping, groundskeeping, nursery, greenhouse, and lawn services. Typically, most horticultural technicians are self- employed and run their own lawn care services and greenhouses.

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