Thursday, January 7, 2010

Horticuture Defined

The term Horticulture has many meanings to many people.  This definition is one that covers it most accurately.

HORTICULTURE is a broad inclusive term covering the making and care of home gardens, market-gardens, orchards, nurseries, greenhouses, as well as the plant-raising phase of parks, estates and botanic gardens.  It comprises whatever has to do with the growing of ornamentals, of vegetables, of fruits, and of plants prized for their general interest.  It may constitute the way of earning a living and developing a business at the same moment that in the fuller sense its subjects are embedded in the emotional assets of life.
It follows that horticulture cannot be measured or defined by its organized and commercial aspects alone or its importance be represented in statistics.  The amateur and personal practice of it determine the extent of the trade development: and this fact will be increasingly apparent as home-making rises to higher satisfactions.
The main departments of horticulture as defined by the plant subjects, are pomology or fruit-growing, floriculture or flower-growing, olericulture or vegetable-growing, landscape practice.
To grow the vast range of plants successfully and to defend them against insect and disease requires experience and definite knowledge.  The plant resources of the earth are largely within the purview of the horticulturist, involving conceptions of plant geography, climate, adaptations.  These resources afford endless opportunities in plant-breeding.  It follows that the exact identification of a species and varieties is an indispensable part of this field of knowledge.  Horticultural subjects have been put into pedagogical form and are now effective means of elementary and higher education.  Personal skill in cultivation and in techniques is essential to success and real satisfactions; yet horticulture and gardening are much more than the growing of plants. See Garden

from

HORTUS SECOND
A Concise Dictionary of Gardening and General Horticulture
compiled by L. H. Bailey and Ethel Zoe Bailey

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Sacred Heart Garden Festival

Events and Speakers

I am honored to be speaking at the Sacred Heart Garden Festival this year.  I will be discussing the ins and outs of Organic Gardening and the importance of Sustainable Horticulture.  Hope to see you all there.  If you have never been, this is Augusta's premier garden show and is a great time.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Honey Harvest Photos

The Fall honey harvest went off without a hitch.  A few stings and some rain, but no hitches. Here is a slide show representation of the events.  I would explain it all, but there is more work to be done before traveling for Thanksgiving.

Enjoy

Thursday, November 19, 2009

High Mowing Organic Seeds Won Their Lawsuit Against Genetically Engineered Crops

Our primary seed source, High Mowing Seeds, has been involved in a successful lawsuit against the seed controlling masses.  This is a good sign for seed savers and let's hope that this trend will hold.

High Mowing Seed Press Release

Official PDF court ruling

In other news:

HMS is doing a community supported seed program.  You can go on and buy seed credit prior to the end of the year and save 10 percent on your 2010 seed purchases.  It also helps to support an excellent organization during the slow months by keeping some cash on the books. Everyone Wins!
CSS Program
These can be purchased in any denomination and would make an excellent gift ;)

Monday, November 16, 2009

Food Inc.

Kate and I visited ASU tonight.  Thanks to all of the new and familiar faces who were there tonight at the Food Inc. (http://www.foodincmovie.com/)
viewing at Augusta State.  There was standing room only!  We are officially starting to post on our blog tonight.  We figured tonight was just the time we needed another forum to post and discuss issues and updates from Garden City Organics.

Please help us post new ideas, videos, pictures, garden success stories and anything thing else going on the our extended Garden City Family.  I am interested in seeing pics of your backyard gardens.  Send them to the shop or post a link in a comment to your online albums.


From 091116

Nutsedge Farm Late Summer 2009