The future of horticulture as a profession

[Jayfar]

Is horticulture a withering field? | Philadelphia Inquirer

VIRGINIA A. SMITH, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
LAST UPDATED: Monday, January 6, 2014, 2:01 AM

Coming from image-conscious professionals who prefer to gush about the beauty of flowers and the joys of growing vegetables, the words were downright shocking: "Horticulture is under siege."

They jumped off a three-page letter penned by a half-dozen of the country's most prominent plant people sent in December to 800 schools and universities, government agencies, industry associations, and growers of everything from almonds to onions.

Clearly, horticulture - once a priority, if not an obsession, for generations of Americans - is in trouble. The letter warns that if something isn't done soon to boost the ranks of plant scientists, breeders, students, and others in the field, horticulture could become a lost art and a forgotten science.

[snip]

http://amerinursery.com/content/whit...rticulture.pdf

[WhiteRabbit]

Interesting

[SHag42]

Sadly I have to agree.

[MrHappyRotter]

I started to pursue a degree in botany / horticulture. However, even at that time, the job prospects were limited, and the income levels for most of those jobs simply were not on part with most other science degrees. It's very, very hard to justify paying for college to get a degree that might get you a job that pays about the same as running a cash register or waiting tables.

Yes, in an ideal world, we'd all be doing the jobs we loved, and not the ones that simply pay the bills, but that's not the reality that most of us live in these days.

[Jayfar]

A little searching and I found that horticulture came in at #6 on one list of lowest paying college majors.

Also found salary discussion in this Houston Chronicle article:

The Salaries of Horticulturists | Chron.com

[terracotta7]

Considering how we as humans rely on plants for our very life, it is amazing to see this.

As far as salaries go, think about so many caregivers and nurses aides and so forth that are poorly paid in spite of the fact that they take care of our youngest, oldest, and most frail. It is indeed an upside down world!

[NYCorchidman]

Something is definitely very wrong in this world! lol

[My Green Pets]

I really have a problem with those magazine rankings and statistics. I humbly submit that salary is in no way an indication of job satisfaction or happiness. Lots of miserable wealthy people who are slaves to their careers. There are other, perhaps greater, rewards for doing the work you love.

I'm currently working towards getting into the field of horticulture and out of my cushy yet unsatisfying job.

2¢

---------- Post added at 11:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:31 AM ----------

Sorry to rattle on and on, but just wanted to share a piece of advice given to me which I absolutely adore:

"Do not mistake comfort for happiness."

[terracotta7]

I would be interested to hear if they had any suggestions about ways to discourage this trend!

[Paul]

Hardly surprising. As others have stated, salaries tend to be poor in the hort field ... and that is putting it kindly. Having a job you love but can barely make a living at simply is not "doable" for most folks. It's even worse for those who live in the northern climes and desire to operate a nursery as heating and lighting costs are far higher than those any of you down south experience. I have known a number of northern orchid growers who have closed up shop as operating expenses made the business non-viable.