Sustainable Horticulture

Book excerpt: For one or two semester courses in Horticulture, Horticultural Science, or Plant Science. This comprehensive introduction to the emerging discipline of sustainable horticulture provides students with the foundations of horticultural science that underlie all forms of horticulture--from conventional through sustainable to organic. The practice of sustainable horticulture is designed to preserve agricultural resources and to prevent environmental damage to the farm and offsite land, water, and air. Production, profits, and incentives must remain at optimal levels, and the system must function in the context of socioeconomic realities. This text leads students through these practices and production, and provides the necessary information to support a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly horticulture.