What is your opinion on horticulture as a career choice?

[Mayne]

I wish I was young again and had choices.

 

[BoomerD]

Aren't you like...40-ish?

Hell, it's almost never too late for a career change.

 

[Mayne]

I showed my youngest nephew my grow tent and tried to explain how things are going to change soon in Canada. I think it would be a great opportunity for any young person...am I wrong in this thought process?

 

[lxskllr]

am I wrong in this thought process?

Yes

 

[Mayne]

They have college courses now for weed.

 

[shortylickens]

Isnt mayne required to post his stupidity in a dedicated thread?

 

[Mayne]

Sorry for stepping out my bounds, thought it was a legit thread.

 

[lxskllr]

They have college courses now for weed.

You live in the city, right? That means you'd have to rent/buy a large warehouse space, invest in gear, and navigate complex government bureaucracy. Startup costs will be high, and it'll be a highly competitive market.

There's nothing wrong with farming, but a city boy is starting at a great disadvantage.

 

[Mayne]

You live in the city, right? That means you'd have to rent/buy a large warehouse space, invest in gear, and navigate complex government bureaucracy. Startup costs will be high, and it'll be a highly competitive market.

There's nothing wrong with farming, but a city boy is starting at a great disadvantage.

I don't expect a degree to instantly buy your way into a factory setup... Just like any job you have put your time in the trenches and learn.

 

[sandorski]

I suspect it is a good Career choice as long as the person is good at it. Pot Legalization may be topical, but other Crops have need of Horticulturists as well. That said, I don't really know how much demand there is for them. It would be worth exploring that further before deciding.

 

[Mayne]

I don't know, just seems like a fun job where you take pride in what you are doing. be it, carrots or kush.

 

[BoomerD]

Ah hell...I forgot...Mayne is a pothead.

That explains most of his threads.

 

[Mayne]

yep i'm a pot head. guilty

 

[KMFJD]

https://aphria.ca/careers/
https://www.brokencoast.ca/jobs
http://jobs.canopygrowth.com/

 

[Mayne]

duly noted ..bookmarked.

 

[Thebobo]

Would you be growing to supplement your income, try to make an empire or something in the middle? Depending on geography imo you could scrape by with a full basement or several large rooms. Of course a lot of other people are thinking the same thing so competition will be stronger.


How to make a Living Growing Medical Marijuana
http://theweedbusiness.com/how-to-make-a-living-growing-medical-marijuana/

But on the subject of general horticulture sure that's an honest job. Lots of food is being grown inside on multi LED racks.

 

[sandorski]

Would you be growing to supplement your income, try to make an empire or something in the middle? Depending on geography imo you could scrape by with a full basement or several large rooms. Of course a lot of other people are thinking the same thing so competition will be stronger.


How to make a Living Growing Medical Marijuana
http://theweedbusiness.com/how-to-make-a-living-growing-medical-marijuana/

I doubt the regulations will allow for that. Personal use, sure. Commercial, no, you will need specific zoning and facility requirements that a basement can't provide.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I had to google what that means, I'd say never mind doing it as a career, do it as a business. You can still keep working and then do it on the side for extra money and if it really takes off then you can quit your day job and do it full time.

The problem though is the regulations. I doubt you'll be allowed to sell weed. And even stuff like vegetables, would not be surprised if it's illegal to grow and sell them. Everything that sounds like a good way of making money tends to be illegal.

 

[bbhaag]

I don't have an official degree in horticulture just the school of hard knocks. I'm self taught and over the past 20 years I've gained a lot of knowledge not just about plants but about the industry in general. If you want my honest opinion about a degree in horticulture it is a waste of time and money. Unless you plan on going to Cornell and plan on spending a lifetime in a lab messing with genetics. Then a degree would be worthwhile.

If you really want to get into horticulture you need to get a job at a greenhouse and spend several years learning how to care for and grow plants in a proper setting. Not just growing pot in your basement/attic but learning proper care and culture practices.
Just to give you an idea of what it takes to be a grower here is a job listing for a greenhouse close to me that is hiring. This listing is for a Section Grower. Basically a fancy term for an assistant. You would need to work your way up to this job. It took me 4 years of on the job training to get to a position like this.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
________________________________________
Irrigation and Fertility Management – Awareness of proper water and fertility needs based on specific crops and responsibility for irrigation decisions, i.e. timing, frequency, and volume applied. Scheduled monitoring and proper record keeping of EC and pH levels across a variety of crops, and communication of variances. Assist in coordination of plant tissue and soil analysis as needed to ensure that plants are receiving proper nutrient levels. Maintenance, calibration, and keeping meters in close proximity is required.

Pest / Disease Identification, Control and Management – Regular scouting / monitoring of insect mites, and plant diseases of crops is required with identification and proper record keeping. Timing of applications is of the utmost importance and needs to be coordinated with Lead Grower while using best management practices for insect, mite and disease eradication. Supervision and participation in proper mixing, loading and application of chemicals. It is the Section Grower’s responsibility to determine effectiveness of application and necessity of reapplication to eradicate problem.

Crop Spacing and Timing – Awareness of desired timing for a variety of crops and how timing is affected by activities such as pinching, PGR application, spacing, etc. is essential to be successful as a Section Grower. The position will assist with crop spacing and work to ensure that crops finish according to established internal specifications and timing. As a Section Grower basic knowledge and understanding of the following is critical to success: light, temperature, humidity and their effect on crop production; irrigation and fertility management; pest and disease management; and media management. Basic math skills and understanding of how to calculate fertilizer and chemical is required while keeping proper records. Willing to maintain a Private Applicator Certificate. Willing to work 45+ hours per week and on weekends as scheduled or needed in the busy seasons

 

[zinfamous]

The way physical space, human resource needs are trending, greens and colored plant foods are going to be grown vertically in skyscrapers, more and more. Learn Hydro, general engineering, and general horticulture and intro to genetics, imo.

Work in greenhouses, obviously. I think having field experience is certainly great and hell, one should know how to grow plants in the dirt, outside, and deal with natural pests, but I feel that is a paradigm that is really on its way out within the next 2 or 3 generations. Weird to think about a few generations from now, pro horticulturists would have never seen crops being grown outdoors.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Global warming/climate change is also making traditional farming too risky so I can definitely see more vertical farming happening in the future, it will be in a more controlled environment where you don't have to worry about climate. Can probably get away without using harsh pesticides like DDT etc as well since don't really have to worry about pests.

 

[bbhaag]

I think you guys are being a little optimistic with your time frames. As it stands now a lot of horticultural crops are already propagated and grown indoors especially when it comes to annuals. There are exceptions for field grown crops like trees, shrubs, and perennials but I don't see them ever being grown indoors on a large scale like annuals are.
I feel it is important to point out that there is a large difference between horticulture and agriculture crops. I do not see either one ever being moved indoors on a large scale though. At least not in our life times or for many generations beyond ours. It's just not feasible from a pure numbers standpoint.

 

[Thebobo]

I doubt the regulations will allow for that. Personal use, sure. Commercial, no, you will need specific zoning and facility requirements that a basement can't provide.

Well you don't have to let anyone know, of course it's very risky. Remember the Tennessee pot cave? Guy built a huge growing complex under his property attached to his house in a natural cave. Of course electricity consumption can be an issue and thats how he got busted according to the article. Place was a tourist place until it burnt down.

Lot more pictures https://www.420magazine.com/forums/...0071-great-tennessee-pot-cave-pics-video.html

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I wish I was young again and had choices.

You always have choices, right up till you stop making them.

 

[Mayne]

I don't have an official degree in horticulture just the school of hard knocks. I'm self taught and over the past 20 years I've gained a lot of knowledge not just about plants but about the industry in general. If you want my honest opinion about a degree in horticulture it is a waste of time and money. Unless you plan on going to Cornell and plan on spending a lifetime in a lab messing with genetics. Then a degree would be worthwhile.

If you really want to get into horticulture you need to get a job at a greenhouse and spend several years learning how to care for and grow plants in a proper setting. Not just growing pot in your basement/attic but learning proper care and culture practices.
Just to give you an idea of what it takes to be a grower here is a job listing for a greenhouse close to me that is hiring. This listing is for a Section Grower. Basically a fancy term for an assistant. You would need to work your way up to this job. It took me 4 years of on the job training to get to a position like this.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
________________________________________
Irrigation and Fertility Management – Awareness of proper water and fertility needs based on specific crops and responsibility for irrigation decisions, i.e. timing, frequency, and volume applied. Scheduled monitoring and proper record keeping of EC and pH levels across a variety of crops, and communication of variances. Assist in coordination of plant tissue and soil analysis as needed to ensure that plants are receiving proper nutrient levels. Maintenance, calibration, and keeping meters in close proximity is required.

Pest / Disease Identification, Control and Management – Regular scouting / monitoring of insect mites, and plant diseases of crops is required with identification and proper record keeping. Timing of applications is of the utmost importance and needs to be coordinated with Lead Grower while using best management practices for insect, mite and disease eradication. Supervision and participation in proper mixing, loading and application of chemicals. It is the Section Grower’s responsibility to determine effectiveness of application and necessity of reapplication to eradicate problem.

Crop Spacing and Timing – Awareness of desired timing for a variety of crops and how timing is affected by activities such as pinching, PGR application, spacing, etc. is essential to be successful as a Section Grower. The position will assist with crop spacing and work to ensure that crops finish according to established internal specifications and timing. As a Section Grower basic knowledge and understanding of the following is critical to success: light, temperature, humidity and their effect on crop production; irrigation and fertility management; pest and disease management; and media management. Basic math skills and understanding of how to calculate fertilizer and chemical is required while keeping proper records. Willing to maintain a Private Applicator Certificate. Willing to work 45+ hours per week and on weekends as scheduled or needed in the busy seasons

so you don't think taking a course would help in landing a job in a greenhouse?