Kultivoiminen

Kultivoiminen, or cultivation, is the process of preparing soil, sowing or planting seeds, nurturing crops and other cultivated plants, and harvesting and processing them. In Finnish usage it covers agricultural crops as well as garden plants and ornamental horticulture. The term encompasses the full cycle from soil preparation to harvest and post-harvest handling.

In practical terms kultivoiminen includes tillage and soil management, seedbed preparation, crop rotation, irrigation, fertilization, weed and pest control, pruning and training of plants, and harvesting. It also includes post-harvest handling, storage, and sometimes processing. In horticulture and landscaping, kultivoiminen refers to tending plants in gardens, nurseries, and parks.

Etymology: The Finnish verb kultivoida is borrowed from Swedish kultivera, which in turn derives from Latin cultivare meaning to till, to cultivate. The noun kultivoiminen denotes the act or process of cultivation.

Context: Cultivation practices affect soil health and biodiversity; sustainable cultivation emphasizes soil organic matter, pH and structure, efficient water use, integrated pest management, and reduced chemical inputs. Mechanization and precision agriculture have transformed kultivoiminen in modern farming, while organic and small-scale horticulture emphasize soil life and biodiversity.