Noun

cultivation

1. The art or act of cultivating; improvement for agricultural purposes or by agricultural processes; tillage; production by tillage.
2. Bestowal of time or attention for self-improvement or for the benefit of others; fostering care.
3. The state of being cultivated; advancement in physical, intellectual, or moral condition; refinement; culture.

Related terms

• cultivar
• cultivate

In agriculture, cultivation is the process of growing plants (specifically crops) on arable land. It is usually associated with large-scale agriculture, as opposed to small-scale gardening. Crop cultivation requires fertile soil, water (from irrigation or precipitation), and seeds. Cultivation involves the sowing of the seeds in the appropriate season. In the process of cultivation a farmer is often required to also initially till the land, weed control, and ultimately harvest the crops. In the modern age, this practice has been developed into the professional art of agronomy, and may be analyzed by specialized agronomists to maximize efficiency. Soil cultivation refers specifically to the tilling of the soil, such as by ploughing, to prepare the soil for planting and to control weeds.