Viticulture is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes, which is a branch of the science of horticulture. It includes all the agricultural activities involved in growing grapes right up to the day of harvest. Viticulturists use their expertise to understand the right time to harvest grapes for ripeness and quality, prevent pests, fertilize their vineyards, prune, and design sustainable farming programs. The duties of the viticulturist include monitoring and controlling pests and diseases, fertilizing, irrigation, canopy management, monitoring fruit development and characteristics, deciding when to harvest, and vine pruning during the winter months. Viticulturists are often intimately involved with winemakers, because vineyard management and the resulting grape characteristics provide the basis from which winemaking can begin. Viticulture is the study of grapes, encompassing everything from wine production to fresh table grapes.