Growing your own food at home can help reduce carbon emissions, but it may also contribute to increasing these emissions. AgTech specialist Mark Gabsch suggests that home gardeners should stop turning or tilling the soil, as it disrupts soil structure, releases carbon into the atmosphere, and depletes soil nutrients. To reduce carbon emissions, more sustainable gardening practices should be used to improve soil quality. Some ways to do this include keeping soil covered with organic mulch or cover crops, maintaining living roots, growing diverse plant species, minimizing synthetic fertilizers, and incorporating livestock.Soil quality is crucial for achieving improved nutritional quality of produce. Boosting soil nutrients with organic additions is the same as providing a balanced diet for your garden. Using organic mulch and beneficial insect fodder can help keep soils strong and pests low. Incorporating livestock into your gardening system can also contribute to nutrient recycling and soil enrichment, ultimately supporting greater carbon sequestration.
