The Importance of Healthy Soil for Sustainable Gardening
The main key to success in gardening boils down to one thing – healthy soil. Gardeners whose soil may have been lacking a bit can use this gardening downtime to help bolster the soil.
The Role of Soil Testing
Healthy soil is full of the nutrients needed to make plants grow, and it has the ability to hold water but also drain well. How is a gardener to know what the soil needs? A soil test is the answer. A soil test provides valuable insights into the health and composition of the soil. This aspect of gardening is important because different plants have different needs.
Knowing the nutrient content of soil is important because nutrients are vital for plant growth. A soil test can determine the level of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur. Understanding the soil’s nutrient profile helps gardeners make good decisions when it comes to fertilization.
The Impact of Soil pH
It’s also important to know the soil’s pH level because it affects nutrient availability. Plants do well in a slightly acidic to neutral pH range, which is 6.0 to 7.0 generally. Depending on the soil test results, gardeners can raise or lower the acidity by incorporating lime or sulfur.
A soil test can also help gardeners from over-fertilizing. Without a test, gardeners can easily over-fertilize plants. This not only harms the plants but also the environment. When extra nutrients are in the soil it can lead to plant toxicity and reduced growth. It is also harmful to the environment because the excess can leach into groundwater. Plus, gardeners will save money by not wasting fertilizer.
Promoting Sustainable Gardening
In addition to nutrient levels, a soil test can help identify other soil health issues, including compaction, poor drainage, and salinity. Gardeners can address these issues with soil aeration or adding organic matter such as compost to improve soil structure and health.
Soil testing also promotes more sustainable gardening by reducing chemical inputs and using resources more efficiently and minimizing environmental impact.
Take Action for Sustainable Gardening
Oklahoma State University Extension offers soil testing. Contact the county OSU Extension county office to learn more. Gardeners can learn about collecting soil samples in the OSU Extension fact sheet L-249.
Healthy soil can reduce plants’ susceptibility to disease. It’s like the strong foundation of a building. Healthy soil helps gardeners create an environment that supports healthy plant growth, conserves resources, and fosters sustainability.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality. | Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. | Indicator 12.4.1: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world. | Indicator 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 15: Life on Land.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Based on the article’s content, the specific targets identified are:
– Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
– Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
– Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Yes, there are indicators mentioned in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:
– Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture.
– Indicator 12.4.1: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement.
– Indicator 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area.
These indicators can be used to measure the proportion of agricultural area under sustainable agriculture, the number of parties meeting commitments on hazardous waste management, and the proportion of degraded land over the total land area.
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality. | Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. | Indicator 12.4.1: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world. | Indicator 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area |
Source: muskogeephoenix.com
