If you’re a first-time cannabis grower or are looking to up your grow game, the best place to start is with the soil. Cannabis plants grow in nearly any soil you give them, as long as it contains nutrients (or are fed nutrients) and the right environment.
If you’re attempting a more traditional grow and just want to put cannabis in a pot, it grows best in loamy soil with the right texture, water, drainage, and PH levels. Loamy soil is a mixture of clay, silt, and sand which gives the plants the growth nutrients they need to produce amazing and robust buds.
There are many things you can consider, like knowing the plants are bioaccumulators, before putting your dainty seeds in the depths of soil containing minimal to zero chemicals.
Bioaccumulation simply means the plants can absorb chemicals and other things in their immediate environment. When plants absorb bad chemicals, it can be harmful to the plant and the person consuming the plant.
When you use the healthiest soil for any weed plants, no matter the strain you favor, you will have success in your grow journey that you can brag to all your peers about.
Which Mediums Work Best With Fertigation?
When taking advantage of cost-saving fertigation watering and nutrient feeding methods, the best soil options for your indoor marijuana grow operation is coco coir or rockwool, sometimes with perlite mixed in to increase aeration and drainage.
These mediums have very little to offer the plants nutritionally.
The benefit of this is growers have complete control over what nutrients their plants receive through recipes that are precisely dosed by their fertigation system, often multiple times a day for optimal nutrient uptake.
The option of an automated fertigation system can help to ensure the plants are fed everything they need to thrive while taking stress off the grower.
Depending on your plant genetics and numerous other factors that go into having a successful harvest, the soil mixture combination can vary.
Even though many successful cultivation facilities use other natural soil methods (loom) of silt, clay, and sand, when you’re using an upgraded fertigation system, you can further optimize your operations with specific soil formulations our experts can help you identify.
As cannabis growing equipment, technologies, and techniques continue making breakthroughs, by harnessing the cost-effective fertigation addition to your system, the special soil mixture can further enhance your ability to deliver the exact nutrient formula they need.
Other advantages of proper fertigation soil mixtures further maximize the aeration and drainage to boost your plant’s ability to thrive.
Which Soil Is The Best For Growing Marijuana Indoors?
Unless the soil mixture already provides you with the critical nutrient data on the label, you may either have to perform your own soil test or hire a qualified technician to help you identify exactly what’s already in your soil.
Best types of soil medium for indoor cultivation.
- Potting soil
- Super soil (living soil)
- DIY soil mix
Soil mediums involve organic compounds and will typically require fewer nutrients due to the plant pulling what it needs out of the soil.
Once you’ve analyzed your soil nutrient contents, you can make adjustments to fit the needs of your plant’s genetics.
Potting Soil
Your typical potting soil is a mixture that commonly includes fish emulsion, forest products, earthworm castings, crab meal, bat guano, etc.
There are many types of pre-bagged potting soils available on the market to quickly purchase to get started.
However, if you’re looking to fine-tune your grow operation, a standard potting soil may not have the proper balance to maximize your output.
To find out exactly what’s in the potting soil, you can contact the manufacturer for their product composition.
Super Soil (Living Soil)
Living soil is a trending favorite among cannabis growers that requires much less added nutrients due to the already built-in ecosystem currently thriving within.
Even though it’s a more expensive option, what makes super soil a go-to choice for growers is the premium quality end products your users will get to enjoy.
Living soil also contains a large variety of microorganisms, fungi, mycorrhiza, and other beneficial bacteria to facilitate the conversion of organic matter into nutrients for your cannabis plants to feed on.
DIY Soil Mix
For advanced growers or cultivation facilities ready to get maximum optimization with their growing soil, creating your own special formula is your best option for the highest possible potential quantity and quality of results.
Depending on your grow equipment and seed genetics, your soil could require different organic materials to create a perfect balanced operation.
Custom soil formulation mixtures begin with a neutral or natural starter soil and then incorporate various organic nutrient enrichments.
Soil nutrient enrichments can include compost, worm castings, bat guano, coco coir, sand, vermiculite, dolomite, blood meal, bone meal, and more.
As a precaution to newer growers or those without an expert on staff, making your own unique soil mixture can harm or kill your plants if you add too much of a certain nutrient.
To learn more about engineering the best soil for your cultivation facility, contact our expert grow team.
Which Soil Is The Best For Growing Marijuana Outdoors?
Outdoor growers can use all of the above-listed methods, but first, before you start your outside grow, we recommend you test your soil for potential contamination, current nutrient contents, water quality, soil temperature (65-75 degrees F), and any other critical measurements specific to your location.
In order to have successful growing seasons, it is essential to understand precisely what is currently in your soil to know exactly what you’ll need to add to it.
Common natural soils used in outdoor grows are sand, silt, and clay, with each having its own unique abilities.
To get the most out of natural outdoor soil mediums, it’s best to combine the three into what’s called a loam mixture to provide optimal pH, drainage, moisture retention, and aeration.
For best results, additional nutrients may be required from bat guano, worm castings, compost, etc.
If you find yourself getting lost in the complexities of soil mixtures, contact our team today to get expert aid in optimizing your cultivation operation.
What Factors Should Be Considered In Finding The Right Soil?
Before growing the best buds of your life, you will need to make sure you create the right soil environment for your little weed babies can successfully grow in.
The five basics of what to look for in healthy soil include.
- Retention Of Water
- Nutrition
- Texture Of The Soil
- pH Levels
- Drainage & Aeration
These factors will allow you to enhance your yields and sustain optimal growth.
1. Retention Of Water
The soil that cannabis plants are in will need to have plenty of water for them to thrive.
Water retention is a vital factor in crop steering and dry back methods.
The crop steering/dry back methods rely on the plants drying out.
Due to this requirement, water retention plus knowing how long your plants will be wet are vital factors for these methods.
Then, through sensor monitoring, the plants are encouraged to dry out so that they fully absorb their next feeding.
2. Nutrition
Cannabis soil will need nutrients to keep the plant’s ecosystem at optimal health levels. When the soil has enough of the right nutrients, the plant will grow very robust and become sustainable. Choosing the right type of soil to buy will ensure that you have most of the nutrients you need for excellent growth.
You can also use organic nutrients from worm castings, composts, and natural organic materials.
If you want to enhance your plants’ ability to uptake nutrients, you can consider utilizing fertigation. Your plants will thank you for it during the harvest season.
3. Texture Of The Soil
When growing cannabis plants, it’s very important for the soil to have a light texture with the right amount of water retention.
When the texture of the soil is light, the plants will have more room to grow, and they will be able to better access the soil nutrients.
4. pH Levels
Cannabis prefers soil with a light acidic pH level between the ranges of 5.0 to 7.0.
The best soil with healthy pH levels will be in the middle of these ranges of between 5.8-6.3 for best results.
When the soil has a moderate acidic level, it can produce healthy plants. Any pH level that exceeds the recommended amount will stunt the growth of cannabis plants.
Knowing this, you will need to stay on top of soil pH strengths throughout growth for the buds to ripen.
5. Drainage
Cannabis plants need constant care and attention, especially their drainage. Make sure your grow setup has proper drainage holes to help keep the plants oxygenated and the roots healthy.
By choosing the right soil and taking care of it during your weed plants’ growth stages, you will maximize your yields and retain healthy buds.
What About Hydroponics?
Hydroponics grow without using soil by suspending the root of the plants in a complete nutrient water solution.
Some growers prefer this method for various reasons, including faster grow cycles, less water, less space, more control over nutrients, etc.
Whether you’re looking to use soil or hydroponics, we can help!
Our Comprehensive Cultivation Services extend to consulting, designing, building out, and maximizing efficiency with your current setup.