TOPICS > GROWING MARIJUANA > GROWING MARIJUANA: ADVANCED TIPS > GROW MEDIUM > SOIL > CANNABIS SOIL BASICS
cannabis soil basics
vIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Hi, I’m your prof from Indica Institute, and this is my advanced cannabis growing course entitled “Growing Cannabis 201: Advanced Grow Tips” I’ve designed this course to help and instruct people on how to grow cannabis plants to obtain better results in terms of overall plant health, yield, taste and more. The course covers a variety of topics including best practices for germination techniques, cloning, transplanting, grow medium, grow environment and nutrients.
Visit me at Indica Institute or my YouTube channel for a list of cannabis related courses, tips and more. I hope you find the video useful, and please like and subscribe so I can continue making more videos like these!
Hi and welcome to my unit on cannabis growing medium. The objective of this installment of my two part lesson is to learn what soil is best for growing cannabis, and how to make your own basic mix at home. I’ll discuss what to consider when choosing your soil, what constitutes good or bad soil, and things you will need to know when growing cannabis with a nutrient rich soil recipe. All links mentioned in this video can be found in the video description, along with a link to Indica Institute where you can find a growing list of cannabis related courses.
It’s true what people say, cannabis can grow in pretty well anything, depending on the strain. That’s part of the reason they call it “weed”. But just because you can grow your plants in almost anything, doesn’t mean you should. Not all soils will allow cannabis plants to thrive and produce good yields that look like gold, and taste like it too. The reality is your buds and yields will only be as good as what they’re grown in. With this said, let’s take a look at the basics of what you need to consider when buying soil for your plants.
The main things to consider when choosing a soil for your plants is pH, nutrient composition, water retention, texture, drainage and ingredient composition.
Look for a soil with a pH between 6 and 7. Cannabis plants prefer a slightly acidic soil, but nothing lower than 6. Most soils will have the pH written on the bag. If you’re unsure, ask someone knowledgeable that works where you are buying the soil. Pick up a pH measurer while at the store as well so you can continue to keep an eye on the pH level of you soil throughout the plants growth cycle.
For nutrients, the main nutrients your plants will need are Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. During the vegetative stage your plants will consume roughly twice as much nitrogen than phosphorus, and three times as much potassium as nitrogen. This is typically given in a supplement ratio of 2-1-6, so try to look for this when purchasing nutrients.
Alternatively, during the flowering stage plants require far less nitrogen as this is used to grow leaves and stems- something the plant no longer needs to do as it focuses on growing buds. In this stage you will need to cut down nitrogen substantially. Provide five times as much phosphorus as the vegetative stage, and cut down potassium levels by about a third. This should look something like a 0-5-2 ratio.
Although if you are growing your plants in a nutrient rich or super soil, the need to constantly adjust pH and nutrient levels and top your soil with supplemental liquid nutrient concentrates will disappear with the proper soil recipe.
When looking at water retention, you want soil that will hold water long enough for the plant to absorb it, but you also want to make sure that there is enough drainage in your soil that it does not get water logged and cause root rot, pH issues or other growth problems.
For texture, you want to make sure your soil is light and airy, without wood chips, rocks or other objects. An airy soil promotes good air circulation to the roots, but also allows the roots of the plant to grow quicker and stronger without too much resistance. Wood chips and other objects present in soil means the soil has not finished composting, and therefore not all nutrients are readily available to the plant.
Finally, the soil you purchase should have some, or all of the following ingredients: compost, biochar, sandy loam, peat moss, coco coir, perlite, worm castings, bat guano, fish meal, crab meal, bone meal, glacier rock dust, pumice and kelp. Keep in mind that some of these ingredients are interchangeable, providing the same or similar benefits to the soil, so it is not necessary for them all to be part of the mixture you decide to buy.
While these are the main elements you should be looking for, there are some tell tale signs of good and bad soil. Good soil should look dark and rich. It should be loose in it’s texture and light and airy when you sift your hand through it. It should crumble easy in your hand. This means it will be good for drainage and an airy soil promotes strong and quick root growth. It should also drain water well without pooling for too long. Look for the presence of perlite, they look like little white rocks or balls in the soil. Having this means the soil was designed for proper drainage.
Make sure to look of for signs the soil is bad when choosing your soil as well. Look out for the following:
First, look for wood chips. If there are wood chips in the soil, this is a typical sign that the soil is not fully composted yet, and therefore not all nutrients are readily available. It also tends to make for a harsher environment for plant roots. You want something that is light, airy and fluffy, not hard and full of obstacles for the roots to work around.
Secondly, look for whether the soil is ‘muddy’ when being watered. Typically this is a great indicator of water retention levels. The muddier your soil looks after watering, the higher the retention level. This is not a good thing because it makes it much easier for you to over water your plants.
Third, beware of thick or heavy soil. As I said before, look for soil that is light to the touch and airy. The thicker and heavier the soil, the harder it is for air and water to penetrate. This also means roots must fight twice as hard to grow through it as well. Whether its trying harder to grow roots, obtain nutrients, air or water, heavy soil is bound to stunt the growth of your plants.
Lastly, make sure you are NOT buying slow release nutrient soil. This may be beneficial earlier in plant growth, but as your plant switches to the flowering stage it will require a different ratio of nutrients in order to grow and thrive. This means plant growth will be hindered and plagued with issues as it moves into its flowering stage unless dealt with immediately. Attempting to avoid these issues by re-potting plants in new soil just before or during your plants switch to flowering would be a detrimental shock for them at a crucial point in their growth and development. It is best to just avoid slow release nutrient soil all together.
As one last note, if you want to achieve success with your grow, DO NOT just use the soil from your backyard. You are asking for issues by doing this. You will be left guessing with soil pH levels and regulation, nutrient breakdown, and will definitely have issues with texture, drainage and water retention. If all this wasn’t enough of a deterrent, most pests live a portion of their life cycle in soil, so introducing outdoor soil to your indoor garden is bound to invite unwanted pests as well. So just don’t do it.
There are plenty of prepackaged soils available for purchase, like fox farm for instance, though they tend to be fairly expensive. If price isn’t an option, I would recommend this avenue for you. For those of us that are a bit more budget constrained though, there are other options. Some basic potting soils with a few of the previously listed ingredients will do the job with the help of some added liquid nutrient supplements.
If you are looking to forego the headache of adding nutrients, testing water and pH soil constantly and all that comes with that, then your best bet is to make your own nutrient rich soil, or super soil. I will go into a full description of super soil and a recipe to make your own in another lesson, though for now if you would like to know basic necessary ingredients of a good cannabis soil recipe, pay attention.
First, find an appropriate ‘base’ for your soil. By this I mean a decent potting mix that is light and airy, and has all the components of what I previously described as ‘good soil.’ Next, you will want to add some ingredients that will provide the nutrients your plant is looking for, specifically Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.
The most commonly used nitrogen rich soil additives are worm castings, crustacean meal or bat guano. Worm castings are a quick release addition, providing bacteria and micro-nutrients for a bio-diverse soil. Crustacean meal is slower to release nutrients, but also releases beneficial phosphorus and calcium nutrients as well. Bat guano provides microbes and bacteria, while also providing the most robust levels of nutrients for your plants. Which you choose to add to your mixture is up to you.
Once you have chosen your nitrogen addition, it’s time to choose your phosphorus additive. This typically comes in the form of chicken manure, rock dust or bone meal. Both bone meal and rock dust provide great levels of phosphorous to the soil, though pH must be regularly checked and kept at a level below 7 for this to be effective enough for plants to thrive. Chicken manure is great for providing both phosphorus and nitrogen to your soil, though make sure it has been fully processed and is not longer ‘cooking’ before adding it to your mix. A manure is still ‘cooking’ if it is still undergoing the decomposition cycle and is still hot as a result.
Finally, you will want to add some potassium rich nutrients to your soil. The most common ingredients used for this are kelp meal, wood ash and compost. Kelp meal provides excellent levels of potassium while introducing microbes for more biodiversity. Wood ash is a good ingredient as well, though be weary of how much you are using, as it can often raise soil pH levels. Finally, homemade compost comprised of rinds and peels can be a great addition, though like chicken manure, make sure that the compost you add is no longer ‘cooking’ and has fully completed its decomposition cycle.
To really boost your soils productivity, try adding other micro-nutrient rich components as well, such as gypsum or azomite. These ensure your plants not only get the macro nutrients they need, but all other micro-nutrients so they are never left wanting for anything. Doing this will surely yield some fat, great tasting and looking buds.
Once you have all your ingredients and ratios, mix them together. Make sure that every corner of the pot has been upended and leave no section upturned. Do this daily to ensure that all components of the mixture have been equally distributed throughout, and that there is no residual heat from compost or other added ingredients. Dig your hand in before planting anything to check temperature levels and consistency.
There is no exact science to creating your own soil mixture. Even the oldest and best growers still play with the ratios of their soil mixtures, adding and subtracting ingredients regularly to test yield results. My suggestion would be to play with your mixture ratios, track your ingredients and how much of each you have included in every plant or harvest mixture. Eventually you will find a mixture that works best for you and your favourite strain. If you are weary of this, look out for a follow up video to this one entitled “How to make cannabis super soil.” This will give you more direction in terms of ingredients, process and ratios if this is something you desire.
Before I let you go, I would recommend you watch my ‘How to make cannabis super soil’ video if not just for the added tips on how to grow in nutrient rich soil. Simple tasks like watering can be detrimental to your soil and plants if not done correctly. Check the video out, and if you’re not interested in the entire video at least skip to the ‘added tips’ section of the video to learn how to manage your grow.
So in review,
If you have any comments or suggestions for a new video, be sure to join the discussion in the comment feed below. Please like and share this video, and as always, thank you for listening!
Visit me at Indica Institute or my YouTube channel for a list of cannabis related courses, tips and more. I hope you find the video useful, and please like and subscribe so I can continue making more videos like these!
Hi and welcome to my unit on cannabis growing medium. The objective of this installment of my two part lesson is to learn what soil is best for growing cannabis, and how to make your own basic mix at home. I’ll discuss what to consider when choosing your soil, what constitutes good or bad soil, and things you will need to know when growing cannabis with a nutrient rich soil recipe. All links mentioned in this video can be found in the video description, along with a link to Indica Institute where you can find a growing list of cannabis related courses.
It’s true what people say, cannabis can grow in pretty well anything, depending on the strain. That’s part of the reason they call it “weed”. But just because you can grow your plants in almost anything, doesn’t mean you should. Not all soils will allow cannabis plants to thrive and produce good yields that look like gold, and taste like it too. The reality is your buds and yields will only be as good as what they’re grown in. With this said, let’s take a look at the basics of what you need to consider when buying soil for your plants.
The main things to consider when choosing a soil for your plants is pH, nutrient composition, water retention, texture, drainage and ingredient composition.
Look for a soil with a pH between 6 and 7. Cannabis plants prefer a slightly acidic soil, but nothing lower than 6. Most soils will have the pH written on the bag. If you’re unsure, ask someone knowledgeable that works where you are buying the soil. Pick up a pH measurer while at the store as well so you can continue to keep an eye on the pH level of you soil throughout the plants growth cycle.
For nutrients, the main nutrients your plants will need are Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. During the vegetative stage your plants will consume roughly twice as much nitrogen than phosphorus, and three times as much potassium as nitrogen. This is typically given in a supplement ratio of 2-1-6, so try to look for this when purchasing nutrients.
Alternatively, during the flowering stage plants require far less nitrogen as this is used to grow leaves and stems- something the plant no longer needs to do as it focuses on growing buds. In this stage you will need to cut down nitrogen substantially. Provide five times as much phosphorus as the vegetative stage, and cut down potassium levels by about a third. This should look something like a 0-5-2 ratio.
Although if you are growing your plants in a nutrient rich or super soil, the need to constantly adjust pH and nutrient levels and top your soil with supplemental liquid nutrient concentrates will disappear with the proper soil recipe.
When looking at water retention, you want soil that will hold water long enough for the plant to absorb it, but you also want to make sure that there is enough drainage in your soil that it does not get water logged and cause root rot, pH issues or other growth problems.
For texture, you want to make sure your soil is light and airy, without wood chips, rocks or other objects. An airy soil promotes good air circulation to the roots, but also allows the roots of the plant to grow quicker and stronger without too much resistance. Wood chips and other objects present in soil means the soil has not finished composting, and therefore not all nutrients are readily available to the plant.
Finally, the soil you purchase should have some, or all of the following ingredients: compost, biochar, sandy loam, peat moss, coco coir, perlite, worm castings, bat guano, fish meal, crab meal, bone meal, glacier rock dust, pumice and kelp. Keep in mind that some of these ingredients are interchangeable, providing the same or similar benefits to the soil, so it is not necessary for them all to be part of the mixture you decide to buy.
While these are the main elements you should be looking for, there are some tell tale signs of good and bad soil. Good soil should look dark and rich. It should be loose in it’s texture and light and airy when you sift your hand through it. It should crumble easy in your hand. This means it will be good for drainage and an airy soil promotes strong and quick root growth. It should also drain water well without pooling for too long. Look for the presence of perlite, they look like little white rocks or balls in the soil. Having this means the soil was designed for proper drainage.
Make sure to look of for signs the soil is bad when choosing your soil as well. Look out for the following:
First, look for wood chips. If there are wood chips in the soil, this is a typical sign that the soil is not fully composted yet, and therefore not all nutrients are readily available. It also tends to make for a harsher environment for plant roots. You want something that is light, airy and fluffy, not hard and full of obstacles for the roots to work around.
Secondly, look for whether the soil is ‘muddy’ when being watered. Typically this is a great indicator of water retention levels. The muddier your soil looks after watering, the higher the retention level. This is not a good thing because it makes it much easier for you to over water your plants.
Third, beware of thick or heavy soil. As I said before, look for soil that is light to the touch and airy. The thicker and heavier the soil, the harder it is for air and water to penetrate. This also means roots must fight twice as hard to grow through it as well. Whether its trying harder to grow roots, obtain nutrients, air or water, heavy soil is bound to stunt the growth of your plants.
Lastly, make sure you are NOT buying slow release nutrient soil. This may be beneficial earlier in plant growth, but as your plant switches to the flowering stage it will require a different ratio of nutrients in order to grow and thrive. This means plant growth will be hindered and plagued with issues as it moves into its flowering stage unless dealt with immediately. Attempting to avoid these issues by re-potting plants in new soil just before or during your plants switch to flowering would be a detrimental shock for them at a crucial point in their growth and development. It is best to just avoid slow release nutrient soil all together.
As one last note, if you want to achieve success with your grow, DO NOT just use the soil from your backyard. You are asking for issues by doing this. You will be left guessing with soil pH levels and regulation, nutrient breakdown, and will definitely have issues with texture, drainage and water retention. If all this wasn’t enough of a deterrent, most pests live a portion of their life cycle in soil, so introducing outdoor soil to your indoor garden is bound to invite unwanted pests as well. So just don’t do it.
There are plenty of prepackaged soils available for purchase, like fox farm for instance, though they tend to be fairly expensive. If price isn’t an option, I would recommend this avenue for you. For those of us that are a bit more budget constrained though, there are other options. Some basic potting soils with a few of the previously listed ingredients will do the job with the help of some added liquid nutrient supplements.
If you are looking to forego the headache of adding nutrients, testing water and pH soil constantly and all that comes with that, then your best bet is to make your own nutrient rich soil, or super soil. I will go into a full description of super soil and a recipe to make your own in another lesson, though for now if you would like to know basic necessary ingredients of a good cannabis soil recipe, pay attention.
First, find an appropriate ‘base’ for your soil. By this I mean a decent potting mix that is light and airy, and has all the components of what I previously described as ‘good soil.’ Next, you will want to add some ingredients that will provide the nutrients your plant is looking for, specifically Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.
The most commonly used nitrogen rich soil additives are worm castings, crustacean meal or bat guano. Worm castings are a quick release addition, providing bacteria and micro-nutrients for a bio-diverse soil. Crustacean meal is slower to release nutrients, but also releases beneficial phosphorus and calcium nutrients as well. Bat guano provides microbes and bacteria, while also providing the most robust levels of nutrients for your plants. Which you choose to add to your mixture is up to you.
Once you have chosen your nitrogen addition, it’s time to choose your phosphorus additive. This typically comes in the form of chicken manure, rock dust or bone meal. Both bone meal and rock dust provide great levels of phosphorous to the soil, though pH must be regularly checked and kept at a level below 7 for this to be effective enough for plants to thrive. Chicken manure is great for providing both phosphorus and nitrogen to your soil, though make sure it has been fully processed and is not longer ‘cooking’ before adding it to your mix. A manure is still ‘cooking’ if it is still undergoing the decomposition cycle and is still hot as a result.
Finally, you will want to add some potassium rich nutrients to your soil. The most common ingredients used for this are kelp meal, wood ash and compost. Kelp meal provides excellent levels of potassium while introducing microbes for more biodiversity. Wood ash is a good ingredient as well, though be weary of how much you are using, as it can often raise soil pH levels. Finally, homemade compost comprised of rinds and peels can be a great addition, though like chicken manure, make sure that the compost you add is no longer ‘cooking’ and has fully completed its decomposition cycle.
To really boost your soils productivity, try adding other micro-nutrient rich components as well, such as gypsum or azomite. These ensure your plants not only get the macro nutrients they need, but all other micro-nutrients so they are never left wanting for anything. Doing this will surely yield some fat, great tasting and looking buds.
Once you have all your ingredients and ratios, mix them together. Make sure that every corner of the pot has been upended and leave no section upturned. Do this daily to ensure that all components of the mixture have been equally distributed throughout, and that there is no residual heat from compost or other added ingredients. Dig your hand in before planting anything to check temperature levels and consistency.
There is no exact science to creating your own soil mixture. Even the oldest and best growers still play with the ratios of their soil mixtures, adding and subtracting ingredients regularly to test yield results. My suggestion would be to play with your mixture ratios, track your ingredients and how much of each you have included in every plant or harvest mixture. Eventually you will find a mixture that works best for you and your favourite strain. If you are weary of this, look out for a follow up video to this one entitled “How to make cannabis super soil.” This will give you more direction in terms of ingredients, process and ratios if this is something you desire.
Before I let you go, I would recommend you watch my ‘How to make cannabis super soil’ video if not just for the added tips on how to grow in nutrient rich soil. Simple tasks like watering can be detrimental to your soil and plants if not done correctly. Check the video out, and if you’re not interested in the entire video at least skip to the ‘added tips’ section of the video to learn how to manage your grow.
So in review,
- When looking for a soil to grow cannabis consider the following elements: pH, nutrient composition, water retention, texture, drainage and ingredient composition.
- A good soil will look dark and rich, be loose, light and airy in it’s texture. It should also drain water and usually has between 10-20% perlite.
- Bad soil will have wood chips or other obstacles for roots. It will also be muddy during watering and is thick and heavy. Be sure not to use backyard soil or slow release nutrient soil.
- When creating your own soil mixture, don’t be afraid to play with recipes and make sure you have additives that provide the basic macro-nutrients your plants need, namely Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. Be sure to throw in a small amount of additives that provide the micro-nutrients your plants need as well, so you are getting the optimum yield, look taste and flavour you are looking for.
If you have any comments or suggestions for a new video, be sure to join the discussion in the comment feed below. Please like and share this video, and as always, thank you for listening!
