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The Best Soil For Marijuana | Growing Tips
In This Article
Why You Can Trust American Marijuana
Key Points of Growing Weed
Soil Options for Growing Weed
Unfertilized Potting Soil
Organic Soil
Coco Coir
Expanded Clay Pellets, Perlite, and Rock Wool
Soil Considerations
Drainage
Density
pH Level
Best Soil for Growing Marijuana
Type of Soil to Avoid
Non-Organic Soil with Fertilizers
Soil From Your Backyard
Wild Cultivation
Soil Tips & Tricks
Container Options
Best Soil for Marijuana FAQs
Why You Can Trust American Marijuana
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Key Points of Growing Weed
- Avoid non-organic soil supplements with fertilizers, soil from your backyard, or planting outside in the dirt for your plant health.
- Look for high-quality potting soil, organic soil, or coco coir (coconut shell-based soil), and potting mixes.
- Cannabis plants like room for their roots to expand as well as good drainage – avoid heavily compacting the soil.
- Soil pH for Cannabis plants should be on the acidic side – if you can you should measure this before planting your seeds.
- House your soil in a 3-5 gallon container.
Soil Options for Growing Weed
Whether growing indoors or outdoors, we found the following living soils to be most suitable for cannabis plants:
Unfertilized Potting Soil
Potting soil is a good option, not too dense, has no nutrients, and is very forgiving if you make any errors. This is a great choice for beginners since it is also the least expensive option. Potting soil should only be considered when using containers (pots, bags, etc.).
Organic Soil
If you intend to grow outside in garden beds, then this might be a good option. Many growers swear by the use of organic soil, claiming it makes the cannabis smoke sweeter to the taste, and healthier. While there is still no objective evidence, many people do seem to prefer organic materials.
There are a wide variety of “recipes” on the internet about how to make your own organic soil. Usually, this involves starting with a neutral medium (such as high-grade topsoil) and then adding different supplements (worm castings, lime, compost, etc.) to get the right ratio. Finding the correct ratio can take time – so, it’s not recommended for beginners.
While you can use organic soil indoors, you must be very careful not to introduce pests, mold, etc.
Coco Coir
Made from the husks of coconut shells, coco coir has become a very popular option for both indoor and outdoor growers. Coco coir does not require perlite or vermiculite to make it less dense because one of its key features is drainage. It’s almost impossible to overwater a plant in coco coir. This makes it an excellent choice for indoor growers. However, it is expensive compared to other options.
Expanded Clay Pellets, Perlite, and Rock Wool
When growing weed using hydroponics (in water), it’s possible to use a variety of other mediums. Besides coco coir, you can choose expanded clay pellets, perlite, and rock wool.
Soil Considerations
Regardless of the medium you select, there are several variables you should consider when purchasing your marijuana-growing soil:
Drainage
Purchase soil that has good drainage and water retention because plants will not do well if the roots get soggy. Most potting soils can do this reasonably well, as does coco coir. Of course, even the best soil for marijuana will get soggy if you water too often.
Density
Cannabis roots don’t like to work too hard to expand. Soil that becomes too compacted will not be a good growing medium for your weed. You should be able to easily stick your finger into the soil with little resistance. When purchasing soil, a quick test of soil density is to lift different types of soil bags (of equal volume) from different suppliers. Those that feel heavier are probably denser.
pH Level
Cannabis likes soil that is a little on the acidic side. However, since most nutrients will tend to lower the pH level. This is generally not a problem, depending on the pH level of the water you are using.
More specifically, you won’t find issues if you intend to purchase potting soil or coco coir. However, if you are mixing your own organic soil, it might be worthwhile to invest in a soil pH meter so you can “dial-in” your soil correctly.
Different mediums start with different pH levels. For example, coco coir is between 5.2-6.8. When a medium is in this range, it is considered relatively “neutral.” When it comes to growing cannabis, you generally want your pH levels to be between 6.0 and 7.0.
Best Soil for Growing Marijuana
For beginners, especially indoor growers, your best choice will be to purchase high-quality potting soil. It’s inexpensive, available everywhere, and is very forgiving of errors. Potting soil generally comes without any pests, fungus, etc. in the soil, so it is safe to use indoors. There are many reputable suppliers available, including Foxfarm, Pro-Mix, and Scott’s.
If you have a little more money in the budget, consider the use of coco coir. It has all the advantages of potting soil, plus excellent drainage and just the right density. It’s an appropriate choice for both indoor and outdoor container-based growing. Both Botanicare and Canna are well known for being good quality products.
If you plan to grow outside, consider mixing up your own organic soil. While there is more time and effort involved in getting started, you won’t have to add nutrients to your soil continually. While it will require more effort to find the right recipe for your location, the effort will pay off in wholesome plants and sweet smoking.
There are many high-quality organic potting soil mixes you could also consider from well-known suppliers such as Miracle Grow, Pro-Mix, and Foxfarm.
If money is no object, you could also consider a “hybrid” soil such as BioCanna’s Bio Terra Plus, which contains potting soil, coco coir, organic supplements, and a variety of other goodies.
Type of Soil to Avoid
With knowledge of what mediums to purchase, it may be in your interest to understand which to avoid. Some soils can cause cannabis deficiencies and excesses. In other words, the wrong soil can actually harm your marijuana plant. Here are some to avoid:
Non-Organic Soil with Fertilizers
Most major garden supply companies offer pre-mixed soil for flowers, vegetables, etc. These should be avoided since they are generally too “hot,” which is another way of saying they have too much fertilizer causing young cannabis plants to burn.
Soil From Your Backyard
Besides containing an unknown quantity of nutrients (and possibly pests), topsoil tends to be very dense, not allowing marijuana roots to grow properly.
Wild Cultivation
While it may be possible in some cases to merely put cannabis seeds into the ground and have them grow; this is rarely effective. If you want the best soil for weed, it needs to be prepared.
Soil Tips & Tricks
If you choose to mix your own organic soil, then it will not need any additional amendments because it’s already properly prepared. As mentioned, getting the correct formula can be challenging, so be prepared to take some time to get this right.
For potting soil, consider mixing it 80/20 with perlite to make the soil less dense. While this means you’ll need to water more frequently, it gives the roots plenty of “elbow room” to spread out.
Coco coir doesn’t require perlite, but depending on the manufacturer, it may need to be “pre-rinsed” before use to wash away any accumulated dirt or dust from the manufacturing process. Generally speaking, the better suppliers have already rinsed the product. Coco coir also tends to require more calcium and magnesium than potting soil, so consider adding a bit extra to your regular feeding schedule. As a bonus, you can purchase coco coir in expandable bricks, which makes transport and storage more convenient.
When you are ready to experiment, there is a wide range of soil preparation additives you can consider, including B1 Complex, root enhancers, and soil enzymes.
Container Options
You need someplace to put your weed growing soil! For indoor growing, a 3-gallon container is fairly standard. Larger containers lead to taller plants, which can be a problem indoors. However, if you’re willing to use cultivation approaches like a Screen of Green or Supercropping, you could use a bigger container.
For outdoor growing, if not in a garden bed, you will need at least a 5-gallon container, or larger if possible. Your plant will grow very tall and could easily tip over if your container size is too small. Consider weighing down your container by putting a layer of gravel in the bottom before your medium. This will also help with drainage.
Recently, fabric containers (aka air-pots, smart-pots, etc.) have become trendy for both indoor and outdoor growing. They use a technique called “air pruning” to prevent the plant’s roots from circling the inside of the container. This is supposed to lead to better growth, but the evidence is not conclusive.
Best Soil for Marijuana FAQs
Ideally, you want a soil composition with a mixture of perlite, coco coir, vermiculite, and compost. On top of this, the best soil for cannabis has a pH level between 6.0 and 7.0.
No. “Miracle-Gro” or any “extended-release” nutrients should not be used when growing cannabis. This will continually release nitrogen into your plants’ roots which can cause overnutrition.
While you can use an all-purpose soil for marijuana, it’s not ideal. As with fruits and vegetables, cannabis has very particular nutrient requirements. Therefore, soil catered to these requirements is preferred.
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