How To Grow Cannabis Indoors Using Soil

Of all the ways that overseas users grow cannabis, growing it in soil is the most common.

Since soil is a common medium, there is a common misconception that all users need to do is buy some good soil, put their plants in it and leave it alone. However, this is not the case and growers need to pay attention to details in order to make the most out of the soil to fully grow good cannabis plants.

The Basics, Pros and Cons

When cannabis is grown outdoors in soil, it will seek out water and nutrients by stretching its roots. When grown indoors, the root space will be much smaller and the grower will need to provide the plant with enough water and nutrients.

Not only that, but the size of the plant's root system determines the size of the plant growth possible. In other words, the larger the container, the larger and easier the plant grown will be to grow.

Since cannabis roots have limited space to grow indoors, growers need to make sure that they have good quality soil or soil media in order to provide the best growing conditions for the plant.

Good quality soil should be well ventilated, should be kept at a warm temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius, have a pH of 5.8-6.5 and should be regularly cycled and drained to avoid waterlogging.

It is also important to remember the soil's nutrient or NPK ratios, which are the ratios of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - the three essential nutrients that plants need throughout their life cycle.

The great advantage of soil is that it is inexpensive and easy to use and maintain, and it is more forgiving than other media because growers don't need to be as careful as they would be with other, more sophisticated methods such as hydroponics.

On the downside, soil is "dirty" and takes up a lot of space. It is a good idea to sterilise the soil on a regular basis as various pests and insects can get into the medium without the grower noticing. If you are dealing with very limited space, it may be better to consider some other options instead of soil.

Types of soil substrate

Soil consists of three main types of mineral particles and organic matter, such as decomposable plant matter. The three different (based on size) types of mineral particles are sand, silt, and clay.

In addition to size, they vary in toughness, how they hold water and nutrients, and other properties, but most soil media contain at least one of these in their composition. For example, coir soil is a standard soil that can be purchased in shops and is perfect for growing marijuana, as well as a common practice in horticulture and agriculture. Loamy soil has a 40:40:20 composition of sand, silt and clay, which is an example of how we can differentiate between different types of soil.

Another thing that should be mentioned when discussing different types of soil is super soil. Super Soil is a unique type of organic soil that attempts to mimic natural soil conditions. By creating a thriving microbial environment through composting, it will meet the nutrient needs of the planting, as this "living" soil will provide all the nutrients the plant needs on its own. However, making super soil is a complex and time-consuming process that can take months, so it is not recommended for beginners.

In summary, mixing your own soil should not be a problem. All the user has to do is decide which ingredients to mix and in what proportions, depending on the plants they want to grow and the state of the soil in the way they want it to be (more acidic or alkaline, draining or not or retaining water and nutrients, etc.).

Nutrients in the soil

Due to the organic composition of soils in nature, they contain enough nutrients to allow plants to grow quickly and successfully. Materials such as animal remains, excrement and decaying plant matter provide the soil with all the nutrients plants need, but require additional processes to break down and be absorbed by the roots. Worms, insects and water help further the decomposition process.

The more difficult problem is that indoor growers have a hard time replicating these conditions (as mentioned earlier, creating super soil is a painstaking and time-consuming process). However, the user has the option of growing plants in a nutrient-rich soil suited to their needs.

Pay attention to the NPK ratio of the soil to ensure that plants have the right amount of the nutrients they need. An important thing to note about nutrients in the soil is that the pH of the soil is directly related to the uptake of said nutrients, and the optimal pH will encourage plants to maximise nutrient uptake.

Humans have been growing in soil for thousands of years and have accumulated a great deal of knowledge about growing plants in soil. Soil is still the most common growing medium, and cannabis cultivation is no exception. From beginners to professionals, many people choose soil as their medium because it is cheap, easy to use and very effective. However, there are some preparations and protections that need to be made to maximise the potential of soil.