Growing In Super Soil – What Is It, How Does It Work, And How It Can Help Your Plants?
Looking for the best soil mix for growing cannabis? Super soil mixes are some of the best potting soil for weed that you’ll find anywhere. It’s chock-full of nutrients and beneficial microbes that can super-charge your plans. In this article, we’ll outline exactly what makes this medium the best soil for marijuana.
What Is Super Soil?
Super soil (sometimes called “supersoil”) is a type of compost that’s dialed in specifically for growing cannabis. Because of decades of marijuana prohibition, many growers thought that chemical fertilizers were the best way to maximize the potency and yield of their crops. These assumptions were based on limited information, though. As marijuana has become normalized in countries around the world, growers are starting to recognize the benefits of super soil as a high-quality organic fertilizer.
Super Soil’s Ecosystem
Super soil is considered “living soil” because it’s teeming with beneficial microbial life. Numerous fungi and bacteria are present in super soil that help plants process and absorb nutrients. They also fight against pathogens that can cause disease. Super soil is a different growing experience from that of using any other media – if your microbes are out of whack, you can concentrate more on improving your plants’ well-being.
The Benefits Of Super Soil
Growing in super soil offers several advantages over other types of growing media. Super soil can improve the flavor of cannabis plants and doesn’t require the grower to flush their roots before harvest. Super soil is organic, self-regulates its pH, and is easy to use for indoor and outdoor growers alike.
Improved Flavor
Want the best-tasting weed you can possibly grow? Growing in an organic media like super soil creates some of the best-tasting cannabis possible. Super soil is also a way to make your weed super smooth. Because you’re not using any synthetic salts in your fertilizer, the end result is tasty weed that’s easy to smoke and hits like a cannon.
Well-Suited For Both Indoor And Outdoor Grows
Super soil is an extremely versatile growing medium for cannabis. As a result, it’s the best soil for growing weed both indoors and out. If you’re growing outdoors and plan on putting your plants straight into the ground, just remember to clear out any leftover roots and soil from the area you’re going to use for filling with super soil. Otherwise, you may end up with some unintentional extra ingredients in your super soil mix like unwanted fungus or pests.
Fully Organic
All organic soils help keep plants healthy, and super soil is no different. Super soil contains a plethora of microbes like bacteria and fungi that help process complex nutrients in the media into smaller pieces that plants can absorb. These microbes also promote root health by going toe to toe against harmful infections such as root rot.
No Flush Required
Using super soil for cannabis plants eliminates the need to flush your plants before harvest. Because you’re not adding any synthetic nutrients to begin with, you don’t need to flush them out of your plant’s root zone. This means that your plants can instead focus on absorbing nutrients and growing up until the day you harvest them, giving them another week of time to grow.
Self-Regulated pH
When you use synthetic nutrients, it’s crucial to maintain a proper pH within your root zone. If you don’t, your plants won’t be able to absorb the nutrients they need. However, one thing that makes super soil some of the best soil for weed is that you don’t need to worry about pH – its ecosystem is already balanced and fully self-regulated.
Easier To Grow
Once you get a super soil grow up and running, it’s significantly less work than growing in other media. All you need is a good source of water and to make sure you keep your roots wet. This eliminates the need to mix nutrients and ensure your mixes are at the correct pH.
Super Soil Setbacks
In spite of all the advantages of using super soil mixtures for cannabis, there are some drawbacks. First, super soil is expensive. It also takes some time to make, and you may notice slower growth from your plants.
Expense
Although super soil mixes are some of the best media that you can use for growing cannabis, you get what you pay for. The ingredients that super soil requires generally cost more than synthetic nutrients. In addition, you’ll usually need to make lots of super soil at once, so it’s generally better-suited for larger grows.
Time
Making your own super soil potting soil is a time-consuming process. You’ll need to compost your soil for between 30 and 60 days before it’s ready to use. Because you can’t plant a new crop until your super soil is ready to go, you’ll need to plan ahead. Mixing super soil by hand can also be arduous physical labor, so it’s easy to get tired.
Reduced Growth
Although super soil is one of the best soil mixes for cannabis, it’s not perfect. You’ll likely notice slower growth during your plants’ vegetative phase. That’s because synthetic nutrients are broken down into smaller parts than organic ones, and plants can absorb them more readily. As a result, you may need to add up to 3 weeks onto your entire grow cycle when using super soil.
Proven Super Soil Recipe
If you want to make your own super soil, the first thing you’ll need is a solid recipe. That includes both the ingredients that go into the super soil itself and the gear you need to complete the process.
Required Gear
Making your own organic super soil mix doesn’t actually require much in terms of tools. All you need is a rake. You also need a mixing container large enough to hold about 110 pounds of soil. Finally, find something to hold the super soil mix while it develops like a tarp or trash cans.
Necessary Ingredients
All super soil needs three main components: compost, organic base material, and aeration. For compost, you’ll need ingredients like worm castings, bat guano, dolomitic lime, fish bone, blood meal, azomite and Epsom salt. Use some store-bought marijuana potting soil for the base of your mix. Aeration agents include perlite and vermiculite.
The Process
Basically, the process of preparing super soil is a lot of mixing and waiting. Get ready to put your muscles to work – it’ll be hard, but the results are well worth it. This recipe makes for roughly 30 gallons or 110 liters of super soil - you can adjust this volume to your needs by using more or less of the ingredients in the proportions stated in the recipe.
- First, empty 10 gallons (37 liters) of the potting soil base into the mixing container.
- Second, add 1,5 pounds (0,7 kilos) of bone meal and 3,25 more gallons (12,5 liters) of soil. Mix well.
- Then, add 1/4 cup (65 milliliters) of dolomitic lime, 1/8 cup (30 milliliters) of azomite and 3,25 more gallons (12,5 liters) of soil. Mix again.
- Next, add 7,5 pounds (3.4 kilos) of worm castings and another 10 gallons (37 liters) of soil. Mix.
- After that, add perlite, 7,5 more pounds (3,4 kilos) of worm castings and 2,5 gallons (9 liters) of soil. Rake lightly to mix.
- Finally, add 1,25 pounds (0,5 kilos) of blood meal, 1 pound (0,45 kilos) of bat guano and 1/4 cup (65 milliliters) of Epsom salt. Mix well.
Now, you need to wait. Mix the pile frequently over the next week. At the end of the week, move it into your storage containers. Leave them in a sunny place to cook for 30-60 days. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. You can also introduce some live worms into your mix to help aerate and loosen it while it cooks. Once the cooking is done, your super soil is ready.
How To Use Your Super Soil
Once your super soil mix is finished cooking, you can pot your plants with it. Use 1 pound for every gallon of your pot. Mix this with coco coir. When you water your super soil, make sure the pH is somewhere fairly neutral. Try to keep it between 6-7, otherwise it may disrupt the lifecycle of your cannabis soil mix.
Our Top Super Soil Picks
Making your own super soil is a time-consuming and complex process. Instead of making your own, consider buying pre-made super soil online. Below is a list of three top-tier super soil mixes for sale.
Kind Soil
Kind Soil’s organic “hot soil” is a great choice for growers who don’t want to make their own super soil. At $18 per bag, it’s also cheaper than many other options. The company offers instructions on how to use their soil on their website, so they’ll be right there with you if you have any questions.
Engine 109
Engine 109’s “Booyah!” soil is designed with cannabis growers in mind. While many super soil mixes are made for growing vegetables, this mix is specially-formulated to maximize your weed’s output.
Switching To Super Soil
Super soil is the best potting soil for marijuana out there. It’s super-charged with nutrients, alive with beneficial critters, and easy to grow in. Newer growers may want to buy pre-made super soil, while experienced gardeners can make their own. Regardless of whether you make your own soil mixtures for cannabis plants or buy it premade, you’ll definitely see results after your first grow.
Thank you for leaving a comment for us!
Your feedback will be posted shortly after our moderator checks it.
Please note that we don’t publish reviews that: