Don’t Panic, it’s Organic! Success in Growing Cannabis at Home Starts With the Soil
By Ashley Keenan - This article was sponsored by our friends at Blue Sky Organics
We like big buds and we cannot lie! A rich, high-nutrient soil sets the foundation for high yields of quality cannabis.
Legalization has made growing cannabis at home more accessible for the everyday individual. Instead of it being a hushed secret, people can now utilize science and cultivation to truly fine tune the growing process from seed to harvest. The right soil, drainage, and nutrient combination sets you up for success, allowing your cannabis plants to grow and yield bountiful harvests.
Not all Dirt is Suitable Soil
It may be called weed but that doesn't mean it will grow like one if you put in just any old dirt. Technically soil can be any old pieces of earth, composed of things like clay, rock particles, decaying organic matter and variable nutrients.
The composition of the soil you use is important, just as for any growing plant. Loam soil is a combination of silt, sand, and clay for an optimal pH level. Most potting soils are a loam soil with added amendments, you can tell a loam soil by its dark composition, earthy smell, and rich, hearty appearance. When squeezed a quality soil should form a sort of loose ball and break into large chunks once you release pressure.
Check out Super Soil, a specifically formulated growing media is packaged with 18 premium ingredients. It is bio-inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi, microbes, and beneficial bacteria to boost the performance of your plants.
Cannabis needs a combination of the correct texture, water retention, drainage, and nutrient makeup to grow. If you are planting indoors, you will need to make sure there is an avenue for both water retention and drainage to maintain the health of your soil.
Feed your Weed
Once you have a good, rich potting soil, you have the option of adding extra nutrients, such as amendments, fertilizers and liquid nutrients. These additives can be all natural, organic and help your plants maintain the optimal nutrients at all stages of growth.
Soil Amendments
Soil amendments improve the physical condition of the soil by adding to the base nutrients that help the plant grow. Soil amendments are already in pre-mixed soils, though you are welcome to add your own if you would rather have control over material and volumes. Soil amendments indirectly impact the health of your plant by improving drainage and water retention.
You can buy soil with different nutrient mixes to suit unique needs or in some cases, you can work with a company like Blue Sky Organics to create a customized blend specifically suited to your growing preferences using inputs like Worm Castings, Non-GMO Alfalfa Meal, Composted Forest Material and many other options.
Fertilizers
Fertilizer’s have a more direct impact on the health of your plant, using plant or animal products to provide essential nutrients for growth. Manure, compost, worm castings or other fertilizers are used to make plants big and strong with the optimal levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It is important to tailor fertilizer to the growth stage of cannabis, using more during the growth stage, and less during flowering.
Also fertilizers, liquid nutrients are frequently used in growing cannabis at home. You can use them on their own or with other growing mediums, for strong healthy roots. Liquid fertilizers are great for getting the nutrients to all parts of the plant without disturbing the soil. If the cannabis leaves have turned yellow or are looking lifeless, a dose of liquid fertilizer will revive the plant.
Too much of a good thing isn’t always good
It’s important to remember that there can definitely be too much of a good thing, having too many nutrients can be as damaging as not enough. Fertilizer can help plants grow tall, leafy and durable during the beginning stages but not so much in the flowering cycle. In fact too much fertilizer during flowering can actually lower the potency of your buds by reducing cannabinoids and terpene profiles..
Have a black thumb? We got you!
So not all cannabis enthusiasts are created with a direct line to mother nature. For those who joke about having a black thumb, you are not alone! For some, myself included, keeping a snake plant alive is an accomplishment, despite them being notoriously easy to maintain.
Honestly you will hear 'it's just like growing a tomato plant!' and quite frankly, I'd kill that too.
That's why legalization was so awesome for us plant murdering type folks, it allowed for a market of actual growing experts to step forward and share their expertise and innovative products to make home cultivation not only possible, but easy.
Blue Sky Organics Craft Growing Kit
BlueSky Organics has over 20-years of growing experience and has developed a full product line of organic soil media, plant nutrients, and amendments for the cannabis industry. This growing kit is a simple and effective all-in-one system that makes growing cannabis at home pretty much idiot proof. The 4-step system is easy to follow, with full instructions and certified organic products - all you need is the seeds! These products aren’t just for those who have a black thumb, they are a scientifically-proven to grow the most potent and full flavoured plants possible from your seeds.
Conclusion
If you want to grow quality cannabis at home, the secret to success is in the soil. There are lots of resources available to find the best quality of soil for your growing plants. Check out a local nursery, invest in quality home grown kit, or do self-guided research to make sure your new buds are set up for success.
