10 Best Soil for Cannabis (2022)

About a whopping 160 million people around the world use Cannabis and with its amazing medicinal and therapeutic effects, it’s no surprise tons of people are researching how to grow it. Most people have different opinions as to the best growing method, whether to grow indoors or outdoor or if it’s better to use soil or hydroponics but using soil is a great way to crop fat, flavoursome buds and this leads people to wonder what the best soil for cannabis is.

Picking the right soil when growing Cannabis is very important as it is one of the deciding factors of the health of your plants. It depends on everything from the climate to the species you’re growing.

Generally, it takes 2-6 months for your plant to grow and throughout this time they need a multitude of nutrients to feed and grow. Due to this complexity, the cannabis-specific soil industry is a thriving one.

Cannabis-specific soils are specifically tuned to promote the healthy growth of marijuana plants. These pre-made potting mixes usually contain everything from the nutrients, vitamins, and microscopic organisms for these plants to optimally and naturally grow.

The number of cannabis-specific soil substrates can be mind-boggling, which is why we’ve narrowed them down to the best options out there. Whether you’re looking for universal, organic, pre-fertilized, or everything-in-one substrates; there’s something for everyone.

OUR FAVORITES

1. Fox Farm Happy Frog Organic Potting Soil Mix – Top Pick

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Size: 2 cubic feet

Best For: Replanting started plants

When you’re shopping for the best soil for established cannabis plants, Fox Farm’s Happy Frog Organic Potting Soil Mix is pretty hard to beat. It is a pH-adjusted soil for maximum nutrient uptake, and it has all the nutrients your plants need to thrive.

It’s also 100% organic and has a pretty decent coverage area. However, there’s no denying it’s a little more expensive than some of the low-end soil options. Of course, the difference is that when you use Fox Farm’s Happy Frog Organic Potting Soil Mix, you’ll get far better results.

We think it’s better to spend just a little more and get premium results. Finally, we only recommend using this soil for already established plants. It’s not that new plants can’t germinate and thrive in this soil, it’s just that you’ll get better results with the next product on our list.

But if you need a completely organic product from start to finish, you’ll get the best possible results with a 100% organic mix with this soil.

Pros

• 100% organic
• pH adjusted for maximum nutrient uptake
• Contains mycorrhizae and humic acid
• Indoor/outdoor potting soil
• Decent coverage area

Cons

• More expensive option

2. Fox Farm Ocean Forest FX14000 – Runner Up

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Size: 1.5 cubic feet

Best For: Germinating and starting new plants

While Fox Farm’s Happy Frog Organic Potting Soil Mix might be our top choice, if you’re trying to germinate new cannabis plants, then their Ocean Forest line might be the better choice. Sure, it’s not 100% organic, but they jam-pack the soil with tons of healthy nutrients.

From there, they have an optimized pH level to help your plants take off and thrive. Now, it’s best for potted plants and not those outside, but for new plant’s that’s what you need anyways. Even better is the fact that it’s a bit more affordable than our top choice.

And while it might not be the best choice for outdoor plants, it’s still far more effective than what many other large companies push out. If you’re using Fox Farm’s Ocean Forest FX14000 potting soil for your cannabis plants, you’ll get phenomenal results.

Pros

• Optimized pH levels
• Works best for potted plants
• Tons of helpful nutrients
• Good mix of price and performance

Cons

• Not completely organic

3. Dr. Earth Premium Bud & Bloom Booster – Best Feed for Everything

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Size: 4 pounds (fertilizes up to 32 cubic feet)

Best For: Fertilizing

Once you have the perfect soil, it’s time to start looking at the perfect fertilizer. With either of our top soil choices you won’t need to fertilize for the first year, but past that fertilization is critical. And when you’re looking to fertilize, it’s hard to beat what Dr. Earth offers with their Premium Bud & Bloom Booster.

It’s another 100% organic product, and it’s also 100% GMO-free. But what really makes this fertilizer shine is the fact that it’s the only one you will need to apply, and it provides the optimal level of plant nutrients throughout the entire season.

Furthermore, it has a drought-tolerant mix of nutrients, and that’s great for those of us that forget to water or are hoping to let natural rain do a bit more of the work.

However, there’s no doubt that it’s a more expensive fertilizer, and you certainly still need to purchase a traditional soil. But when you look at the level of results you get, this fertilizer more than pays for itself in the end.

Pros

• 100% organic
• GMO-free
• Drought tolerant mix
• Provides the optimal level of plant nutrients
• The only fertilizer you need

Cons

• You still need a soil
• More expensive fertilizer

4. Mother Earth Perlite

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While Mother Earth Perlite might not be exactly what you’re looking for when you think of cannabis soil, it might be exactly what you need to add to your soil to get the best results. You certainly can’t use this perlite as the sole soil for your cannabis, but it works as a great tool to add some porosity to the soil.

It has a neutral pH at 7.0 and is available for a great price. A single bag can cover up to 4 cubic feet, and since you’re likely mixing it with other soils, it can cover far more than that.

You can also use this perlite solution as a way to grow cannabis hydroponically, but it’s unless you know what you’re doing it can be a more challenging way to grow. Still, it’s an option, and if that’s what you’re going with, then Mother Earth Perlite might be precisely what you need.

Pros

• Covers 4 cubic feet
• Affordably priced
• Provides porosity to soil
• Neutral 7.0 pH

Cons

• You need to mix it with other soils

5. Nectar for the Gods

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There are outstanding soil fertilizers, then there’s Nectar for the Gods. Lovingly referred to as NFTG, it’s a slow-release granule that encourages growth all-season long. They’re extremely easy to use and work into the soil, and they’re highly effective.

NFTG works on any soil type, and it delivers some of the best possible growing results out there. Still, it’s just a fertilizer, and it’s far more expensive than most granule fertilizers out there. But once again, when you look at the difference in results NFTG really pays for itself in the end.

Keep in mind that you will need to reapply NFTG every year, but this is true for most fertilizers. Luckily for you, NFTG keeps a pretty consistent level for the full season, and since you should reapply it at the same time each year, you get consistent nutrient levels all the time.

Pros

• Lasts all year
• Slow-release formula encourages season-long growth
• Granules are easy to mix into the soil
• Works on any soils

Cons

• Just a fertilizer
• More expensive option

6. Advanced Nutrients pH Perfect Grow

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With Advanced Nutrients pH Perfect Grow, you’re getting another great fertilizer for your soil. As the name suggests, it uses pH-perfect technology for optimal soil control, and it comes in a large bottle, so you don’t need to reorder often.

However, when you look at the price tag, you’ll be thankful that you only need to order this once in a blue moon. It’s by far the most expensive option on our list, and that alone makes it a tough sell.

What we can tell you is that no other product dives into the specifics to give you the best possible performance for each season. That’s why it comes in three different bottles, one for each stage of development.

Still, that means you don’t need to fertilize just once or twice a season. It means you need to do it three times, and you need to keep an eye out to fertilize at the optimal time each time. So, sure they have tons of nutrients to encourage growth, and sure you’ll get phenomenal results, but you’re also putting in more work.

Pros

• Has multiple bottles for each stage
• Tons of nutrients to encourage growth
• pH perfect technology
• Comes in large bottles

Cons

• Just a fertilizer
• Insanely expensive option

7. Advanced Nutrients Big Bud Liquid Fertilizer

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If you’re looking for a flowering-specific fertilizer, Advanced Nutrients Big Bud Liquid Fertilizer is an extremely potent choice. When it comes to flowering-specific fertilizers, it’s hard to beat what this offers.

It works on just about any soil level, and comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Still, this mixture is so effective that we recommend using about half the recommended dosage your first time around. This allows you to add more as needed, but it saves you from accidentally over-fertilizing.

It also helps you save some money since you won’t need to repurchase this fertilizer as often. While it’s extremely effective, it also comes with a slightly higher price tag. Of course, it can double or triple the amount of flowers your plant has, and that certainly helps to offset the cost!

Pros

• Very effective mix
• A flowering liquid fertilizer
• Works with just about any soil
• 100% guaranteed results

Cons

• Just a fertilizer
• More expensive option

8. Fox Farm Salamander Mix

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Rounding out our list is the Fox Farm Salamander Mix. Unlike the name suggests, this isn’t a soil you want in a terrarium. Instead, Fox Farm uses the Salamander name to highlight the way it holds water. This soil stands apart from all the rest in the way that it retains moisture.

With Fox Farm’s Salamander Mix you can get by using the least amount of moisture possible, which is a pretty big deal if you’re running a big operation. However, the downside is that if you overwater then all the plants can be more susceptible to root rot.

Once again, if you have the watering down to a science then that doesn’t matter, but if you’re growing recreationally, you might not have it that precise.

It’s not a beginner-friendly soil, but it is more affordable, and it lowers the cost of watering your plants. If you’re looking to cut costs without sacrificing product quality, this might be exactly what you need.

Pros

• More affordable option
• Works great for hot climate plants
• Holds moisture extremely well

Cons

• Not very forgiving with overwatering

General Characteristics of the best soil for cannabis

Even though not all cannabis needs the same type of soil for healthy growth, there are some general characteristics that are common in all cannabis soils so that even if you decide to cultivate your own soil, you’re still within these parameters:

• Soil Texture: Popular soil textures include sandy, silty, and clay. The best-balanced soil for the growth of cannabis is loamy soil which is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay with added organic compounds. It’s light and loose soil, has great water drainage and retention and it’s filled with nutrients and rich in oxygen.
• Soil Nutrients and Amendments: A well-balanced soil should contain minerals, rich organic elements, and beneficial microorganisms. Common ones are things such as Bat Guano, Perlite, Peat Moss, Worm Castings, Kelp, Coco Coir, Mycorrhizae, and more. These are things that help feed your cannabis plants and improve soil quality. Most pre-mixed soils come with varying portions of these organic substances but they only last 3-4 weeks and more will need to be manually added later.
• Soil pH: Cannabis plants require a slightly acidic pH to survive. Somewhere in the range of 5.5 to 6.5. An optimum pH helps to increase growth and the uptake of necessary nutrients.

Things to Consider Before Buying Best Soil for Cannabis

Now that you have an idea of how many options there are out there and you’ve seen the top 10, you have to consider which will be the best option for you and your needs.

You have to consider:

The Growing Medium

There are different mediums in which you can grow weed. You can grow in:

• Soil: This is the easiest growing experience
• Soilless Mix: This involves growing in soil alternatives such as coco coir, vermiculite, perlite, etc.
• Hydroponics: This involves growing in water. You can get the fastest and biggest yield possible with this method
• Other Types: This includes things such as Aquaponics (in a tank with fish) and Aeroponics (in misted air)

The Number of Plants

This is the number one thing you need to know. If you’re growing just a small potting plant then you need far less soil than if you’re growing a warehouse.

Soil bags come in different sizes so it’s better to confirm the number of plants you’re growing before you’re stuck with a largely unused and unreturnable amount of soil.

Organic or Inorganic

When it comes to the ingredients in the soil you’re buying, you have to decide whether you prefer organic components or inorganic ones.

Organic soil increase plant resistance and reduces the need for pesticides. It also supports “cleanly” grown buds and is better for the environment. However, inorganic soil is cheaper and contains benefits that do not exist in organic soil.

Simple or Amendment Filled

Are you looking for something simple or something filled with a ton of nutrients and minerals? A simple, basic nutrient-filled soil might be harder to use because it means you’ll have to manually add extra supplements periodically along the growth of your marijuana. However, something supplement-filled might simply be just too much causing the plant to burn out and die.

Summing Things up

Now you have an idea of why soil is so important to the growth of healthy buds. It can either increase or decrease the growth of your plants so it’s important to carefully consider before going with anyone option.

For some of the above-listed soils, you need to mix them with other soils, these are the concentrates. For some, you need to add more supplements during the growth cycle of your plant and for others, you simply need to add water and watch your plants grow. In addition, we provide a video review as well in more detail for the soil products for cannabis!

Good luck choosing the best soil for you and happy planting!