Finding best soil for marijuana plants outside is more complex than simply sticking the seeds into the ground. You have to find the method that works best for you, whether it’s planting your cannabis directly into the earth, or using a bucket or other container for it. Both of these methods work fine, and, as with anything, each has its own set of pros and cons.
In this article, we will cover the methods and techniques for growing your cannabis, as well as the basics of soil information. The greatest benefit of soil is its ability to provide nutrients to your plants so we will cover which nutrients your plants need and how to maintain this balance as well.


Planting outdoor cannabis in containers or in the ground
You might want to plant your marijuana in containers if you want to focus on the soil conditions and don’t want to worry about how to prepare your planting site ahead of time. Learn more about the growing in soil and other mediums when you download my free grow bible!
You can create your own special mix of soil in order to make sure your plants are getting lots of nutrients.
This helps you in the long run because it means you will not have to add extra additives later on in your plant’s life.
You also won’t need to be as particular about the conditions of your growing site, so you will have more options available and might, therefore, be better able to choose a well-hidden place.
If you prefer the more natural route, however, you also will be greeted with plenty of benefits. For example, if the soil is high quality, you will have access to quite a few more nutrients than with container planting. The roots of your marijuana plants can grow extremely deep and thick since they will not be limited by a container.


This method also has its own set of disadvantages, however, as it means you will need a lot more preparation in advance.
You will have to till the soil and change the pH level of the current soil that is located there. Your hard work would pay off, however, since your extra nutrients won’t wash away as easily from rain or watering, and the roots will take in those nutrients whenever they need to.
Regardless of which method of planting you choose to use, the soil will need to be rich in nutrients and well balanced.
The best soil mixture for outdoor weed plants
The “you are what you eat” concept applies to people as well as plants. This is what makes soil so important in growing high-quality cannabis plants. The better the soil, the better your harvest. So what makes soil higher quality? If you hold it in your hands, it should feel fluffy. It should be able to drain well, as well as already possess plenty of nutrients.


If you are using large pots for planting marijuana seeds, you have a much easier way of controlling the quality of your soil. You can use things such as compost or store-bought fertilizer to form a base that is fertile and rich – perfect for planting. If you are planting in the ground instead, you will need to prepare and test the soil to make sure that it is conducive for growing your plants.
Best nutrients for outdoor grows
Cannabis plants will need plenty of nutrients from the beginning of their life until its end, or else their yield will not be optimum. Three foundational nutrients that you will need to focus on are nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and phosphorus (P). The fewer these nutrients, the less weed you will get.


When looking at fertilizers in the store, you should be able to see exact percentages of each nutrient (listed in N-P-K order). These three nutrients must always be present, throughout the entire lifespan of your cannabis plants.
You must carefully maintain the balance of these nutrients, regardless of which life stage your plants are in. Maintaining this balance is made easier by using store-bought fertilizer and the container planting method. This is because the fertilizer mix probably already has a pH value of 6, which is not too acidic nor too alkaline, making it the perfect pH level for marijuana plants. You can look forward to a bountiful harvest if you’ve grown your plants in the best soil! Know the best time to reap your marijuana crop in my free mini harvesting guide.
Do not be surprised, however, if your marijuana plants start showing signs of a lacking of one or more nutrients – this is simply because plants don’t use them all up at the same rate.
Some nutrients are consumed faster than others, which means you will have to replenish the ones that are consumed at a faster rate. You can do this via feeding into the soil, or just adding it into your normal watering. So how can you identify a plant that needs a specific nutrient? You can see and feel differences that will tell you which nutrient your plants are lacking.


Buy outdoor seeds
- Easy to grow
- Consistent heavy yields
- Guaranteed delivery
- Get 24/7 grow support
The best soil for planting marijuana outdoors in containers
Although container planting is easier in many ways, it also means there is less room for error and more maintenance required on your part.
You are the only thing that is providing nutrients for these plants, so you need to make sure you are constantly aware and observant of your plants’ needs.


Do you think that container planting is the way for you? (click here for the best pots) If that is the case, you will need to be careful of a few key factors.
To choose the correct type of container, it’s always good to go for the lightest one possible.
The reason for this is simple: you will need to move your pots multiple times, and lighter containers make that movement easier for you.
Try out a plastic bucket that is about five gallons in volume. You can find these from restaurants that have used them, which is good because it means there were no hazardous materials stored in them at any time.


By contrast, clay pots are definitely not ideal. They are also an unnecessary expense and even absorb some of the water that your cannabis plants could use.
If you do happen to use clay pots, make sure you spray the pot with water so that it isn’t absorbing any of that plant’s water, especially during the hot, dry summer season.
You can also find grow bags, which can be a good substitute for clay pots or plastic buckets.
They can hold quite a bit of soil and are also fairly durable. The only potential issue with grow bags is that they allow for a lot more bumping around of the plant and its roots whenever you need to move it. So if you choose to use them, be very careful whenever you need to transport plants inside of them.
If the roots are damaged, your plant will need to focus all of its energy on repairing the roots rather than growing, so it would then slow down its growth. Feeling inspired to grow marijuana outdoors in soil? Start with buying high-quality seeds! Find seeds of your favorite strain in my shop.


Buy outdoor mix seeds
- Amnesia Haze feminized
- OG Kush feminized
- Super Skunk feminized
- Feminized seeds for guaranteed results
Whichever container you decide to use, make sure it has holes in the bottom so any extra water can drain out, so you don’t drown your plants. Just make sure that these holes are not too big, otherwise, the
FAQs about the best soil for outdoor marijuana plants
How does topsoil differ from potting soil?
Topsoil is used for planting directly in the ground, whereas potting soil is for planting in containers. Topsoil is composed of sand or clay that is mixed with organic materials such as compost. On the other hand, potting soil contains peat moss and other organic materials such as composted sawdust.
What is super soil?
Super soil is a term used by well-known grower and seed producer Subcool to describe a soil recipe they use to simplify the process of attaining a successful harvest regardless of your growing expertise level. It is a highly-amended grow medium that allows growers to eliminate the need for liquid nutrients.
What are the foundational nutrients that cannabis plants need?
The three nutrients you will need to focus on are nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and phosphorus (P). The fewer these nutrients, the less cannabis yield you will get.
Have you grown your own marijuana outdoors using soil? Please share your experience or leave your questions below.
Happy growing!
Robert
Looking forward to having some decent seed. Thanks people.
So I was looking for the soil type for ground plantinv in a plot.
There was a lot of information for containers but not in ground.
There were 3 l or 4 links for what I was looking for. But none of them opened for me
Hi. I’m a novice Grower and need Some advice. There’s mould on my soil and the leaves are curling up at the edges. I can not go to the shop ans buy the things i need. New zealand has a lockdown on everything because of the Corona virus outbreak. Can you tell me whats wrong and any home remedies that i can use to fix the problems please. Thanks
I’m going to grow Autoflower seeds this year. My grow media is Fox Farm Ocean Forest 14000. Do I need to fertilize at all since the plants finish in 90 – 100 days?
This article was pretty unimpressive considering the title. No useful information on building high-quality outdoor soil, other than the very very basics.
My plants had very Thin and shallow roots. Did i over water maybe? Plants were small but buds were good just not many since plants were so small
I have a week old seedling and it seems that one leaf seams to be a lil smaller than the others is this normal
Josh, There so many types of soil mixes. Go hare and do a search and members will help you out. ilgmforum.com
Great, and the best soil?
“Three foundational nutrients that you will need to focus on are nitrogen (N), potassium (P), and phosphorus (K). ”
It’s a typo. Should be: potassium (K), and phosphorus (P).
Thanks! I will shoot a message to the Admin.
vernon,
Dolomitic Lime is used to buffer PH in soil mixes.
Happy growing.
When you take aPH level if one is off what do you put in the soil to get it right……….DoYou go buy some spil that has already has it in it//////////////
I live in Oregon, and Im about to grow commercially on a 30,000sq ft. outdoors area, and I know we will have around 1500 plants. I have access to 100,000lbs of horse manure thats been composted over many years. Should I mix this with the soil, and if so, how should I go about it on this scale of things ? I also, since I dont know the ph of the land/soil yet, wondered if theres a certain kind of soil I should ask for from a company that will deliver dumptruck loads of it to my grow area ?
Should I grow Sativa or Indica outdoors for a better yeild ?
What are the top yeilding strains for outdoors ?
I downloaded your growbook, and truly appreciate it, and what youre doing for all of us with your knowledge and forums such as this.
Thank you very much.
If anyone is reading this, (especially if youre in Oregon)., and can help me with the info I need, feel free to text me @ 5-zero-3, four-8-four,-zero-two–seven-2.
Thank you so much.
Peace.
Roxx
Thank you for any help.
Brock,
PH 7 or “neutral PH” is for soil plants.
5.6-8.0 PH (slightly acidic) is used for the PH in hydroponics growing..
Perhaps you should join our grow support forum. We have many helpful and friendly members and a few experts to guide you along. Happy growing, lw
Juan Navarro,
Those appear to be typical Bamboo sticks found in any garden center. Typically they are placed in the soil and you just prop your foliage onto them for support.
If you wanted to attach them, it can be done using round tomato clips
I am confused after reading this… You say… “If it’s 7, it’s exactly neutral – which is roughly ideal for growing marijuana plants.”…
And then you say…” You marijuana plants will be happiest if the soil’s pH level is between 5.5 and 6.”
Confucius say… Huh, wtf? Please clarify
I add Organic Minerals 77+ from Mineralmaxx to gain flavor and density. They send them USPS
What are those sticks in the pots? What are they for and how do you attach them to the plant
All you can do to lower PH, which is really not necessary; Would be to water with a lower PH’d solution
Why don’t you mention the proper depth for soil testing and Ca is more important than P unless you’re growing seeds. Don’t lower your solution pH to acidify mineral soil, use the right amendments, latewood!
QUESTION MY PH IS 7 I’M GROWING IN THE GROUND IN NATURAL REDDISH CLAY MIXED WITH KELLOGG SOIL AMENDER HOW DO I LOWER PH NOW AS THERE BUDDING OR DO I LEAVE IT A 7 WHAT SHOULD I DO OR USE I HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY ORGANIC USING COMPOST TEA CASTINGS AND ORGANIC FERTS AND NOW FOX FARM BEASTIE BLOOMZ.. 1/4 TEASPOON GAL FROM NOR CAL THANKS JIM
Nora,
It is really hard to answer you without hazarding a guess.
Perhaps you will consider joining our “Support forum” and posting this in a topic. We would love to help you figure out the issue at hand.
[…] need to change it at all – this will already work perfectly for your plants. Read the article Best marijuana soil mixture for more […]
I have a question. I have a plant,it is about 3 ft high and is strong and healthy,however I don’t see any buds or hairs on it. It is very leafy and green. I also have one that is about a ft high,doesn’t look that healthy and is a paler green,quit spindly but is already starting to produce hairs and what looks like tiny buds. They are both in large containers and live in the exact same soil,get the same amount of sun and water. Which one should I be concerned about,or should I be concerned about both of them?
Thank you .
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use bat guano it makes just about any soil usable and it makes the plant grow 100 times faster
My seedlings are now 4 weeks old, in 70 degree F grow room, 300W appollo horticulture LED light, and have 1/2 sandy soil 1/2 potting soil, and they refuse to grow. I will try your recommendation of root stimulator to see if that helps.
I feel you should recommend that people NOT use commercial, chemical fertilizers since the application of such fertilizer effectively wipes out a lot of helpful bacteria and little critters that help aerate and enrich the soil. The best Ph for marijuana is not 7, as it is for most veggies, but 5.8 to 6.5. I made this mistake myself, so I know!