Preparing the soil in the open field

Soil preparation in the open field is one of the important activities that can positively affect the quantity and quality of the hemp crop. You can find a lot of advice online from experienced gardeners who have been doing this business for years in countries where it is allowed by law. They went through a lot of mistakes when growing, and therefore their recommendations can be listened to. In this article, we have collected all the important points of this procedure to save you time searching for this information.

What kind of soil is suitable for growing marijuana?

Chernozem is not for nothing considered the most fertile soil in the world. It is ideal for a wide variety of crops as well as cannabis. If it is he who is present at the landing site, then the preparation process may not be carried out. It will be enough just to feed the plant. Hemp also feels comfortable in less fertile soils with a mixed composition. About them a little further.

The main requirements for the physical properties of cannabis soil are high drainage and aeration performance. Water should not stagnate in it for a long time, otherwise the cannabis root system will start to rot. The presence of nutrients in the soil can be determined by the presence of abundant vegetation on it. If raspberries or nettles grow in the intended landing site, then it is worth stopping on it, since these two plants have requirements

similar to cannabis to the soil.

Multicomponent soils

Most of the soil types in our country consist of several components and have a multilayer structure. As a rule, they contain sand, silt, humus and / or clay. Their type is determined depending on the amount of each of the ingredients.

To determine the composition of the soil, it is necessary to stir a small amount of it well in the water, and wait until it has settled. Particles with a large mass will sink to the bottom first, the lighter ones will fall in the next layers. By measuring the depths of each layer, you can determine the percentage of ingredients. Next, you just need to add the missing ones so that the soil acquires the properties the grower needs. When this is done, the first stage of preparation is complete.

Silt and sand
Silt and sand are physically unable to retain moisture and nutrients for a long time. Therefore, sandy soils are unsuitable for cannabis cultivation. Typically, silt and sand are used as an additive to improve drainage performance. The diameter of sand fractions varies from 0.05 to 2 mm, of silt – from 0.002 to 0.05 mm.

Clay
With a decrease in the diameter of soil particles, its drainage characteristics decrease. That is why clay, the fraction diameter of which is not less than 0.002 mm, practically does not allow moisture to pass through. Water binds to its dusty particles, creating an airtight layer. Because of this, the aeration characteristics of the clay also suffer. If it prevails in the soil, then the plant will certainly die from waterlogging, fungi or mold.

Humus
Humus is a decomposition product of organic matter that contains the nutrients that marijuana needs, presented in an easily digestible form for it. The more it is in the soil, the more fertile it is.

Soil saturation with nutrients

Now that the soil has the necessary drainage and aeration characteristics, it must be saturated with nutrients, which are the “building blocks” for the cells and tissues of hemp. This can be done in several ways:

The landing site should be decided in the fall. You should dig a hole 1 meter deep, and throw several kilograms of fresh fish into it. Over the winter, it will completely rot, saturating the soil with organic decomposition products. These include three chemical elements important to cannabis – nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K);
With the arrival of spring, when the snow has completely melted, a layer of soil 0.5-1 meter deep should be removed. It must be mixed with one of the types of natural fertilizers: overripe manure, bone or blood meal, compost. Then fall asleep back. In a few months, these substances will saturate the soil with all the same substances;
If the grower decided on the place of planting just before planting, then the best option would be to use the purchased soil mixture. It can be purchased at your nearest flower shop. It is necessary to dig about a half-meter hole, and fill it with soil mixture.
Open ground or grow bags – which is better?
The problem of preparing the soil outdoors can be solved by using growbags – special fabric bags buried in the ground and filled with purchased soil. With their help, cannabis grows outdoors, but at the same time has its own underground ecosystem.

Both cultivation methods have their pros and cons. In order to choose the most suitable for themselves, the grower will certainly need to familiarize himself with them.

Growing hemp in soil

Advantages
Nothing hinders the development of the cannabis root system in the ground. This allows her to realize her full genetic potential for growth. The larger the bush, the more harvest it will bring;
The hemp bush does not need to be transplanted into large pots as it grows;
Grover won’t have to spend money on growbags.
Flaws
The hemp bush cannot be transferred. If the grower is caught off guard by the cold, he may lose his crop;
Even with pre-prepared soil, there is a possibility that it may deteriorate. Nothing prevents the washing out of nutrients by rain and the penetration of harmful substances from the nearby unprepared soil.
Growing in growbags

Advantages
You can move the cannabis to a better place or hide it indoors from the weather;
By choosing the size of the grow bag, the grower can control the growth of the cannabis bushes. This is especially true when growing Sativa, which can easily grow up to 2-5 meters;
The gardener gets the opportunity to control the quality and composition of the soil.
Flaws
Lovers of easy money will be able to rob the grower and get ahead of him with the harvest;
Growbag can restrict root development, preventing cannabis from realizing its genetic growth potential;
The plant may need more frequent watering. There is not enough moisture penetrating the walls of the growbag.