Do you dream of growing cannabis in your garden, but your lifestyle and daily routine just don’t allow you to give enough time to your long-lost passion? If that is the case, autoflowering cannabis seeds are made for you. 

Autoflowering seeds need the proper soil for your harvest to be wonderful, just like cookies need the ideal recipe to turn out as delicious as anticipated. Although there are other retailers of autoflower seeds available, none compare to the 420 autoflower seeds.

But what conditions and requirements must be fulfilled for the soil to be perfect? What should you put in your soil to improve it? Or what mixture is best for your autoflower seeds?

This article sufficiently covers everything you need to know about autoflowering seeds. So, let’s plunge right in.

What Soil Should be Used for Planting Autoflowering Seeds?

No one can deny that even the best seeds can’t grow well if the soil is of poor quality. You need to choose the best kind of soil and make sure it suits the needs of your seeds. For this reason, we will tell you which soil is best for planting your autoflowering seeds. 

Soil is like the mother of seeds; you can’t expect them to grow without it. Like other seeds, autoflowering seeds also require special mixtures to grow ideally. One cannot say that a particular soil is perfect for every autoflowering seed. 

This is because the surroundings for everyone are not the same, nor are the seeds. They come in a wide variety, and every gardener has their own way of planting seeds and nurturing them. Moreover, the weather conditions are also different from person to person. All of this contributes to a bunch of factors you must consider before choosing the soil.  

Organic soil has to be one of the best for autoflowering seeds. But do you know what’s even better than that? Additives. They help your plants nourish in the best way possible and make them healthy. 

Combining different nutrients will help your plant grow well and maintain a good terpene level. Terpene levels are essential, and you must always pay special attention to them. If not, they can either become extremely high or too low. This will affect the acidity of the cannabis.

Adding equal parts of perlite, compost, coco peat, coir, and peat moss is best to upgrade your organic soil. 

All of this might confuse you, but once you get them, you understand the use and benefit of each one. These additives have many pros and cons, but adding them is necessary. For example, peat moss is best for preventing soil compaction. 

But it is pretty expensive and difficult to find. So, we can say every additive comes with its advantages and disadvantages. To summarize this answer, try using an equal ratio of different compost for your autoflowering seeds. 

How to Tell if the Soil is Good or Not?

Different things can help you tell if your soil is good or not. You should keep a close eye on these things to ensure the health of your plants. Buying soil from a reputable brand makes one hell of a difference. Similarly, you can expect the soil to be of poor quality when bought from a local store with bad packaging. How your plants look can tell a lot about which side they will fall on.

Good Soil

If you have a little knowledge about growing plants, you’d know that every plant must get the essential nutrients for its growth. These basic nutrients are; Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, in other words, N-P-K. The following points must be considered before declaring a soil good.

● Every store-bought soil comes with a nutritional value label. It will tell you about the N-P-K value, compost, trace elements, amount of perlite, and other nutrients and ingredients added to the soil. Doing so will give you confidence that the soil is healthy.
● If you see worms in your soil, don’t panic! They’re very good for your soil. Worms are a sign of good soil. Not only do they help release advantageous bacteria, but they also help aerate the soil.
● The structure of the soil is crumbly and soft.
● The lush green growth of plants is a good sign. This also indicates that below the ground is a healthy root zone.

Bad Soil

Several factors can make your soil bad. The thing about lousy soil is that it can be recognized easily by its physical conditions as compared to good soil. 

● If the soil has an unpleasant smell, it is not necessary to recheck it because it contains terrible bacteria, which can cause an adverse acidic taste.
● If your soil is dense and heavy, this is a bad sign as the drainage is not good. Heavy soil can restrict root growth and slow down plant development. 
● Dry and cracked soil is another sign of bad soil.
● Fungus gnats are a big no for your soil. These can create a fuss for your plant while it is in its growing age. This way, the plant will be affected and will not flower properly. 

How Much Soil Does an Autoflower Need?

Your pot size is what will determine how tall your final plant is. But autoflowers don’t grow that tall, and you don’t need to go for substantial pot sizes if you don’t have the space. Generally, autoflowers grow well in 3-gallon pots. 

One thing to keep in mind at this point is that autoflowers don’t grow well if you transplant them into another container. There are several potential outcomes, including damaged plants. So it’s better to sow them directly in a pot of soil. 

Around 10 to 12 liters of soil is enough for your autoflower seeds to grow. However, it may vary with the different conditions. So it is better to experiment before planting all of your seeds. 

If you have enough space to keep pots, go for a 35 - 50 liter pot as per your desire. Big pots allow the organic nutrients to release in a slow manner, thus allowing the plant to completely benefit from the nutrients.

But big pots can cost you extra money and time. If you are someone with the spirit to grow cannabis, we don’t think these factors will be a problem for you. 

Different kinds of pots provide different benefits, such as fabric sacks or air pots, that allow better root aeration. This will help in fast root growth and extraordinary growth above the ground.

Best Nutrients for Autoflower Soil

There are some specific things to be added to your dish to give it the perfect taste. And there are some specific nutrients to be added in autoflower soil for the best results.

Depending upon the strain type, specific N-P-K ratios allow it to grow in the way it’s supposed to. Unlike other seeds, autoflower seeds are easy to work with and don’t require much attention. 

All you have to do is put in the right amount of nutrients at the beginning, and it will work fine. Also, these seeds take around 10 - 12 weeks to reach the harvest stage. 

You can always do a little research for the kind of nutrients your strain requires for healthy growth. If you’re a beginner trying the seeds for the first time, you can buy premium soil from your local shop. 

You can discuss with them the autoflower seeds, and they’ll give you a lot of tips, considering you’re a beginner. Additionally, the majority of the premium soils contain enough nutrients that the autoflower seeds require. So, you don’t need big brains for this. 

Organic Soil Additives

Additives in organic soil work wonders. Apart from Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, there are some secondary elements that need to be added to the soil to make it more effective. These are Magnesium (Mg), Sulfur (S), and Calcium (Ca). Additionally, keep in mind that these components are not needed in significant amounts.

On top, you can add animal manure, compost, perlite, and peat moss to your organic soil for the best results. You can get these additives from your local store, or if you want, you can also buy them from different soil brands. 

How to Make Soil for Autoflowers?

This has to be the best part for those who like doing most things on their own. Making soil for your autoflower allows you to have complete control over the ingredients and is fun to make. 

Making soil is not a difficult task. You need a few ingredients and a little time to make it. The first and most important thing is an organic foundation. You can add all the additives and nutrients depending on the autoflower seed you use. 

● Ingredients 

With a few ingredients, you will have a simple and quick soil mix for your autoflower seed. The ingredients are
● 70% or 80% organic soil
● ⅓ part or 15% perlite
● ⅓ part or 15% peat moss or coco

Like that grated cheese on top of your pasta, you can add a good quality compost with worms to your soil mix. This will enhance the soil, but it is not a compulsion.

It is better to use a big container to mix all the ingredients. After mixing, place a lid on top of the container and leave the soil for around two weeks. You can also add secondary elements to improve your mixture. In those two weeks, the soil will undergo different procedures where the organic matter breaks. 

It would be best if you kept an eye on a few things. Check the pH of your soil. It should neither be too high nor too low. If either is the case, keep an eye on the nutrients you add, as they can alter the pH. Different ingredients suit different conditions.

● Additives for Dry Environment

Coco fiber and biochar are the additives that work best in a dry environment. These improve the quality of the soil. They also work against soil compaction and have high water retention. Fast nutrient decomposition is also one of their benefits.

It would be best if you also managed the water drainage. If not looked after, it can cause the soil to become too wet and heavy, which are signs of bad soil. When the conditions look good, and the soil has rested for around two weeks, you can now put your seeds in it.  

Best Soil Mix for Autoflowers

There are different soil mixtures you can use for your autoflower seeds. You can find plenty of these at the local market. But everything has the best version of it, and the same goes for soil mixture. 

But the difference here is that no soil can be declared as the best mixture. Each soil mixture has its benefits and drawbacks. This does not mean that the soil is bad for your autoflower seed. Thus every soil is good in its own way for a particular seed to grow.

Keeping in mind almost the majority of soil factors, we can say that soil with an organic base is best for your seeds. But if you are a pro at growing these, you can find your way around different additives, making a mixture of your own. Such soil can be the best for your seeds to grow as you are aware of what you have your hands on. 

There are different soil mixes with an organic base. They use different ratios of organic soil and additives such as cocoa fiber and perlite. Organic soil is also easily accessible as compared to other soils. 

Talking about money, it fits well in this frame too. But we must say that your seed will determine the best soil for itself. As far as beginners are concerned, organic soil is easy to be dealt with and hence, the best soil mixture for them.

Is Store-Bought or DIY Soil Better?

This is a little complicated question to answer, but it all comes down to what the soil contains. The additives and nutrients are what make the soil better. Organic soil, farm soil, and super soil are all excellent options. Some topsoil brands have earned their place in the market with good results, but DIY soil has to be the best option.

Once you have decided which autoflower seed to plant, you can now determine which nutrients and additives can help you plant the seed successfully. This being said, making your soil will be a better option, as it will contain all the necessities for your seed to grow. We admit it is difficult to weigh each ingredient, but the result matters the most. 

Another thing that makes DIY soil the best option is that, unlike store-bought soil, DIY soil is pocket-friendly. Going for top brands can cost you a lot, and for a beginner, we don’t think that is a good idea, especially when it is your first time. 

As a beginner, trying things that aren’t tiring and costly is better. And for this reason, people use autoflower seeds. So why make it difficult for yourself?

Where to Get Autoflower Seeds From?

Until now, we have discussed different techniques to make the soil for your autoflower seeds more effective. We might also suggest the best place to get your seeds from. 

There are plenty of seeds from which you can choose. AThere are currently eleven seeds in total. You can select one based on your preferences and the environment you plan to keep it in. 

One of the best things about them is that you can order them online and have them delivered right to your door. There is no need to go to the market to hunt down the best seeds because the best comes to you. Head to the official website to order yours and become the next cannabis grower. 

Another thing to be kept in mind is that, although autoflower seeds are easy to grow, they don’t yield as much flower as photoperiod seeds do. This drawback can not jump over the benefits of autoflower seeds. These take less time and effort. The final product looks short and thick and provides you with the best cannabis.

Final Words

Apart from high-quality seeds, you need good soil with perfect fertilization. There are different ways one can enhance the fertility of the soil. You can either grow your cannabis outdoors or indoors. Autoflower seeds grow well in both scenarios. You only need to put in a little work to improve your harvest. 

There are a lot of factors you need to consider during the process, but with a perfect soil mixture, you can sit back and relax. We have tried answering a lot of questions related to autoflowering soil and the techniques that can help you grow the best autoflowers. 

That brings us to the end of the article. We hope this article helps answer all your queries. Happy Autoflower Growing!