What is Soil-based Media & How to Prepare it

If you are new to indoor horticulture, you may be wondering which growing media is best for your plants. Soil and soil-based growing media are by far the most well-known types of growing media, but is it the best one for all plants? This article on soil, soil-based media, and how to prepare them for planting will help you decide!

What is Soil?

Everyone knows what soil is, right!? It’s just dirt!

In fact, just like the ocean or forest, soil is an entire ecosystem. Every molecule in soil plays a significant role in the balance of this delicate ecosystem.

Soil consists of a whole host of organic materials— such as mineral deposits, elements, water, and air. These natural components all interact with each other slowly yet constantly, thereby consistently reproducing the substrate and the organisms living within it. These interactions between the soil’s contents break organic matter down into its basic chemical components. In turn, these particles fuel the microorganisms which have a symbiotic relationship with the plants in the soil.

Moreover, plants, animals, and microorganisms living in the soil affect the soil properties. This includes living organisms which growers want to avoid, such as plant pathogens and diseases. The potential for plant pathogens is the reason why soil is a less controlled growing environment than inert substrates.

When plant nutrient solutions and additives are added to soil-based growing mediums, it is the substrate rather than the plant which feeds on the nutrients. The soil breaks down the nutrient into smaller components which are absorbed by the plant’s root network more easily.

What Makes Soil the Best Media for Growing Plants?

Unless added artificially, inert growing media does not contain the organic matter and healthy bacteria which support plant growth. On the other hand, soil naturally contains these beneficial microorganisms.

Soil naturally has great drainage and retains high amounts of nutritional solution, thereby reducing wastage. Moreover, the beneficial microorganisms in soil and soil-based media guard the root network against plant pathogens. In return, the plant provides these organisms with a place to live and food to help them thrive.

How to Prepare Soil and Soil-based Media for Planting:

How you prepare your soil or soil-based media for planting depends on its consistency. An ideal soil or soil-based mixture consists of 70% soil and 30% organic matter. This includes things like perlite and Sphagnum peat moss to help with aeration and drainage. When you’re looking for top results in terms of plant quality and yield, the average garden soil may not meet the mark. Garden soil can be full of hidden nasties, such as plant pathogens and harmful fungi, and may not be optimised for drainage or aeration of the rootzone. All of which lead to oversaturated plants, discoloured leaves, reduced yields and, worse of all, rotten roots.

Luckily, Plant Magic is famous for Soil Supreme, a premium mix of soil, base fertiliser, Sphagnum peat moss, Fytocell foam, and naturally beneficial molecules which improve soil composition. Plants thrive in soil containing around 25% water, so Soil Supreme also includes a wetting agent to aid water retention.

This soil-based substrate provides everything plants need to thrive from day one, but there are other nutrients and additives that help you reap the greatest harvest.

Which Nutrients Are Needed for Soil and Soil-based Media?

As plants grow, they will absorb nutrients from the soil, meaning that they need to be replenished until the plant is ready to harvest. Plant Magic offers a wide range of plant nutrients and additives to suit the unique needs of your plants at each stage of growth.

Plant Magic Soil Grow is a base nutrient which is suitable for use with both hard and soft UK water during the grow stage of a plants cycle. This base nutrient allows the microorganisms living in the soil to adjust their pH naturally. It contains magnesium and calcium to promote rapid plant growth and prevent nutrient “lock-out”. When combined with Root Stimulant, plants develop considerable root networks and resistance to pathogens.

When plants enter the bloom phase, they will benefit from Plant Magic Soil Bloom. This base nutrient significantly boosts the plants’ uptake of magnesium and calcium, providing the extra nutrients they need to create big, healthy flowers and greater yields.

Plant Magic’s range of additives, mentioned in our article about coco media, are also suitable for use with soil and soil-based media.

Alternatively, try the Plant Magic Old Timer range. This world-renowned range of organic nutrients are specially formulated for soil-based growing media. Being organic, the Old Timer range works to improve the structure of the soil naturally, meaning that growers are unlikely to over-fertilise their plants. Plus, these organic nutrients are environmentally friendly! There are three Plant Magic Old Timer products currently available:

• Old Timer Organic Grow 5-3-3: Designed to be added to your soil-based growing media in weeks 1 & 2 of the grow phase, and the first two weeks of the bloom phase. This exceptional base nutrient feeds the plants but also the beneficial fungi and microorganisms in the growing medium so that the soil thrives with life throughout the entire grow. This organic plant nutrient not only stimulates growth, but it also boosts overall plant health, flavour, and aroma.
• Old Timer Organic Bloom 3-5-4: The bloom phase is when plant develop their natural flavour, and flower production begins. It is during this phase that your plants require additional nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium— these elements are absorbed by the plants from the growing media and are vital at every stage of growth but are especially important during the bloom phase as the plant expends more energy during this time. Old Timer Organic Bloom 3-5-4 contains the perfect ratio of each element, plus other micro-elements and nutrients, to support your plants to increase the number of flowering sites.
• Old Timer Organic PK 4/8: A perfect combination of phosphorous and potassium for increasing the weight and essential oil content of your plants. This additive also improves yield. Like the other two Old Timer additives, Organic PK 4/8 is formulated using plant material, ensuring that your plants are being infused with the organic components they would naturally rely on.

Regardless of whether you’ve decided that soil-based growing media is the best choice for you, or whether coco offers you everything you need, there is a fantastic range of Plant Magic media, nutrients, and additives to do the job right first time, every time!

Haven’t read our other two articles yet? Check them out here and here. Happy growing!