Super soil is a highly-amended, concentrated growing medium designed to provide all necessary nutrients for a plant’s entire life cycle. This method relies on organic, slow-release feeding, using a diverse microbial community to process amendments into plant-available forms. The goal is to create a biologically active substrate where the grower only needs to supply water, eliminating the need for bottled liquid fertilizers.
Creating the Super Soil Mix
The foundation of super soil starts with a quality base material that ensures proper structure and drainage. This base typically combines an organic potting mix (rich in peat moss or coco coir) with aeration components like perlite or vermiculite. A roughly equal ratio of base, organic compost, and a draining agent provides the necessary bulk and texture for root development and oxygen exchange.
Primary amendments are incorporated next, serving as the slow-release nutrient reservoir. Nitrogen is supplied through ingredients like blood meal or feather meal, while phosphorus comes from bone meal, fish bone meal, or bat guano. Potassium and trace minerals are introduced using kelp meal and rock dust.
Microbial activators are then added to jumpstart the biological processes. Worm castings are valuable additions, providing beneficial bacteria, fungi, and humic acids. A pH buffer, such as dolomitic or agricultural lime, is also included to stabilize the soil’s acidity, targeting a slightly acidic to neutral range for nutrient uptake. All components must be thoroughly mixed to prevent nutrient hotspots before curing.
The Essential Curing Process
After mixing all ingredients, the raw super soil must undergo curing, often called “cooking.” This essential step allows microbial life to break down the concentrated organic amendments. The decomposition converts these compounds into soluble forms that plants can absorb, which is a slow process that prevents immediate nutrient overload.
To facilitate curing, the mixture should be slightly moistened—damp like a wrung-out sponge, but not saturated—using non-chlorinated water. The soil is then stored in a large, sealed or covered container, such as a tote or trash bin, to maintain consistent moisture and temperature. This environment encourages beneficial microbial proliferation and activity.
The curing period is typically a minimum of 30 days, though 45 to 60 days is often recommended for maximum benefit. During this time, the soil should be turned or mixed every few days to oxygenate the material and ensure even decomposition. Curing is complete when the pungent, raw-amendment smell is replaced by a rich, earthy aroma, signaling that the biological conversion is underway and the risk of nutrient burn is reduced.
Application and Planting Techniques
Using the finished super soil requires a specific layering technique to protect young plant roots from the concentrated nutrient blend. The highly-amended super soil is placed in the bottom one-third to one-half of the container, serving as the long-term nutrient reserve. This strategic placement ensures roots only encounter the potent food source once the plant is mature enough to handle the high concentration.
The container’s remaining volume is filled with a buffer layer of standard, unamended, or lightly-fertilized organic potting mix. The seedling or clone is then transplanted into this upper buffer layer. This milder zone allows the young plant to establish a healthy root system, minimizing transplant shock and nutrient burn.
As the plant matures, its roots naturally grow downward, penetrating the concentrated super soil layer below. This gradual access to the rich nutrient base synchronizes feeding with the plant’s increasing demands throughout its growth and flowering stages. Container size is important; a larger volume of soil, such as 5 gallons or more, provides a more stable ecosystem and a greater nutrient reserve for the plant’s entire cycle.
Ongoing Maintenance and Reusability
Once a plant is established in super soil, maintenance focuses primarily on correct watering, as the soil provides the nutrition. Water should be pH-balanced (ideally between 6.0 and 6.8) to ensure microbial life can effectively release nutrients. Overwatering must be avoided to prevent drowning beneficial microbes and causing anaerobic conditions, which leads to root issues.
Watering should thoroughly moisten the medium without excessive runoff, which helps to conserve the soluble nutrients within the container. At the end of the grow cycle, the soil can be refreshed and reused rather than discarded. This process, known as re-amending, involves removing the old root ball and revitalizing the depleted medium.
To re-amend, primary amendments like worm castings, compost, and slow-release nitrogen and phosphorus sources are mixed back into the used soil. Aeration material can also be added to restore structure lost during the previous grow. The revitalized mix should then undergo a mini-curing period of two to four weeks before the next planting, ensuring the new amendments are stable and available.