Cooking the Perfect Living Soil Recipe for Cannabis: A Deep Dive into Soil Simplicity

If you’re growing cannabis and mixing your own soil, you know it’s both science and art. It’s like cooking, but instead of feeding friends and family, you’re serving a feast to the unseen microbial life that powers your plants. Let’s walk through the process of optimizing your soil recipe and making the most of your amendments, with a few tips along the way. Spoiler alert: we’re removing Build-A-Flower, but don’t worry—your plants will still be living their best lives!

The Base: BAS 3.0 + Light Mix

Your soil base—Build-A-Soil (BAS) 3.0 and Light Mix—is like the foundation of a gourmet pizza. BAS 3.0 comes loaded with pumice, rice hulls, and organic matter for aeration and structure, while Light Mix lightens the load (literally) to keep your soil fluffy. Together, they’re the perfect stage for microbial magic.

The Recipe: Your Soil Mix

Here’s what you’re working with:

• BAS 3.0: 1 part
• Light Mix: 1 part
• Worm Castings: 10 cups (because worms are soil’s MVPs)
• Nitrogen Sources: Pure Aminos (15-1-1), Primo Hydrolysate (5-7-14)
• Phosphorus Boosters: Seabird Guano (0-11-0), Fish Bone Meal (4-12-0)
• Calcium & Magnesium: Garden Lime, Epsom Salt
• Microbial Enhancers: Kashi Blend, Craft Blend, Myco Madness
• Sweeteners: Molasses (microbes love dessert)
• Trace Nutrients: Big 6, Build-A-Bloom

Cue the dramatic pause: What about Build-A-Flower?

Saying Goodbye to Build-A-Flower

Why cut Build-A-Flower? It’s like trimming an ingredient that’s a little extra in an already packed recipe. While it brings compost, castings, and some nutrient balance, you’ve already got plenty of those covered with worm castings, Kashi Blend, and Craft Blend. Plus, you’re adding phosphorus and potassium in the form of guano, fish bone meal, and Build-A-Bloom—so Build-A-Flower is a bit redundant.

Here’s why dropping it makes sense:

1. Simplified Recipe: Fewer amendments mean easier mixing.
2. Balanced Phosphorus: You’re already P-rich with guano and bone meal.
3. Cost Efficiency: Save your budget for something else, like… more molasses!

Optimizing Your Soil Cooking

Now that you’ve streamlined your mix, let’s make sure it “cooks” like a pro:

1. Moisture: The Goldilocks Rule

Your soil should feel like a wrung-out sponge—damp but not soggy. Too dry, and microbes hibernate. Too wet, and they drown (and potentially smell funky). If you’re unsure, add dechlorinated water mixed with a bit of molasses to keep things microbe-friendly.

2. Aeration: Oxygen = Life

Aerate your soil by fluffing it regularly. Think of this as “turning the compost.” BAS 3.0’s pumice and rice hulls help, but gentle mixing ensures microbes stay happy and the breakdown process remains aerobic.

3. Microbial Boosts

While you’ve got Kashi Blend, Craft Blend, and Myco Madness on your side, brewing an aerated compost tea can turbocharge microbial diversity. Simply steep worm castings, molasses, and Kashi Blend in water with an aquarium pump for 24 hours, then apply the tea to your soil.

4. Temperature: The Sweet Spot

Microbes like it warm, but not too warm. If you can keep the soil temperature around 75–90°F, decomposition will thrive. A breathable cover, like burlap or a tarp, can help trap warmth without suffocating the mix.

5. Patience, Grasshopper

Allow your soil to cook for 2–4 weeks, turning it every few days. A healthy, earthy smell is your sign that things are progressing beautifully. If it smells like ammonia, add more worm castings or Craft Blend to balance excess nitrogen.

Flowering Made Simple: Build-A-Bloom to the Rescue

Since we’ve nixed Build-A-Flower, you’ll want to supplement during flowering. Build-A-Bloom (2-10-5) is the perfect pinch hitter here, providing a balanced phosphorus and potassium boost to support healthy buds. Apply it during your regular watering routine, and you’ll have no regrets about leaving Build-A-Flower behind.

The Fun Part: Watching Your Plants Thrive

With this optimized soil mix, your cannabis plants will have the rich, living environment they need to flourish. And because you’ve kept things simple and focused, the microbial activity will work efficiently to break down amendments and deliver nutrients just when your plants need them.

Plus, you’ll feel a little smug knowing you’ve saved some cash by skipping the Build-A-Flower. Who knew that soil mixing could be this satisfying (and slightly addictive)?

Final Thoughts: Trust the Microbes

At the heart of living soil is microbial life. By giving them the right food, moisture, and aeration, you’re setting the stage for incredible plant growth. Whether you’re brewing compost teas or just marveling at how good your soil smells, remember—you’re not just growing cannabis; you’re cultivating an entire ecosystem.

Keep in mind that this does take some time to accomplish. Generally I will let mine “Cook” for at least 2 full months, but typically see better results when I let I go for 3-4 months. This is a supersoil, so it will be very “Hot” until everything is able to compost down into usable nutrition. Plant your babies into just the Build A Soil Light mix and let the roots grow into the nutrition as they need it.

So get out there, start cooking (the soil, not meth), and let your plants show you the magic of a well-prepared mix!