I didn't make these i just spent hours getting this info for you guys and myself enjoy ! A BRIEF GUIDE TO GUERRILLA GROWING CANNABIS CHOOSING THE PROPER SPOTS FOR YOUR BLACK OPS As with many other things, preparation is key and this applies to a successful guerrilla grow as well. First and foremost, you need to find the proper location(s) for your precious green girls - and it should be chosen wisely. For obvious reasons you should avoid well frequented footpaths, hiking trails and public areas such as parks or you will very likely never see your plants reach maturity. A good place to start are the sides of railway tracks, next to the embankment - as always, stay on the safe side, don't go too close to the tracks and don't get caught trespassing. A good idea is looking for brambles and stinging nettles, for they are evidence of good soil - and have the advantage of keeping people away (who wants to crawl through thorny bushes?). In addition to that, they show that there is plenty of moisture in that area - but be careful it‘s not too moist. Also, if there is a river or any other natural water source nearby, you could save yourself the trouble of carrying suspicious amount of bottled water through the forest. Consider your spot from all viewpoints, even from above - and don't tell any of your buddies about the place! Another very important thing to keep in mind is this: DO NOT PLANT ON SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY! PREPARING YOUR PLANTS There is nothing set in stone, but in general you can start planting your green girls after the last chance of frost. In the US and European countries the time frame opens in early/mid May. Sowing seeds in the wild is no good idea - first of all you have no control over the climate and even if your seedling manages to open its first pair of leafs, its prone to many hazards, such as ants, rabbits, snails, etc. In order to give your plants a good start, it‘s best to germinate the seeds at home and give the sprouts in small pots all the love and care they need to develop into a healthy little plant of up to 30cm in height - the healthier the plants are, the bigger the chance for a successful and bountiful outdoor grow. But wait, before you rush to your chosen spot, give the plants a certain time span to get accustomed to the great outdoors - you"ll need to introduce them to their new environment slowly. This can be done in your garden; let them get two or three hours of sunlight more each day. LETTING THE LITTLE GREEN MONSTERS OFF THE LEASH Once the plants are used to the great outdoors and father frost is no longer a potential threat, it is time to unleash your little green monsters. What you do now, is cutting off the bottom of the pot and taping a small piece of cardboard to the bottom of it. Take the pots to your secret garden and remove the cardboard from the bottom before placing them in the ground. If you are inclined to keep it a little greener, use pulp pots - they are biodegradable. Preparing your plants is one side of the story, but preparation of the planting spot can be equally crucial. If you have found a secluded spot, but doubt the quality of the soil, you can still enrich it by adding some kind of professional potting soil or coco coir, as well as any organic additives and some perlite and vermiculite for a lighter soil that will still hold more moisture for dry times. For the best marijuana you will need to use good potting soil with several additions - unless the soil on site it is very loamy, dark and rich looking. Don't cut corners here! PROTECTING YOUR PLANTS If you think your plants are safe now, you are wrong! Ants, slugs, rabbits, deer and other animals are a serious threat if you don't take precautionary measures or use deterrents. Use some pest control such as a slug barrier or some predator urine or feces (ferret, cat or dog) or a mild soapy solution to discourage deer and other animals or insects from feeding on your young plants. In addition to that you may want to set up some chicken wire as a barrier. Outdoor plants require a strong stem to withstand gusts and heavy rain, so tie your plants to a stake if you think they could need some support. KEEPING YOUR PLANTS HAPPY THROUGHOUT THE SUMMERTIME During the summer, the plants develop the strong branches needed to support the weight of the buds formed later. Heat and absence of rain can quickly become an issue; any 10 day period without rain poses a potential harm to your crop. Visit your plants at least once a week and be prepared to carry in enough water to saturate the roots completely. Only watering is not enough though - make sure you always examine your plants. Look for damage on the undersides of the leaves and along the stems and fight any infestation immediately. Check if your plants are showing signs of deficiency, in which case additional fertilisation is necessary. AS AUTUMN APPROACHES As autumn approaches, you‘re well advised to add some special flowering nutrients in order to optimise the final yield. This is the perfect time to sprinkle some bat guano around the root zone and water it in. Otherwise, any flowering fertiliser will do. Flowering plants require particular nutrients so remember to look for products with added phosphorous and potassium. POST-HARVESTING MEASURES (OPTIONAL) When your chosen spot for guerrilla growing has proven safe and private, give something back to mother nature - your plants have "eaten" plenty of nitrogen during their life cycle, so if you want to use the same spot again the next year, consider planting a fall cover crop or grass in that space to improve the soil conditions. Something like berseem clover or hairy vetch will do well over the winter and can be worked back into the soil in spring, naturally enriching it as the plant matter is being broken down by microbes. AUTOFLOWERING STRAINS ARE THE PERFECT CHOICE FOR BLACK OPS
a how to guerilla growing What is guerilla growing? Quite simply, its a hidden, secret outdoor grow, normally not in your own garden, but amongst the wild places. Advantages of guerilla growing: well, unless you are unlucky to be caught at the spot and been under surveillance, the chances are that you can"t be caught to rights on these plants. you don"t need to dig up your nan"s best rose bushes or even have your own garden to get the benefits of an outdoor grow Disadvantages of guerilla growing: you can"t be with your plants every step of the way. For some of us, used to spending time literally watching them grow, that"s a hard break to make. losses – whether to animals or people, you have to accept no place is safe enough. Picking your plants: photoperiod or autoflower? As indoor cannabis growers, we"re used to playing God and creating our own perfect microclimates for our marijuana to flourish in. Growing outdoors however means we have to leave it up to "the big fella†and quite frankly he doesn"t do as good a job for many of us. So when picking your strains for outdoor grows take into consideration factors like length of decent summertime, the amount of rain you generally get and so on. Sensi Seed"s World Climate Map is very good at enabling you to quickly pick your area and gives suggestions for what will grow well there. You can read our suggestions for the best cold climate cannabis grows, for example. But having been at the receiving end of one too many October thefts of a virtually finished (albeit unflushed) bud heavy plant, I"m going to come out and say it: Autoflowering Cannabis is great for guerilla grows There are many reasons why autoflowering cannabis is ideal for growers who want to use the guerilla approach for their personal yearly nug supply: 1. Photoperiod plants grow BIG. Whilst this means that someone with an ideal climate like mine can get 1k plants, it has its disadvantages: big plants are thirsty plants. big plants are noticeable plants. depending on where you are in the world, you have to pick your strain according to the length of summer time. everyone, from thieves to the police, is looking for outdoors grows at the beginning of autumn. In Spain special helicopters do the rounds in October looking for green foliage standing out against the arid terrain. I"m pretty sure this goes for elsewhere too .. March-October is a very long time to wait. 2. Autoflowers on the other hand: smaller plants need less water smaller plants hide in natural foliage easily autoflowers finish according to age rather than hours of darkness, meaning you can start cropping 10 weeks from germination date. you can mix and match your autos, from the fast auto in 8 weeks yielding 20g of dried bud to the super autos which may take 4 months but will give you 300g .. Mix and match not only applies to finishing times, but to smoke appeal too. Lots of different types mean lots of different smoke … When autoflowers first started being developed, they were hailed as the guerilla grower"s godsend. Only they weren"t. People got fed up with lollipop buds, plants that reverted to standard photoplants, and smoke that wasn"t really all that. However some great work by breeders such as Dutch Passion, Dinafem and Short Stuff have raised the bar, and now there really are some great yielding stable autoflowering genetics with THC contents matching standard plants. When to plant an outdoor grow OK as we know people come from all over the world to this site so to give you an exact date isn"t practical because its going to vary to your individual climates … But here is the general idea: If you are looking for a early season crop, then the most important factor as many of you vegetable gardeners know is that we are waiting for the last chance of frost to have gone .. However the temps of the grow during the cycle are going to affect the yield and possibly the quality of the harvest For northern US and northern Europe, many plant autoflower seeds once a month from May until September. The earlier crops will probably be smaller than the crop planted in the beginning of July. But done properly there is no reason to assume the quality will be affected with those dates In the Mediterranean we can pretty much plant from March and I have been harvesting some years until Xmas day (although saying this, we had a foot of snow fall in the mountains on March the 12th this year so nothing is set in stone). For the plant to grow well it will need 8 hours of direct sunshine and ideally your night time temperatures will not drop below 10c (50F) but the plant will tolerate a drop to 6C (42F). Its not a positive thing as there will be some element of shock that could interfere with the quality and quantity. Choosing your spot(s) for a guerilla grow. They say that preparation is the key (and we"ll get to more of this later), but with a guerilla grow planning is important too. Choosing where to plant your stealth cannabis plants deserves a deal of fore-thought long before you even start germinating your marijuana seedlings. Putting a little work into where you decide to plant is going to be the deciding factor in whether you reap the rewards of all your work or just end up growing plants for others. Avoid public areas or well frequented footpaths. Now don"t get me wrong, there is nothing more funny or satisfying than chucking some auto seeds in a police station"s planting area or in front of the local town hall, but lets get real here: you"re unlikely to see the plants grow to maturity. (Still funny tho – I had a friend in Spain that went around every bar planting seeds in the flower pots. Everywhere you went there they were, but I don"t believe he ever managed to see one through to the end) Think about your chosen spot from all viewpoints (including above), and bear in mind whether a deserted area in the tail end of winter will still be empty come the summer picnic season. For me when selecting a planting area there are some things which are a must: Biggest for me is access to water. One guerilla grow I did had 27 x 6 foot photoperiod plants scattered in block around the mountains of where I lived. Southern Spain is a semi-arid area (in fact its Europe"s only desert), with temperatures reaching 40C (104F), the plants started drinking 2/3 gals a day. Getting water to my beautiful but struggling plants became a nightmare, as I spent 3 hours a day rock climbing with 30 kilos of water, making trails through the undergrowth and completely negating the "plant em and leave them†approach necessary for secrecy. Quality of soil Another point to consider is the quality of the soil and the surrounding planting for camoflauge. Here"s a tip: Brambles and stinging nettles are full of nitrogen, and enrich the soil. If you find a hidden spot with plenty of these, then you"ve found a guerilla goldmine: the nettles themselves are evidence of good soil they like a damp soil, so show that there is plenty of moisture in the area they give shade to young / short plants they act as a deterrent .. lets face it not many people thrash around in patches of brambles (apart from you that is) So in summary: you are looking for a place which isn"t on a hiking trail, yet still is accessible enough for you to get to. It shouldn"t be overlooked, and your cannabis plants shouldn"t stand out as green against a bare background. Soil should be good, and if possible there should be cover plants both for disguise and protection. You also need a fresh water source or be prepared to lug bottles of water. Good places to start: The side of railway tracks – just don"t get caught trespassing & remember safety signs are there for a reason. It can be a double edged sword: ok you are less likely for the general public to come across your girls but to be honest you are more likely to get caught by the authorities tresspassing Another good area is arable land (in the hedgerows) but make sure the farmer doesn"t follow a herbicide spraying programe because that will kill your girls like nothing else would. You need to think carefully about when you are likely to plant and its well worth putting the energy into it. And then you need to do it all again. You ever hear of the saying "don"t put your eggs in one basket†here this applies as well. If you"re looking for a good yield from autos for your efforts it really is a numbers game. You should plant your crops in different areas in (loose) blocks of whatever numbers you want. I aways think of my glass as half full so I might plant in blocks of ten autos in ten different areas. And if in the worse case senario I only get away with 10% reaching maturity I have covered the cost of the seed and will have enough weed to last me a few months at least compared to having to go out and buy it works out much better for me at least And for every block not discovered above that then I"m a happy grower indeed….Bonus! Why such a low harvest rate? This applies to photoperiod plants as well as to autos, but you have to assume that some, if not many, of your little wild plants won"t make it through. Its not just thieves and responsible citizens, though. You"ll lose some to diseases, and others to wildlife. Now I came across this device on Amazon which looks like it may work wonders in protecting your precious plants if your main problem is the small and furry kind .. Now I haven"t tried it myself, but it has AMAZING reviews by zillions of satisfied customers … keeps away deer, cats, dogs, rabbits (and in my neck of the woods the problem critter would be goats). Uses a motion detector to sense whether animals are within a 1000 square foot area. It then sprays a fast spurt of wtaer which startles them away! Uses a 9 volt battery Contech Electronics scarecrow motion-activated sprinkler for humane animal deterrence Scarecrow detects and sprays animals in a 1000-square-foot area day and night Lightweight plastic shaft; metal sprinkler head Includes sprinkler mount and motion detector; 9-volt battery not included 2-year limited warranty; measures 17-inch To help aid not having areas discovered by people, its good to learn some basic field craft: take different routes to your planting area .Its suprising how quickly a twice a week visit to your site can end up leaving a obvious trail for others to follow. Visit the area at varying times Park your vehicle in different places Basically just don"t get lazy. Think like a fox! And use some common sense … Preparation and Planting. Now this is a fact if you dig over the earth and add plenty of organic matter, then you are going to get bigger healthier more productive autoflowering cannabis. Its great if you have a head start by fertile soil (remember the brambles and nettles?) I would advise a collapsible trenching spade such as the military use: If possible dig over the area well and add as much well rotted manure as you can carry there. I always add a spoon of epsom salts and any other slow release fertiliser you can think of which will help improve the condition of the soil and add the needed nutrients for a great start. I can"t emphasize enough how important it is to dig over a much larger / deeper hole than you may think necessary. Cannabis produces a great root system in order to grow so quickly, and you can help this by loosening the surrounding soil area. In a guerilla set up I don"t worry about ph issues but go by whats growing naturally in the area to give me an idea that my plants will flourish in that soil. To give the plants the best start in life, I find it best to grow my seedlings for the first two weeks indoors. This means I can germinate them with a high success rate and nurse them through the delicate first 2 weeks. This also means I can get a jump start on spring and get young established plants out into the ground when soil temps are only just thawing enough to germinate cannabis seeds. Planting the sprouted seeds in 3? pots means they are fairly easy to carry in a sports bag, with only a few casualties. When I plant, I have prepared the ground in advance so it"s a simple matter to pop them in the ground, quickly firm the soil and water them in. The least amount of time on site with cannabis plants in hand, the better. Normally when I plant I will also liberally sprinkle slug pellets (not the blue ones) and also a top dressing of ferrit shit. The former protects against slugs and snails, the latter against rabbits. (If you"ve no access to a ferrit then there are commercial brands available to deter four legged pests) When the plants are young you need to keep an eye on the weather, as if its too hot, it can only take a short time of sunshine to shrivel a young and tender plant – I would normal check them around every 3 days in hot weather OK so they are in the ground and if you"ve followed the above advice there is very little else to do apart from watering and perhaps feeding later in flower. All the work in guerilla growing was spent in the planning and preparation. Choosing the right autoflowers for your guerilla grow. This is going to depend on where you live and the time of year. If you live in a relatively cold country then you will want to use a strain with a little bit of purple & blue genetics in it for the first and last yield of the year, as these types of strains are more able to handle colder wetter conditions. I"d also go for the quicker varieties, 70 days and under as these will be exposed to the vagueries of weather conditions for shorter time periods. If you browse the seed section of the site, you"ll find plenty of fast autos for quick crops, as well as some great super autos that will give you yields as well. I highly recommend looking through the bulk buy section for anyone seriously interested in taking up guerilla growing on any scale this year. I don"t think you"ll find better deals anywhere on the net. I"ve found that bulk buying autoflowering seeds loose halves the cost of the cannabis seeds and means I can afford to lose a few. We regularly buy seeds in bulk from reputable and established seed breeders such as Vision Seeds, Sweet Seeds, Original Sensible and sell these on in packs of 50 feminised seeds at half the price you will find them elsewhere on the net. Why? because of all of the above of course ….! Don"t get surprised when you lose some ……that the name of the game and that"s why you planted so many and that the challenge a true guerrilla grower will be prepared to deal with. Good luck! …. & don"t forget to chuck a seed in front of the local police station …. Free the weed And happy tokin CC
basic guerilla guide BALZACS : GUERRILLA CULTIVATOR So you want to grow some weed? Well, there are some steps that need to be taken in order to be successful at any venture that involves cultivating Cannabis. When cultivating Cannabis one must always recognize that it is illegal under the current Federal Laws to cultivate Cannabis. Even in states that harbor medical marijuana users it is illegal to possess, sell and or manufacture Cannabis. A medicinal user approved by state government is still violating Federal Laws. The first step when growing Cannabis illegally in the United States or any other country is to accept what you are doing is illegal. Society is slowly evolving and one day in the future Cannabis will be legally consumed by all adults as a choice of freedom. Cannabis cultivators are the Mahatma Gandhi"s of the drug culture of the world. We as a group must stand up and represent ourselves as a peaceful group of resistors. We are resisting using civil disobedience as our tool in our arsenal. The consumption of Cannabis in one"s own home is a victimless crime and such is cultivating Cannabis. To circumvent such laws Cannabis cultivators must be resourceful to avoid detection. We must take a chapter from history and the founders of the United States during the Revolutionary War. The states we confounded with the overwhelming power of the British Empire. The Revolutionaries had to be resourceful to take on the power that was the British Empire. Guerilla tactics were used against the British Empire to turn the tide of the Revolutionary War. We as cannabis cultivators must use these tactics to our own advantage when peacefully protesting Federal and State law. I propose that all Cannabis Cultivators take Cannabis back to its rightful place under the open skies. Guerilla cultivation has been used for many years, but as of recently fewer cultivators has moved indoor to avoid further detection and to produce the highest quality Cannabis under strictly controlled environments. The production of Cannabis in an indoor environment is seen as the only way to produce the highest quality and most valuable Cannabis in today"s underground market. The legal liabilities involved with cultivating Cannabis indoors are astronomical. In the majority of the United States cultivating even one cannabis plant is a felony. Not all Cannabis cultivators can afford the equipment and risk involved with indoor cultivation. The factors that need to be controlled are numerous and will keep a cultivator on the edge constantly. The factors that play a large role in detection are odor, light leak, electricity consumption and supply movement. When a cultivator decides to conduct cultivation outdoors the liabilities are limited. When deciding to guerilla cultivate one must avoid liabilities by choosing a plot of land that is not by any means is associated with the cultivator or persons relating to the cultivator. The most necessary step to successful Guerilla cultivation is to avoid liability if the plot is discovered. Guerilla cultivation is growing Cannabis in an uncontrolled environment outdoors. Plot Selection Plot selection is above all else the most important step that is going to be taken by an individual when Guerilla cultivating. It cannot be stressed enough that the plot is going to be what makes or breaks the back of the cultivator. Any plot must be meticulously dissected to make the choice of whether it is or is not a place suitable for Cannabis cultivation. There are multiple variables that need to be addressed when deciding whether or not a plot is suitable. The location, direct sunlight, human presence and pest control. These variables must be studied to successfully find a location in which Cannabis will thrive and will be free of threats to its ability to produce. The first recommendation is to place the plot at the least a half hour walk from any kind of trail or road. The greater the distance between the plot and civilization will decrease the chances of it being discovered. The cultivator must also address the issue of transpiration of supplies when choosing a suitable plot. When looking for a suitable location to cultivate Cannabis one must spend hours scouting and mapping multiple locations. I recommend when traversing land that is posted to have a back story. I usually take my dog for a walk in the woods when I am scouting. You could also take a pair of binoculars and a bird book. Most people do not tolerate the presence of unwanted people on their private property. If you have a back story you can ease tension with an explanation and most likely will be able to head out on foot and not under arrest for trespassing. The use of a back story is highly recommended to anyone when guerilla cultivating. These locations must be scrutinized in every detail. Visualize walking down a trail or down a back road. Remember that it is always best to follow the path least traveled. When scouting the first thing to recognize is how often these trails and or road are traveled. Take a look around the area and the usual sign of the presence of people is garbage. Take into consideration the volume of garbage in the area and the age of it. It is easy to tell how old garbage is just by physical examination. When choosing a final plot one must make sure that there is no garbage within at least a half mile radius of the plot. If there is no garbage in an area than it is less likely that people will wander through the area. The half mile marker will also increase stealth of a cultivation plot. The odor produced by a plot is of less concern when cultivating outdoors. The trees, vegetation and wind will dissolve and mask the scent of the plot. The plot must also be scrutinized for the amount of direct sunlight that it receives on a daily basis. The plot must receive in a minimum of at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. The best recommendation is for the plot to receive on average more than twelve hours of direct sun light. Success has been obtained by guerilla growers in areas that receive six hours of direct light a day, but yields will most likely suffer in decreased light situations. Plants will only average an Ounce of finished product in conditions that are less than optimum light. The best way to map the amount of direct sun light is to actually visit each possible grow site at three separate parts of the day these are sunrise, noon and sunset. If you record the position of these times of day than a sun map can be created. The time between the allotted sunrise and set will determine the number of hours of direct sun light a plant receives. Variables that must be taken into account are objects that may block sunlight during the sunrise and set. Time must be subtracted for any object that receives indirect sunlight during these times. The location of water is another important factor when choosing the location of a Cannabis plot. Plot Preparation Plot preparation is a key step to the development of any guerilla plot. When preparing a plot it is important to have the correct tools at your disposal. Lack of equipment will make the job tedious and exhausting. Having at least a folding shovel to do the work that is required to prepare a plot is important. I usually use a standard shovel and as far as equipment goes if you have a shovel it will make the preparation far easier. A knife is the guerilla growers" best friend when far out in the wilderness. It is single handedly the most important tool of a grower. What needs to be stressed now is the importance of stealth at this point of plot preparation. The guerilla grower must avoid detection at all costs. People will be extremely suspicious of a person walking into a wooded area with a shovel. I recommended using night to your advantage. You do not even need to carry your equipment all the way to your grow at night. The cover of night will allow you to drop equipment just a few yards into a wooded area, than during the day you can return and move the equipment to plot. Every step taken is very important and will result in a successful guerilla plot. The purpose of the shovel is obvious and not extremely complicated. The best plan of attack when preparing a plot is to prepare soil at least two weeks in advance. You should turn the native soil and add additives before planting any plants in a plot. The soil needs to be tilled and aerated. The easiest way to do so is with a shovel. The tilling of the soil is basically flipping the soil upside down and chopping it into a loose material. When the soil is flipped it will put vegetation and thus nitrogen in the soil. Aerated soil also promotes root growth which is key to growing monster plants outdoors. For each plant that you intended to place in the ground I recommend digging a two foot by two foot hole minimum. The holes need to be at least four feet apart from stalk to stalk and staggered. The reason behind staggering is to break up any lines in a plot. Plants planted in line plots are the easiest to spot from the air. The correct spacing will create a canopy of foliage that will be harder to spot from the air. Soil amendments and additives are very important to the growing process. These amendments you will be adding to the soil will nourish growth and provide lush and healthy cannabis plants. I recommend getting a premixed soil for plot preparation. Every grower has their own secret when it comes to soil amendments. I am a cheap bastard so I use miracle grow potting soil. If you want to blow some money you can invest in a few bags of fox farms. I usually take my premixed soil and mix it with the native soil that was removed from the holes. The premixed soil should be able to provide the plants with enough nitrogen for at least the first couple of weeks after which you will need to start alternative nitrogen based fertilizer. Depending on the makeup of the native soil I also add sand and or peralite. The main reasons behind adding sand and or peralite are to promote soil leeching to prevent the plants from being flooded out. In the Northern hemisphere we tend to have a lot of rain. Sand also promotes healthy strong branching. The silica in sand can be used by the plants to help make sturdy robust branches which can survive storms and wind. I usually add a phosphorous additive near the bottom of the two by two hole and add some in the soil mix to promote flowering growth in the later months. If you complete all of these necessary steps for plot preparation I can guarantee you will have a far more successful grow than past grows which may have been haphazardly thrown together late in the season. Preparation is key to a successful outdoor grow. Ask any farmer in the world without preparation failure is the outcome. Remember you want to prepare your plot at least two weeks in advance just one last reminder. IRRIGATION Irrigation has been one of the biggest issue involved with the farming for centuries. Ancient Romans used aqueducts to carry water to their cities for irrigation for centuries. Many of these aqueducts are still standing to this day and are a sure sign of ingenuity. When you need water at a growing site you need to have ingenuity. One reminder is a grow site can accompany a close water site, but this is not advised. Everyone knows plants need water so it is the first place law enforcement and rippers look. If you want more secrecy you have to bring the water to your site with the least amount of intrusions possible. There are many methods of bringing water from the source. From the old fashioned let nature do the work all the way to pumping water from an open source. The method you choose can cost you time and money, but will pay off large when it comes to harvesting your crops. All of the methods used by growers will be covered in this section. A water source is the number one concern of any grower. When trying to locate an appropriate site to grow one most be looking for water sources at the same time. A good grow site is only worth the amount of water one can get to the site. The more water the plants get during the hot summer days means bigger stronger healthier plants that produced more harvest. The biggest problem with sources is the fact that many water sources lose volume and or completely dry up during the summer. The source most have a constant flow of water to be an asset to the grower.Water sources include streams, creeks, ponds, swamps and natural springs. Ponds and streams are the most watched method of obtaining water by law enforcements and rippers. When small creeks, swamps and natural springs are used the are much less obvious to law enforcement and may only be known about on by people who frequent the areas or not known about at all. The favorite and est method of obtaining water is from natural springs. These natural springs may be completely unknown to anyone but yourself. Springs are always accompanied by think foliage and are not easily spotted from the air. Springs rarely dry up during the summer heat. The first methods will be the most low tech options available to any grower at little or no cost or effort. The old timer is letting the rain fall as it may without any attention to water requirements of the plant. This method is the least time and capital consuming of any method a grower could choose. The health of the plant may be at risk or it may not suffer at all. The problem is that the weather is not as predictable as you would think. Droughts are the biggest issue with this method. Without a back up plan a grower may find themselves with many hours and capital lost with one drought. Many growers will create a plot that is within the shadows of a tree to help retain moisture for the plants roots to absorb when needed. Even during the slightest drought the plants will need water every week at least. This applies mainly to North Eastern States where as further South plants may need a constant flow of water. The bucket method is the second most low tech option. Water may be hauled by had in 5 gallon buckets to the grow site from an outside source. The main problem with this method is being spotted and or creating a trail to your grow. I also do not recommend this method because of the way it creates many issues with security. It can however be done with success as long as the area is remote enough. Trails can be easily followed by any random hiker or even law enforcement. Trails can easily be spotted from the air by helicopter. The buckets at your grow site will also be a security issue as they are easily spotted from the air. Law enforcement are looking for any garbage that is out of place in the middle of no where. If you use buckets make sure they are covered by natural foliage and not easily spotted. Slightly more technical options are setting up a rain catcher. The main setup of these is a tarp camouflaged tied to two tress and a large rain catcher at the bottom of the angled tarp. This option seems to be a better technical option for obtaining water at the grow site. The main problem with this idea is the ability of it to be spotted from the air or on the ground. This setup always relies on regular rain fall to maintain a constant source. I would not recommend this option unless the site is very remote and not visible at all. The best above of the other going to use more capital than the other options and far more ingenuity. Drip irrigation can be used to bring water directly from the source by pump or gravity. If the grower wants to be stealthy as possible gravity fed drip irrigation is the best option. The next option bu not as stealthy is setting up a pump at the water source to carry water but I would not consider this option for anyone not growing on private property because it can be a disaster for a grow if they are not hand pumped or a silent pump. Gravity fed irrigation can provide a constant flow of water to the site. The basic principal in the use of this kind of irrigation is the use of gravity to silently and naturally provide water to a site. The water source must be above the site in elevation to carry water to the site. Videos can be found on you tube detailing the construction of such systems. These cost of these systems is dependent on the distance between the site and source. A a fifty foot line can cost you only 40 dollars depending on the supplier. The best possible system a grower can make is a spring fed drip irrigation system. The more water being fed to the crop during those longs summer days will pay off big in the end and will be stealthy as possible. Give me some feedback been working on it for a bit, not done or really even edited. I know someone will find it useful. just dont be jerks about it not being done. lol
guerilla beginner grow guide WINTER Choosing Your Spots Winter is the perfect time to find new guerrilla grow spots. Where you choose to plant is by far the most difficult and important decision you"ll make. If you"re lucky enough to have secluded property of your own, by all means, plant there, however most growers will have to go "guerrilla†to get their crops. While we don"t encourage growing pot on public property, we recognize that it happens and all too often, growers are making misinformed decisions on where to plant that lead to plant discovery or worse. Find places that are unlikely to have visitors of any kind throughout the year, whether they"re hikers, hunters or campers. That clearing with the telephone or electrical lines may look like a great spot, but it won"t be so ideal when the grass mowers or wire repairmen show up midseason. The best spots are hard to get to - like the center of a thorny bush cluster or a remote cliff that"s off the beaten path. It helps to have an alibi such as bird-watching or fishing and carry things like binoculars or a tackle box to enhance the charade. Look for southern-facing slopes and keep in mind what your grow area will look like from above. Police choppers fly around in almost every state looking for outdoor grows and you don"t want them spotting your precious plants. Try not to make a path that"ll lead others to your plot – take different ways in and out if you can. Also consider a nearby water supply such as a river, creek or lake. Water weighs about 8 pounds-per-gallon so you"ll want to reduce the distance you have to carry it as much as possible. I"ve seen some innovative backpack watering systems that help ease the burden. Unless you get steady rain throughout the year, there will come a time that you"ll have to bring water to your grow. If you want to put out sizable plants, winter is the time to root the clones or start the seeds indoors under some grow-lights. It"s always better to put out larger more developed bushes for plants that yield pounds instead of ounces. The healthier and stronger the plants you put out, the more you will get in the end so keep them happy and thriving. Once the winter starts to wind down and the threat of frost has passed, it"s time to prepare your plants to go outside. Acclimate them to the stronger sunlight by placing them outside for a few hours per day if you can. Gradually increase the amount of time spent outside in the sun until you"re ready to put them into your chosen outdoor space. Box up the plants and bring them out to your growing spot. Now is the time to dig a deep hole and drop some pro-mix or coco-coir into it as well as any organic additives and amendments. Mix in some perlite and water-absorbing crystals for a lighter mix that will still hold more moisture for dry times during the coming summer. Roots will thrive early on making for stronger plants that are able to handle the weight of massive buds. Remove the plants from your containers and plant them into the soil-mix in your holes. Backfill the plants with mix and water them in until all of the mix is moist. At this point, it"s a great idea to use some preventative pest control in the vicinity such as a slug barrier to prevent the slimy scourge or some predator urine or soap to discourage deer from eating your young growth. Some growers use chicken wire to create a barrier for their plants. Deer in particular, love to eat young cannabis sprouts so if you"re in an area with deer, this is always a wise precaution. Make sure your plants get enough water in their early life so that roots don"t dry out and kill the young bushes. Outdoor plants need strong stems to withstand winds and heavy rains. Branches that lay on the ground will soon rot. Weak stalks should be tied to a stake or trellis in order to stay upright. SUMMER Keeping Plants Happy Summertime is crucial to the development of healthy strong branches that will support the weight of swollen buds later. Heat can become an issue and drought will kill plants before they have a chance to grow. Any time it doesn"t rain for more than 10 days or so, plants will need to be watered. If you chose a spot near a water supply, you can use a cheap manual pump to flow water to your crop. If not, be prepared to carry in enough water to saturate roots completely. Add some nitrogen-heavy nutrient such as liquid fish or seaweed to this water to supplement the nutes already in your soil-mix. Other than watering, always check for pests when you visit your plants. Look on the undersides of leaves and along stems for any damage and examine the whole plant thoroughly. Any infestations should be dealt with immediately - Don"t allow slugs or bugs to ruin your nugs. If you planted seeds and not clones, they should be showing their sex towards the end of the summer. Remove all males as soon as they appear to avoid filling your female buds with seeds. Male flowers look like tiny banana pods and females show white hairs coming out from the nodes where branches meet stems. If leaves begin to turn yellow, add more nitrogen-heavy fertilizer diluted with your water. This is the time to pray for rain. In fact, you should always celebrate summer rain showers in whichever way you choose. Those rains mean one less visit to your guerrilla grow as well as bigger, stronger plants in the long run. Rain during the summer is your friend, come fall however… FALL The Road to Harvest As fall approaches, you"ll need to add some flowering nutrients and supplements in order to optimize your yield. This is a perfect time to sprinkle some bloom-boosting bat guano around the root zone and water it in. Flowering plants require flowering nutrients so remember to go easy on the nitrogen and look for products with added phosphorous and some potassium. Autumn is also the time that humidity will cause bud rot to invade your colas, turning perfect buds into a mushy mess. If you can, shake accumulated rain and moisture off of branches whenever possible. As a last resort, some outdoor growers harvest early once they"ve witnessed a mold attack that they can"t fight. As fall colors begin to turn and frost approaches, it"s time to plan the actual harvest. Pick an overcast morning or evening to avoid running into anyone and prepare your mission carefully. 5-gallon buckets make great containers for trimmed branches. They seal up some, if not all, of the strong odors of fresh-cut pot plants and conceal them from prying eyes as well. Be sure to but branches in with the cut end down to avoid crushing your cannabis cargo. Cut your plants down to branches that fit into the buckets and work quickly to take them down and get out. Get your harvest to a safe location and start the trimming and drying process there. After harvesting, some organic growers like to bury a dead fish or two in the bottom of their hole. This organic material will decay and produce available nitrogen when you start back up in the spring. For now, relax, enjoy the fruits of your labors and start thinking about some new spots for next year… SIDEBAR Getting Advanced Outdoors For years, outdoor growers have been looking for slow dissolving time-released nutrients specially formulated for pot plants. Widely available products such as Osmocote and Miracle Gro sticks last long but are meant for a variety of plants and thus not ideal for cannabis. The scientists and researchers at Advanced Nutrients have solved the problem with their newest product, Heavy Harvest. Heavy Harvest is a three-part nutrient that needs only three applications during the growing seasons. Separated into Spring, Summer and Fall formulas specific to the growth needs during those times, Heavy Harvest specially-coated and concentrated pellets are designed to break down slowly and feed the plants throughout their life-cycle. The nutrients are pot plant specific and buffered so they"re released slowly and effectively for advanced growth and huge yields. For continuous feeding and only three visits a year to your garden, try Advanced Nutrients Heavy Harvest on your next outdoor plot. guerilla farming Weed Farmer - How to Grow Cannabis? GUERRILLA FARMING - Cannabis Growing Guide Guerrilla farming refers to farming away from your own property, or in a remote location of your property where people seldom roam around. It is possible to find locations that for one reason or another are not easily accessible or are privately owned. Try to grow off your property, on adjacent property, so that if your plot is found, it will not be traceable back to you. If it is not on your property, nobody has witnessed you there, and there is no physical evidence of your presence (footprints, fingerprints, trails, hair, etc.), then it is virtually impossible to prosecute you for it, even if the cops think they know who it belongs to. Never admit to growing, to anyone. Your best defence is that your just passing thru the area, and noticed something you decided to take a look at, or carry a fishing pole or binoculars and claim fishing or bird watching. Never tell anyone but a partner where the plants are located. Do not bring visitors to see them, unless it is harvest time, and the plants will be pulled the same or following day. Make sure your plants are out of sight. Take a different route to get to them if they are not in a secure part of your property, and cover the trail to make it look as if there is no trail. Make cut backs in the trail, so that people on the main trail will tend to miss the cut-back to the grow area. Don not park on the main road, always find a place to park that will not arouse suspicion by people that pass on the road. Have a safe house in the area if you are not planting close to home. Always have a good reason for being in the area and have the necessary items to make your claim believable. Briar and poison oak patches are perfect if you can cut through it. Poison Oak must be washed away before an allergic reaction takes place. Teknu is a special soap solution that will deactivate poison oak before it has time to create a reaction. Apply Teknu immediately after contact and take a shower 30 mins. later. Try to plant under trees, next to bushes and keep only a few plants in any one spot. Train or top the plants to grow sideways, or do something to prevent the classic christmas tree look of most plants left to grow untrained. Tying the top down to the ground will make the plants branches grow up toward the sun, and increase yield, given a long enough growing season. Plants can be grown under trees if the sun comes in at an angle and lights the area for several hours every day. Plants should get at least 5 hours of direct sun every day, and 5 more hours of indirect light. Use shoes that you can dispose of later and cover your foot prints. Use surgical gloves and leave no fingerprints on pots and other items that might ID you to the fuzz...in case your plot is discovered by passers by. Put up a fence, or the chipmonks, squirles and deer will nibble on your babies until there is nothing left. Green wire mesh and nylon chicken fencing net work great and can be wrapped around trees to create a strong barrier. Always check it and repair every visit you make to the garden. A barrier of fishing line, one at 18" and another at 3 feet will keep most deer away from your crop. Gopher Granola is available for areas such as the N. CA mountains, where wood rats and gophers will eat your crop if given any opportunity to do so. The best fence in the world will not keep rats away from your plants! Do not use soap to keep dear away, it will attract rats! (The fat in the soap is edible for them.) Put the poison grain in a feeder than only small rodents can enter, so that birds and deer can not eat it. Set out poison early, before actual planting. The rats must eat the grain for several days before it will have any effect on them. Ultimately, you may find it is easier to grow in a greenhouse shed in your own backyard rather than try to keep the rats from eating your outdoor plot. When growing away from the house, in the wild, water is the biggest determining factor, after security. The amount you can grow is directly proportional to the water available. If you must pack-in water, carry it in a backpack in case your seen in-route to your garden; you will appear to be merely a hiker, not a grower. Transporting vegatative starts to the growing area is a most tricky aspect of growing outdoors. Usually, you will want to start plant indoors, or outside in your garden, then transport them to the grow site once they are firmly established. It may be desirable to first detect and separate males from females so that no effort of transporting/transplanting/watering males is incurred. One suggestion is to use 3" rockwool cubes to start seedlings in, then put 20 of them in a litter pan, cover it with another pan, and transport this to the grow site. The cubes can be planted directly into soil. If spotted inroute to the grow area, burying a dead cat may be a good excuse for being in the area. Few people would demand to see the rotting corpse! One outdoor grower we know has given up on seeds. He has several strains he likes to clone, so he starts 200 clones in his closet, then transports them outdoors in boxes to the grow site. No males, no differentiation, no weeding, no germinating seeds, no genetic uncertainties, no crops grown for seed, no transporting/transplanting/watering plants your just going to pull up later, no pollination nightmares, no wasted effort!
guerilla grow guide RQS blog Guerrilla growing is the growing in a secret, hidden outdoor place that is not in your own garden, usually somewhere in nature where it won't easily be discovered. What is Guerrilla Growing? Guerrilla growing is the growing in a secret, hidden outdoor place that is not in your own garden, usually somewhere in nature where it won't easily be discovered. An advantage of guerrilla growing is that it is very unlikely to be caught with the plants since they are in a public place. Unfortunately, you can't guarantee wild animals won't get to them before you do, so it's important to pick a good spot to grow. Choose a Spot to Grow The first step to guerrilla growing is to find a good spot to plant your cannabis. Try to find a spot not too far from water. You want to find a spot that will not have many visitors or workers all throughout the year. Busy national parks, public places, and trails that are kept-up by employees are not the best spots. The best spots are ones that are difficult to get to, like a spot far from the trail or hidden in the bushes. Have an Alibi Don't get caught. It's important to know your story just in case someone asks what you are doing. If you are near a lake, bring fishing equipment. You can also bring binoculars or ropes and say you are bird watching or rock climbing. If you are caught this early on, it may be time to find a new spot. Cover your Tracks Avoid leaving an obvious path to your plot. Take a different route every time and if you are leaving foot prints, kick some dirt over them as you walk. Leaving an obvious path is an easy way for someone to discover your plant. Start Growing If you want your plants to grow large and produce pounds instead of ounces, it is recommended to root the clones or start your seeds in the winter indoors. You will want to plant your seeds and put them under some grow lights. Once they have started to sprout a bit, you will replant them in your grow spot. If you don't have a spot to start growing indoors, you can still plant your seeds outside. You may not get as much Head to your Guerrilla Spot in Spring Once the winter is over and spring has arrived, it is time to plant your cannabis plants. If you have already started them indoors, you are going to need to get them accustomed to the sunlight by putting them outdoors for a few hours every day. Get your plants all boxed up or grab your seeds and head to your guerrilla growing spot that you have chosen. Dig a Deep Hole Next, you will need to dig a deep hole to plant your cannabis in. You can put some pro-mix, perlite, or water absorbing crystals to hold in moisture for stronger roots. Remember, the stronger the roots, the stronger the plant, and a stronger plant means more of the product. Plant your Guerrilla Cannabis If you have already began growing in the winter which is highly recommended, place your plants into your soil mixtures in the holes. Water your plants until the soil is nice and moist. If you still have seeds at this point, plant them in the soil mixture and water them until the soil is moist. Protect your Plant The only disadvantage of guerrilla growing, is that your cannabis plants will be susceptible to wild animals and pests. You can put chicken wire around your plant to keep the wild animals out, especially if you are in an area with deer. You may also want to use some sort of pest control in the area to protect your plant. Water your Plants It is extremely important to keep your plants watered to prevent them from dying. Every time it doesn't rain for 10 days in a row, you should go and water your plant. Make sure you water your plant enough to saturate the roots entirely. If you are near water. You can use a cheap manual pump to water your plant. Check for Pests Every time you water your plant, check for pests. Under the lease and along the stems you will find damage if bugs are eating your plant. Deal with bug infestations immediately as bugs can kill your plant. Remove Male Plants If you used seeds instead of clones, your plants will start showing their sex around the end of summertime. The male plants have flowers that look like tiny banana pods and the female plants have white hairs coming from the nodes at the point where the branches and stems meet. Remove any male plants before they have a chance to fill the female buds with seeds. Feed your Plants When summer ends, you will need to add some plant food to get the maximum out of your plant. Try adding some nutrients and supplements like bat guano around the roots and watering it in. Go light on the nitrogen and look for plant foods with phosphorous and potassium. These nutrients will help you get the greatest yield from your plants. Keep Excess Moisture Away in Fall Where it is crucial to keep your plants wet in summer, it is equally as important to keep your buds dry in fall to prevent bud rot. Shake the excess moisture from rain off your buds every time you visit your plants. If your plants start rotting, harvest early to prevent further decay. harvest your goods As the leaves fall and colors turn, it is time to harvest your plants. You will want to pick a time when no one else will be out, perhaps early in the morning on a cloudy day. Bring a large, solid color container with you like a 5 gallon bucket that seals up to prevent anyone from smelling or seeing your plants. Place branches in with the cut end down to keep your buds intact. Work quickly. Once you are in a safe location, you can dry and trim your plants. Then, you are ready to smoke or even make edibles with your freshly harvested crops and prepare for next year.
guerilla growing cannabis plants Guerilla growing is growing cannabis in the wild. In a place where you are sure that nobody will pass by accidently so you can just come back when the plants are finished and harvest your crops. LOCATION Find an isolated, secluded spot where no one comes. Check to make sure there are no footprints visible nearby or other signs that people are sometimes wandering around, such as garbage. Make sure that the spot you"re looking for is not near to paths or streets. Places like that are more easily discovered by passers by, since the odour of the grow will be noticeable up to 10 metres away, depending on the wind. On top of this, any street lighting can mess with bloom timing by disturbing the day/night cycle of the plants. It is also important that the location is not maintained by a team who might stumble upon the plants when they"re trimming bushes and pruning hedges. A short bike ride through your district or to other places you"re considering is a good idea, to get an idea of possible locations nearby. PREPARING SUITABLE LOCATIONS In a wood On the waterfront In or between maize fields In the back garden of an empty flat or house If you don"t have the opportunity to scout out a location in one of the above mentioned examples, you can put aside a bit of land in your kitchen garden and grow your plants there. The biggest danger with this approach is neighbours who might tip off the police or run off with your harvest. Also, in domestic gardens there tends to be a lot of pests present, so your plants will need some protection from these (see too: Animals). MAIZE FIELD Should you choose for a location in a maize field it is important to research in advance whether there is somewhere in the vicinity where there are bridges or high buildings that might offer a view of the space you create in the field. It is also important to choose an early-blooming variety so that you can harvest before the maize is gathered in. ANIMALS The disadvantage of an isolated spot is that they are often not deserted. Animals have often taken over these places and represent a threat to the harvest. It is recommended to avoid areas with lots of rabbit burrows around, or take steps against these nibbling animals. The most efficient solution to rabbits is to plant chicken wire around you plant(s). Note: the wire must be buried deep enough that the rabbits can"t dig under it. SUNLIGHT If you grow on the edge of a wood or maize field make sure you choose the sunny side of the field. Look where the sun is stood at midday, where it comes up and goes down. The more sunlight your plant gets the bigger the yield during bloom will be. Try not to change the location situation too much. Trimming bushes or chopping down trees gives rise to suspicion among the local inhabitants and can lead to the discovery of your plants. MAINTENANCE AND PRECAUTIONS Make sure no-one sees you creeping through the bushes when you"re on your way to your grow spot. People will wonder what you"re up to and are liable to investigate or ask you directly. Taking a fishing rod or a dog with you makes a good alibi for being in the place. Preferably always go on foot to visit your plants, so that people nearby don"t see your parked car or bike. It can also be a good idea to wear dark clothing and only go visit at dusk. Another good time is during office hours, as most people will be at work and it is therefore quieter. REFUSE Never leave rubbish behind. It can be easily seen from the air and in areas where a lot of growing goes on direct action will be taken. On top of this it is likely that you"ll be leaving your fingerprints behind on your rubbish, which will make you easier to trace. FOOTWEAR AND LUGGAGE To reduce your footprints wrap Duct tape on the soles of your shoes, thanks to which the relief of the sole is reduced and tracing is made harder. It is recommended that you clean your shoes as soon as you get home, given that soil on the shoes can also be used as evidence. WHEN PACKING YOUR BAGS Plants / clones / seeds (Tip: pack your clones or plants in a shoe box before putting them in your bag) Planting tools: spade, shovel, trowel , spoon ,... Container with water (with root stimulator if using) Any protective materials: wire, slug pellets or coffee Extra nutrient Put all materials in a large rucksack thus leaving your hands free if you need to creep or climb. PLANTS The risk of being discovered also depends on the eventual size of the plant. With a relatively small plant of say 70 cm the risk is smaller that someone spots it, even if the person comes quite close to the plant"s location. The autoflowering varieties in particular will result in smaller plants. To mimic the natural situation in for example a wood, the plants must not be planted in a fixed pattern. It is better to give the plants some room between each other; 5 metres or so makes for unobtrusive results. Try not to apply a pattern when planting, as this will stand out in a natural environment and draw attention to your plants. It is better to tell no one the location of your plants. Bragging about your plants or taking someone to see them increases the chance that someone will open their mouths and then bang goes your secret harvest. Try to keep your guerrilla garden to yourself, unless you"re sharing the growing with someone else
guerilla growing GUERRILLA GROWING Guerrilla growing is the art of growing weed on property that is not yours, whether that"s a national park or farmer"s field, it may be the only option. We will outline a few things to consider before you start, with advice on how to choose a location, what security measures to take, what to do about your harvest and the dangers a guerrilla grower may face. Choosing the best location for guerrilla growing When looking for a place to guerrilla grow there are four important factors to consider: 1) Location and Security – Go for a location with restricted public access and is away from any recreation. Find a site that is unlikely to be used by others.2) Water supply – Water is an essential ingredient for marijuana growing. If you can"t rely on rainfall, a decent water supply nearby is a useful resource. 3) Sun coverage – Plants need light to grow. Pick a location that receives at least five to six hours of direct sunlight a day; the more you can get, the better it is for the plant. 4) Wind protection – Plants can be damaged or pollinated if they"re exposed to the wind. A strong wind can dehydrate a plant and cause water loss. What security to take when guerrilla growing. There are plenty of security measures you can take to discourage discovery of your guerrilla grow, but the most important and easiest one is to keep what you"re doing a secret. If you can"t keep it secret, you can bet whoever you tell can"t either! You will need to camouflage your plants so pick a site that already has large amounts of green vegetation; ferns, blackberry bushes, and stinging nettles are good neighbours. Make sure it is remote and not used by hunters, boy scouts, hikers or anyone else for that matter. Spend time picking your site to make sure it"s right and get to know the surrounding area so you can take a different route to your grow and avoid making paths. In some extreme cases guerrilla growers use duct tape on the sole of their shoes to camouflage any foot prints they may leave behind. Grow tip: Take away any nutrient bottles you have carried to the site and dispose of them properly to reduce the risk of discovery and to look after the environment you"re guerrilla growing in. It"s not yours, you"re just borrowing it! Grow tip: Be prepared to walk. Park a good distance away from your guerrilla grow site. Carry a bird book and have a back up story just in case anyone should ask what you"re up to. Carry water and nutrients in plain water bottles. What steps should be taken to make sure your guerrilla grow is prepared and when should you plant. Once you have located where you"re guerrilla growing, use the following steps to prepare the site. - Remove excessive green vegetation in the autumn/fall ready for spring. - Cut back any competing roots and clear foliage to allow sunlight to make its way through. - If the soil is not suitable, make amendments in autumn/fall to return to a healthy potting environment in spring. - Plant your weed in spring, after the last frosts have passed. Light One of the advantages of growing outdoors is the amount of light that is available for free. To maximize this benefit, make sure you pick a location that receives at least five or six hours sunlight a day. Remember that the sun takes a higher trajectory in the spring and summer so any overhanging branches need to be taken into account. If you"re growing weed in the northern hemisphere, find a south facing site to maximize sunlight hours. Soil Look for soil with a pH of 6.5 and compacts when you squeeze it but breaks apart easily in your hand. Be prepared to make amendments to your soil the autumn/fall before planting your weed. You should use vermiculate to increase water retention and perlite to increase drainage and oxygen. A good soil mix will make all the difference when it"s time to harvest. Use our mediums guide for advice on soil. Guerrilla grow watering If the amount of rain water isn"t sufficient to support your plants life cycle, make sure that you give it extra water . When locating a site, pick a place that is near a supply of water as doing so will make it easier to keep your plants hydrated and reduce the chances of you being caught carrying it. If you have to carry water, make sure you have an excuse ready. Avoid watering your guerrilla grow in the middle of the day to limit chances of detection. Visiting early in the morning is preferable and helps to avoid mold growth. If you have picked a secluded area, pierce a gallon water bottle at the bottom and allow for water to drain slowly into the soil around the base of the plant. Grow tip: Keep any containers for transporting water well hidden near your guerrilla growing site. Plan ahead; transport your equipment a couple of pieces at a time. Nutrients In general, the soil at your guerrilla growing location is unlikely to contain all the food your marijuana plant needs to flourish. Fertilizers like manure, blood meal, bone meal and worm castings are excellent sources of nutrients for your plants. These organic nutrients are preferable as they invite bugs that eat and process them for your plant. Use fertilizers with more nitrogen in vegetative growth and more phosphorous when your plants are flowering. For more detailed information, use our guides on Nutrients and Mediums for more detailed info. How often should you visit your guerrilla grow site? Try to keep visits to a minimum as the more you visit, the greater the chances of being caught. Beginners will be tempted to visit with every little change in weather conditions. Remember weed is a hardy plant so good planning and picking a suitable strain increase the chances of a successful grow. Grow tip: Make sure you visit the grow in mid July as this is when your plants will start to show their flowers and sex. Remove and destroy males away from your growing location immediately! Picking a strain for guerrilla growing Pick a hardy strain that needs less attention and grows well in your chosen climate. Make sure that seasons are long enough, and your plant has enough time to flower. In colder northern climates, an Indica like The Cheese grows well and has a short flowering time. If you have long, hot summers, a Sativa like Jack Herer, which has a longer flowering time but doesn"t need a lot of attention, would be ideal. Use the outdoor strains guide to help you make an informed decision. When should you harvest your guerilla grow ? It might sound stupid, but harvest your plants when they are ready, making sure you do it before the cold, damp weather sets in. Leave it too late and you run the risk of wasting all the time, effort, and planning you"ve put in. Generally, when purchasing the strain you intend to grow, breeders provide guidelines on how long the plant takes to grow and ideal harvest months when specifically for outdoor growers Avoid running into hunters, hikers, and policeman by harvesting at night. Grow Tip: Take a sharp knife and a back pack to remove the weed discreetly, wrapping any different strains you"re growing in newspaper to keep them separate. The dangers of Guerrilla growing Apart from your weed being discovered by the police or stolen, the wild can pose unexpected dangers that are a threat to your plants. - Local Wildlife – Wild animals love to eat marijuana plants. You can deter them with bear, fox, or even human hair and blood. - Frost – Frost can kill plants, so make sure you pick a strain that will complete its life cycle between the last and first frosts. Be ready to harvest if frosts come early. - Drought – A lot can be done to avoid damage from drought. Make sure you have a decent loamy soil and that water is supplied regularly. Sativa root systems grow deeper so have better drought resistance. Keep a close eye on signs of dehydration. Guerrilla growing can be a demanding, difficult and dangerous way of growing your marijuana. Ensuring you take care and follow the steps outlined above should make it that little bit easier. Guerrilla growing isn"t for the none daring, but the rewards can be worth the effort. how to grow marijuna This guide is intended for legal marijuana growing only. Security measures mentioned are to help you avoid crop theft. This is one way to hide your crop Guerilla growing is used worldwide to grow marijuana outdoors It takes some hard work and a lot of time to get a good set-up and top yield but the result for the work put in can be huge. You won"t be indoor lighting costs will be zero. Our experts have put their knowledge together to create a most comprehensive Guerilla Growing Guide. Plan – The first thing you should do is plan your strategy well in advance of the growing season and start preparing your grow area in stages well before. By doing it in stages you will also be able to know your area better, watch for other people, animals in the area and of course ‘rippers"! Where to grow your crop Where you decide to do your guerilla grow will be the make or break of your operation. There are a multitude of things to consider. Number one being security. It"s no good just wondering a few yards into a wood and starting a clearing. You need to be well off the beaten track and I mean really well off. A place that people don"t go. Ever. The location also needs to be close to a water source, for obvious reasons. Ideally the location should not be visible from a path, unless you know what you are looking for. You really need to be sure that other people do not travel where you are looking to start your patch. Think about walking an hour plus into the woods to get a nice remote location. The deeper the better, you have to be walking further than any thieves would venture. One good tip is to carry a pair of softer soled shoes with you to walk the last 300 feet or so and keep the obvious wear on the environment down to a minimum, where bags over your shoes or go bare feet, either way change out of the walking boots. Damn good acting – Before you even get out of your car make sure you have parked either where people can"t see you getting in and out of your car and don"t associate it with hiking or where there are lots of cars and yours does not stick out. If you keep returning to the same place with the same car people will notice. You think you know that area better than anyone but trust me there will be other real hikers or guerilla growers that will start spotting your car there regularly, get curious and may put two and two together. I can recommended borrowing cars, renting for a day now and then or even better buy a really cheap car for the purpose, sell it, buy another and repeat two or three times. You might even make a dollar buying and selling them like I did! When you are scoping somewhere to plant your babies there is no need to act like you shouldn"t be there. There are lots of genuine reasons to be out in the country, believe it or not. Walking, bird watching climbing (climbers often have big rucksacks) so when it comes to taking your stuff out, or even just scoping the area you might want to consider taking on another persona for this as cover. Look out for litter, tracks, overhead wires, pipelines, broken branches and other signs of other human activity. Stay clear of those areas. Obstacles – For extra security you could put some natural obstacles in the way of others, to really discourage others from finding your location – climb through nettles, thorn bushes, wade through water, you get the idea. You really have to get deep into the country where there are only animals. Uninhabited – Animals are also a good indicator of whether people are around an area often. Deer don"t like to hang out with humans so if you run into some of them, or any wild animals in their natural environment then you are probably getting close to a good place for your grow. Also look for an area that is sheltered from the wind if possible – exposed hillsides can be brutal in high winds – something we are seeing more of Testing how uninhabited it really is – You really want to be sure you have a secluded spot. Some people put shiny coins on the ground to see if they get picked up, others leave useful but cheap implements on trees like a pair of sunglasses or a cheap waterproof head torch. If they get taken you know people are around. Another more expensive method but far better and more useful at seeing exactly who these people are and their frequency is to use a covert digital camera. There are many options in this field, there are the cheap digital camera models you can wrap in camouflage hunters tape (often used on guns) and it"s waterproof too. Or you can go all out and buy a proper hide, trail or wild animal camera specially built to take covert photos. The main feature your camera needs is the ability to have a good battery life and take photos when movement or motion is detected, preferably in low light with no flash – again all this is found on eBay. Aerial – If aerial intrusion is of an issue (people have small radio controlled heli-cams these days) then you are going to have to grow in a wood – and take great care not to disturb the natural environment in any way. Human activities are often easy to spot in the air, and these spotters know what they are looking for. Risks cannot be taken – plan things like a military operation. Get a map, preferably one with hiking trails, water and elevations marked on it, study it really hard, looking at car parks, waterfalls and trying to work out which tracks you think would be heavily used and which might offer less traffic and the ability to branch off from. Look for suitable places on the map first rather than randomly wondering around the countryside. Google maps Risk – Spread the risk by having maybe three locations situated not too far from each other. If one gets ripped off you may still keep the other two. Elevation and timing – In the northern hemisphere you need somewhere that is south facing, (in the southern hemisphere you need north facing) ideally, and as remote as possible. South facing with great access to the eastern and western skies is perfect. It"s better to use somewhere that is on a slight slope so that water can run away. The plants need at least six hours direct sunlight each day (more is better) and the sun will change position as the year progresses so take this into account too. Smart growers position their plants on the south side of bushes, making them less visible if somebody does find your plot. Avoid the coast – soils near coastlines are too salty. For more ideas read Robert Bergman"s article on the best places to grow marijuana outdoor . People and Animals Don"t tell a soul – Once you have found your ideal spot do not tell a person. Nobody. This way nobody will be calling to steal your hard work (‘Rippers"). You get the idea. As well as keeping people away from your garden, animals can be a problem. Deer like to eat marijuana. Natural layout – Do not put your plants in a line – keep things as natural as possible – nature doesn"t create straight lines, so this is another dead giveaway from above. It makes most sense to dot your plants around an area, which is more work bur increases your chances of keeping some of them. Protection – If you have to protect your plants from deer and animals, then a wire mesh fence (careful as the shiny wire is easily spotted) can be fitted round the plant. Some people go as far as making a dog poop soup (having fed the dog meat the day before) and smearing that around the fences. Pretty gross but it works. Outdoor plants do get big though and can be worth a lot of money so you have to weigh this kind of thing up. I know some guys who had gone as far as to protect some cheese plants with concrete and wire mesh, but rats still made it through and took a thousand seedlings. Some people haul their plants high up into trees with ropes, just to be sure. Also think to protect yourself; snakes, bears, coyotes and mountain lions are no joke if you get between them and their young or startle them. Methods The more carefree and risky method is to plants seeds rather than seedlings. This is not very clever and not really recommended, unless you are just playing around. The best method is to start with foot high clones. Look to plant after the last frost, that means when you think the last of the cold nights have come to a close, this might be around mid March to early April in the northern hemisphere and of course the further north you go the later you will plant. As mentioned earlier it is best if you have started them off earlier indoors than just planting seeds or seedlings. If you can, it"s better to let the plant get to about a foot high first before you take it out to the wild. This is a much safer bet and will stop the plant being eaten by birds or other animals when it is small. You can start a plant under a light for a few months at the beginning of the year to get it ready to plant outside. It"s important though that it doesn"t go straight from indoor light to sunlight. You"ll need to introduce it to its new environment slowly. You could start this process in your garden letting it get two or three hours of sunlight more each day. If you don"t do this you could fry the plants. The change has to be gradual. Bushes can be useful, or shade the plant with something to cut down the light at the beginning. Alternatively you could just start the plants outdoors in your garden, in pots depending on the climate. Root Pouches will eventually rot when they are put into soil – and if you have used them you will know you see roots poking out of them sometimes. These kinds of pots could save you from re-potting your plants – saving on shock for the plant, and hassle for you. Just plant directly into your freshly prepared earth after slitting holes in the side and bottom of the root pouch so the roots can easy get out. Remember though these pots are visible and may need to be camouflaged. The other thing to do with these guys is just cut them off. Much, much easier than dealing with a plastic pot. Other guerilla growers use Pulp Pots, these are biodegradable pots and they offer a number of advantages. They are made of recycled paper and look like soil so they blend in, they are light, excess water will be retained by the pot so that the plant does not drown and yet still has access to extra water if the soil inside the pot dries out. Once you find your ideal spot, you need to dig a big hole for each plant. The bigger the whole, the better the soil the higher the yield. A good size hole should be around 3 foot cubed per plant. If you are planting a bunch together you can squeeze them a bit closer than this. This is not easy work so if you are not committed then don"t even bother starting to guerilla grow. This is where the hard work comes in. You"ll need some kind of spade, look for the foldable sort. Although including a pick to help open the soil up can also be very useful. Don"t leave any big looking roots or anything that looks like it might compete with your babies. Soil – Is very heavy – Fertilizers not so much For the best grown guerilla marijuana you will need to use a good premium potting soil with several additions. Don"t use cheap soils or the soil on site, unless it is very loamy, dark and rich looking. Get the best potting soil you can purchase. Get something that has peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite already in it if you can. Soil is of course heavy to carry with the big bags weighing in at around 75 lb. So if you are lucky enough to have a good area with good soil you might be able to use a 50/50 mixture of good natural soil and potting mix. Brilliantly here is a soil amount calculator – got to love the internet. So we can calculate you will need 0.9 yards of soil (some calculations say 1.0 yards of soil) for a 3"x3"x3" or 27 cubic foot hole. To fill a 3"x3"x3" hole you need around 27 regular bags of soil! That is a large hole for a large tree, you can get away with smaller but you will have to bring in about three hikes worth of soil for each plant so that is why you need to start hiking well before the season starts. There are a number of options for natural fertilizers – guano, chicken manure, blood and bone, worm castings, compost – all these things are great for the soil and help to add much needed nitrogen and other essential nutrients. If you do use manures compost them with the soil first to avoid burning your plants. Use a ratio of 1:4 with natural fertilisers. If you are going to add fertilizers in the vegging stage think N-P-K, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium at a ratio of 10-5-5 and the guys at Fox Farms have some fantastic gear if you don"t want to use the more natural chicken poo. Dolomite lime can help to stabilise the pH and counteract any acidity in the soil. Polymer water retaining crystals are becoming popular and if mixed into your soil can significantly cut down on the amount of watering required by your plants – very handy if you"re growing in a dry area – use in moderation. The best method is to wet it first before mixing with the soil so you can see what you"re dealing with. Vermiculite can also be used to soak up water and nutrients, improving the conditions of the soil. Mulching with leaves can help the soil to retain its moisture longer – and Perlite can be added to assist with drainage and aeration. It is possible to find good soil in the wild and use that however this is quite rare. Soil where grasses have been growing are often suitable as they recycle the topsoil well. Maybe you can find good soil near your site or on the way, this would also save a lot of soil moving hassle. Which strains to use? In California and other parts of the States and Spain there are varieties that have been growing locally for many, many years – getting hold of one of these strains would be ideal but perhaps tricky if you don"t know the right people. Guerilla's Gusto , afghani crosses, Mazar and skunk strains grow well outdoors .Northern Lights grows well well also and is very forgiving, and African landrace strains are also worth attention. Haze crosses also get very big, if you have enough sun . We suggest purchasing from one of the big UK or Dutch seed banks. You get what you pay for and no point in doing all this work but having a crap strain to start with. Check out our marijuana seed strain bank recommendations here . You also should choose a strain that finishes in September as late finishing strains can contribute to the possibility of damp. Bear in mind how big the plant may get – however should this become a problem you can tie the plant down (which will improve the yield) or bend its branches down so it grows sideways (LST - also good for adding yield). Looking after your plants When you go to water your plants you should check each one of them, and if required, repair them if they have been damaged. Duct tape is very good for this, yes another use! If it has rained recently, you should shake the buds out so that they don"t become damp and susceptible to mold. Insects There is not a great deal that you can do about insects. The best line of defence is to plant more than you want, and accept that you are going to lose a plant or two in this process to insects or animals. Snails can be dealt with by using slug pellets (careful of the colour so as not to give things away). There are sprays and potions available to repel mites and the like, but these don"t tend to be very effective in the great outdoors. Watering Depending on your climate and grow location you"re probably going to have to water your plants once every four to seven days. Think about what this means in terms of shifting water, where you will get it from and how you will move it. Somebody has come up with a novel way of doing this with a water container, solar panel, battery and pump. Remember though that solar panels can be easily spotted from a distance. Some people found these guys solar gear useful, but there is always eBay. For solar watering you will need the following: 12 volt car battery, or motorbike battery, they are smaller but produce less power Solar panels used for charging batteries and running small pumps Submersible pump, a good one, one that will not clog up straight away, it needs a good filter Cheap 9 volt timer Tubing, drippers. The solar panels will charge the main battery while the timer will turn the pump on for one to two hours per day, better if this is very early morning as you get less evaporation and any noise won"t be heard. You can pump directly to the plants or use a reservoir and drip it out from there. A 6" tall marijuana plant fully vegging requires around a gallon of water two to three times per week. Water weighs 1kg per litre or 8.35 lb per gallon. Is it possible to dam your nearby stream briefly and flood your growing area? Big plants need a lot of water when they are flowering so it is not the easiest solution. If your area receives around one inch of rain per week then you won"t need to worry about watering – but you"ll still need to look in on your plants from time to time to check they are OK. If you need to move water this will become a full time job so again you will need to ‘man up" and commit to this kind of venture. Flowering – So it is mid July and the girls are starting to flower. Excellent! Then one by one over the next month or so they will all start. Now if you have grown from seed (not recommended) you will need to watch out for the males (marijuana sexing) rip them out straight away. Even if you use feminized seeds we suggest keeping an eye out, because just like condoms, they are around 99% effective. The best bet is to grow from clones so you know you will get all girls.
rangerdanger's grow guide First off, I want to say that I did not write this guide. The guide was written by a man named RangerDanger from Hipforums.com. I did not alter what he wrote in any way except for arranging certain sections so they were easier to read. RangerDanger passed away because of an inoperable tumor shortly after typing up this grow guide, he was in his 60's. I want his knowledge to be spread. Also, keep in mind that this guide is huge, and a little disorganized. But it has very good information. Lesson One Rent the flick Homegrown, starring Billy Bob Thornton & Hank Azaria. It"s a great movie all about guerilla growing. And right now is a great time of year to buy hiking boots. You"ll also need a frame backpack and a hiking guide (buy at a sporting goods shop). Look through it. You"ll also need a army surplus-type folding shovel. Also, start saving up seeds. It"s nice to have seeds from killer strains, but even if it"s mids, that better than none. And know this: the pot you harvest later this year will be better than the pot the seeds it came from. Cause you will take better care of it, and plus YOU grew it. Start saving your dough. It will cost approx. $10.00 per plant in potting soil and a couple bux for nutrients later in the growing season. If you don"t like the idea of hiking miles on a hot dusty trail while your friends are partying at the beach, read no further. If you don"t have the inclination to dig holes (very hard) and transport potting soil (very heavy), go play a video game. If you can"t commit to a project that lasts 7 months, beat it. Now that we"ve gotten rid of the riff-raff… Those of you still here may be interested in growing massive quantities of quality weed for just a few bucks. That"s where I come in. Cause I can help you. In fact, if you follow my instructions, you will have more weed that you"ve ever had before, and it will be the best pot you"ve ever smoked. Honest. I"ve been doing this for a long time, and have talked to many other growers, and here you have over a century"s experience in guerilla growing in an easy-to-read format, for free. This week"s topic is choosing a location Pt 1. Think remote. More remote than you"ve ever been. Somewhere NO ONE EVER GOES. EVER. The best way to find one of these locations is to walk yourself down to the nearest large sporting goods store and purchase a trail guide to the nearest Nat"l Forest etc. It may have a title like "100 Hikes In The Angelesâ€. You and your partner (only have one if hes your best bud and you really trust him).start scouring the trails listed. You want to pick a trail that DOES NOT connect with other trails. This cuts down on hikers. Points: -Read the first part of the hiking guide. It usually tells you about history, flora and fauna, do"s and don"ts and local restrictions. -You"ll want to choose a trail that crosses a stream, because you"re gonna have to water your plants. A 7" tall plant in full veg requires a gal of water at least 2 x/week and water weighs 8.5 lbs/gal. When it doesn"t rain you"ll have to bring water to them so you"ll want a nearby water source. AND, read a growbook, cover to cover. I"ll be back. This is the most important factor in guerilla growing. It doesn't matter how many plants of what strain you have growing if someone finds them and rips you off. Remoteness in most cases is key. Don't stroll into the woods for a few minutes and expect to find a place to successfully grow/harvest marijuana. Too many people poking around. Hike deep deep into the wodds--I suggest AT LEAST an hour's hike on an unpopular trail before you start looking (the further the better). Look for: -a clearing off the trail, the further the better -seek an area that you don't mind if you have to carry up to a gal./water to the plants 2x/week. -good southern exposure -a way to get in and out WITHOUT leaving a path off the trail. It's a good also a good idea to have multiple patches of weed if you want to increase your chances of harvesting mondo sticky buds. I like to have 3 so if rippers get one, bugs/animals get another, I'll still have weed. Again, TELL NO ONE. The temptation is great (esp. for beginners) to take your pals out to show them what you're doing. DON'T DO THAT. Remember, you're growing money trees. The best pot is worth as much as pure gold. Think of a pot plant as a bush that has let's say 40 hundred-dollar bills hanging from it, and there's 10 bushes like that. Now, if YOU know where a money tree was growing, might you be tempted to go out and pick a few of those hundred dollar bills? Even if they belonged to someone you knew? Even if you wouldn't be tempted, many people would/will be. Except for your partner (if you have one): Don't tell anyone you have pot growing. If you've mentioned to others that your considering it, tell them that you found out it too hard or you planted some and it died. After harvest Keep the fact that you grew successfully a secret. Like don't whip out any fresh (wet) weed. Even when you have slow-dried/cured weed, don't let on. Still be asking your friends if they know of any good deals on pot; even buy some occasionally. When they're around and you bring some of your pot out, tell them you bought it from a friend of a relative they don't know. Tell them it cost a lot so they won't be interested in buying it, or if you have a lot and you want to sell, tell him that you'll ask your relative's friend for more, have him give you the dough and tell him to come back the next day, then give him the weed. Here's why you shouldn't tell anyone you have a bunch that you grew. -They'll follow you next year -And they'll be like "c'mon dude turn me on to some, it didn't cost you nothing." Well it DID cost you something. Sweating out the hikes, digging the holes, carrying the water, spending time on learning how to grow (like here), spending time tending the plants when everyone else was partying at the beach. Besides, if your friend wanted pot that "didn't cost nothing", HE could have grown some of his fucking own. Tough shit; you have more balls than him it's not your fault he's a pussy. Ok, you've got your grow buddy, you've found a site--now what? First you have to deciede--do you want to go as cheap as possible and dig holes, or do you want to buy planters? You're gonna have to choose. You can't just throw seeds on the ground and have them grow. You can do it in the city like in a yard or something. Fertile soil, water, sure. Out in the woods it's a different story. You have to plant in good soil. You're gonna have to carry it in. The best potting soil is Fox Farms Ocean and Forest also Black Gold Potting Soil. They are chock full o good organic nutrients like kelp, guano's, worm castings etc. The soil is so rich you don't have to use fertilizer for over a month. The 2 brands I mentioned may be unavailable in your area, or really expensive. Look around, like call big plant nurseries. Ask for soils that are pre-amended with ORGANIC nutrients. Avoid potting soil that has chem. nutrients added. It would be better to get plain old potting soil. If you choose to dig, be prepared for some sweaty work. You will need to dig a hole 3' x 3'. It's backbreaking work but it'll be good for ya. Or, you may choose to use planters. The only one that I recommend are PULP POTS. (see pic) You want the largest size, but an approx. 15" x 20" will do if you can water more often . If no one in your area carries pulp pots, ask a nursery to order some for you. Tell them a friend on the west coast told you about them. The large size are about $25.00. The beauty of pulp pots -they are bio-degradable (they last for about 3 years, more if they don't get rained on much)... -They are made from recycled paper pulp... -they blend in with their surrounding more than any other type container... -they don't heat up like other containers, good because heat can destroy roots... -the paper pulp acts as a moisture regulator. Use lots of water and the pulp will absorb it, so the plant doesn't drown; when the soil gets dry it can get some of that moisture back from the pulp. How much potting soil: A hole 3' x 3' requires about 2 large bags of potting soil. Note: potting soil is VERY heavy. A large bag weighs like 75 lbs. This is where your partner coimes in. Using frame packs, depending on your size and strength, you can carry 75 lbs. of potting soil on your back in a frame pack. Otherwise, split the load up; make as many trips as required. If the area you're growing in had good soil, you can get away by re-filling the holes with a 50/50 mix of potting and existing soil. Good soil is dark and has a good "earthy" aroma, almost like something that's been baked. If using existing soil, be sure to mix it up well with the potting soil, removing all rocks. So let's say you've found a clearing out in the woods. How do you know if someone goes there or not? Of course, look for signs like cigarette butts, gum wrappers, footprints, stuff like that. But there may be no obvious signs, so how do you find out for sure? Here are 2 methods I've used: Find a rock that's the right size to sit on. Drop a handfull of coins next to it, like the $ fell out of someone's pocket when they sat down. I used shiny coins, always including a Kennedy half-dollar (people love those). Another way is I'd buy a cheap 3 dollar compass, put a string on it and hang it from a bush next to the trail, so it looked like it snagged off someone's neck as they hiked past. You'll have to visit the site a lot, so you need to find a way to get in and out without leaving a path. There are a number of ways to do this. Often, when I had a grow, I'd use 3 pairs of shoes everytime I went in. First there were my hiking boots. I'd do the long hike in and when I got to the bottom of the canyon, I'd change into a pair of old tennies I had hidden under a rock. I'd wear these to the general area, then wade across the stream at an unlikely spot. Then I'd stop and change into moccasins (which my nephew made at camp btw) and softly walk the remaining 100 yards or so. Rock-hopping is another way to travel without leaving a path, so is walking across rough gravel. You need to do deep into the woods to do this, deeper than most yahoo's are willing to travel to look for/rip off someone's garden. When To Plant In the spring, after the spring solstice (Mar. 20 this year) and after the last danger of frost has passed. If you don't know when that is in your neck of the woods, call a local nursery and ask them. So it's months off, and you have a lot to do before you plant seeds anyway: finding a location and prepping the area. However, you can give your plants a head start and a great advantage if you start them inside right about now. If you put them outside at the start of spring when they're already a foot tall, they'll be able to jam right off the bat. To start them inside you'll need a growspace, with lights and ventilation. And you'll want to raise them under 16/8 light. If you want to start them inside, count backwards 4 weeks and start them inside then. Btw, 4/20 is a great time to plant. Dangers In The Woods Plants Poison oak,ivy,sumac: Basically the same plant, it can grow as a bush or small tree or a vine. They can be plentiful. In California it is the most common wild native plant near streams. They can be indentified by their leaves. You don't want to get "bit" by one of these. You'll be itching for weeks. And a BAD itch thatg will keep you awake at night, and if you scratch it, it will never go away. Once I was clearing an area for a garden deep in the woods and pulled up some dead plants (they didn't have any leaves so I didn't recognize them as poison oak). I got it so bad the toxin was in my blood and I had to go to a clinic and get an injection and take steroids for a month. Stinging Nettles: hurts as bad as a bee sting. The first time you brush up against one of these fuckers with your bare skin, it will feel like someone just drove red-hot needles into your flesh. How to identify these plants--ask a boy scout or backpacker, or visit a Forest Service Office or go on a Sierra Club/nature hike. Insects Usually just a minor annoyance. Except for mosquito's which can transmit West Nile and ticks, which can transmit Lyme disease. Long-sleeved shirts and long pants with liberal amt's of Deep Woods or repellents which are DEET-based helps, and there are natural repellents you can spray on. Eating a few cloves of garlic will help keep the 'skeeters (and most of your friends) away. Ticks are more difficult. Wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants and use repellents, and also put a rubber band around each sleeve and pants cuff. And when you get home, take a showers and it's n ot bad to have a friend check your body to make sure you are tick-free. They're easy to remove if you get to them in the first few hours after they start to dig in. Animals Snakes: Snakes would much rather avoid than confront you. When I hike I walk heavily and sing and tap my hiking staff of rocks. This alerts any nearby snakes of my presence, and they split. Never put your hands or feet anyplace you can't see. Let's say your bopping down the trail and come around a bend and right there in the middle of the trail see a 5' rattlesnake sunning itself. Not to worry. Just yell at it. It will slither off and you can continue your hike. And start singing. Bears: They will go to any length to avoid you. The only exception are campground bears who will steal your pikanic basket if you leave it unattended. Mountain Lions: I've only been lucky enough once in over a thousand miles of hiking during the last 30 years to see a mountain lion They've seen me plenty of times no doubt, but they are no danger if you're over 3 feet tall or with people, unless you get too close to a mother with kittens. Coyote's: Again, no danger to people. Yell at them and throw rocks. I invited my 10-year old neice to go hiking with other family members and she told me she was scared. "Scared of what?" I asked. She went down the whole list: snakes bears, lions and stuff and I told her what I posted here--no danger. However, the is a very dangerous animal that you definately encounter in the woods. People. Unlike animals, people will sometimes fuck with you for no discernable reason whatsoever. AND girls should NEVER hike alone, or without at least 1 male. Sorry to say, men can be dangerous to women when loosed from the constaints of civilization. Now lace up those hiking boots and hit the trails. By now you should have already got things ready. Broken-in hiking boots & hiking sox, a frame pack, folding shovel, seeds, trails to hike marked in your hiking book, money saved for soil and a grow buddy. Now, if you are willing to settle for a smaller yield and spend $15 you can avoid digging holes by buying the planter pictured. They are called pulp pots. You'll prob. have to order these from a nursery. They are far superior to plastic planters because -they "breathe"... -They absorb excess water and act as a wick when the soil begins to dry... -they blend in with the surroundings... -when the roots of the plant outgrow the planter they grow right through it into the ground... -they don't heat up like plastic... -they are made from recycled paper pulp. Hurry up. Spring starts Mar. 20. Marijuana requires water a min of 2x/week. If it doesn't rain you must bring water to them Peeps, it's almost here. The Vernal Eqinox (days & nights of equal length) in Mar 20 this year. It's not time to plant outside yet but will be soon. Do you have all your stuff? SEEDS For someone who has never grown anything I recommend whatever seeds you can get your paws on. Obviously you want seeds from the best pot you can. For those who HAVE grown stuff before (tomatoes, etc.) consider buying Northern Lights (NL) seeds from a seed bacnk. NL is imo the best strain to grow whether experienced or beginner. It's very hardy, very forgiving of mistakes Spring has finally sprung. There may still be snow on the ground where you are (like here), but it won't last long. Winter, which began just before x-mas, is finally over and what a looong freaking 3 months it was! Now it's time to start getting this show on the road. The road to marijuana independence. Hope you've got all your shit together. Starting within the next few days I'll begin making posts re: beginning for reals. The most critical factor in outdoor growing. If you can't grow in your backyard safely, you're gonna have to choose a remote place. The more remote the better. Because even if you have a dozen plants with branches sagging with pounds of bud, it's all wasted time & effort if you go out to water (or worse go out to harvest) and find all your shit gone. It's happened to me 8 or 9 times, even in moderately remote places. General Ideally you want to choose someplace where you can park without being seen from passing cars. Cause leo's and rippers aren't stupid. If they see a car frequently at the same place they will be pretty certain that you may have a grow nearby and start looking for it. And some leo's and rippers are excellent trackers. If there's no place like that, you'll have to park someplace where there are lots of cars (like a popular trailhead) so your car won't stand out. A love of the outdoors, a desire to have pounds of weed for pennies, and an mp3 all help tremendously on a long hike. On any trail there are usually lots of side paths. YOU NEED A TRAIL GUIDE AND COLORED STRING FOR THIS NEXT PART (GPS's are good too but not necassary). Hiking guides are especially important because they show streams/lakes, etc and tell you whether they are seasonal or year-round. Walk about a mile or 2 in and start looking for side trails. Take the path less traveled (and mark the junction with a bit of colored string). Try to take as many side paths as possible. What To Look For You want a clearing that has a full view of the southern, eastern and western sky (for sunlight). There can be lots of tree's to the west. That's ok because they don't block the sun. Old cabin site's are usually excellent choices because there's already a clearing. You want to be close (but not next to) a water source. You don't want to be right next to water source because water atrracts both 2 and 4-legged animals. Unless it rains you will have to bring water to the plants. A 6' tall plant in full veg will drink up to a gallon of water every few days, and water weighs over 8 pounds per gal. The best way to transport it from a nearby water source is in a green or brown 5-gal plastic bucket. Scoop up water and lug it back. You also want a way to get in and out of your grow area without leaving a path. Rockhopping or walking on gravel is a good way to not leave a path. Avoid area 's that have you walking through grass. A clearing does not always mean completely clear. There can be bushes. In fact, bushes are an excellent cover. Here's what ya do: Get an empty 3-liter plastic container and make a mini greenhouse for each one (detailed instructions somewhere on this thread). Carefully transplant into the soil (ditch the cups). Usually, by the time the young plant outgrows it's little home, it's put down enough roots to anchor it in place. KEEPING DEER AWAY There are numerous ways. Most effective: Get a roll of 4' chicken wire. It comes in rollss like 25' or 50' long. Cut 6' lengths of the roll (this takes a l-o-n-g time and you need snips). Make circle's of these (attach cut ends together with wire) then flatten them for easy transport. Then get some uprights. These can be 5'--6' lengths of rebar or something similar. I used drapery rods since I had access to them. When you get to your site, center the wire tube over the plant site and mark. The excavate a trench 6" deep by 1" (use a stick) and place the wire tube in place. Drive the re-bar into the ground with a hammer on the interior of the tube. Now you have a little cage to protect your plant. Other ways: 2nd best way is dog shit. Feed your dog meat the night before and before you leave to tend your garden and bring your pooch and a bran muffin with you. When you get to your site, give your dog the muffin. Works on dogs just like people. Deer will smell the shit and can tell it came from a meateater and stay away. Get a roll of bailing wire. This is thin, easily bendable wire and is cheap. Get the dull non-shiny kind. Using existing vegatation/tree's (or re-bar), encircle your grow area. 1 strand 18" off the ground, 1 at 30", the last at 4'. Ask your local barber to save you some floor sweepings and scatter this near your plants. Using 2 or more of these in conjunction will help keep your plants deer-safe. If this seems like a lot of work, consider that each plant can yield as much as a pound or more of buds. Keep in mind nothing short of a concertina/razor wire-topped chain link fence will keep starving deer away. I can tell you a way we automatically watered our plants at one patch we had going for years, but you need a water source, such as a year-round stream or pond. You will need -a 12-v battery preferably the kind used for trolling motors (deep cycle) -1 or 2 solar panels (the kind used to charge car batteries) -a small 9-v timer -a submersable 12-v water pump -a plastic 5-gal. bucket w/lid -hoses of varying thicknesses -drip emitters Get the 12-v battery and solar panels at someplace like Kragens, Napa or large auto-parts store. Get the small timer at Radio Shack. Get the water pump at a RV supply place. Get the hoses and drip emitters at any large builder's supply place like homedepot. The solar panels charge the battery, the timer turns the pump on for 1 hr/day (bestt time is 8 a.m.). One hose (the largest diameter) goes from the water source (put a mesh filter or sock over the intake to keep out sediment) to the bucket in which sits a 12-v pump and filled with water (primer for the pump) with the lid on. Drill 2 holes near the bottom of the bucket, 1 for intake 1 for outflow. the main outflow hose goes to the garden area and using splitters run a line to each plant. Put a drip emitter on the end of each hose (1/2 gph in the spring and last 5 weeks of flowering, 1 gph in the summer). You'll need to tweak it, and visit occasionally to add nutrients. Actually you should plant 3 seeds per 3' x 3' hole, and after a week or 2 cut off the 2 shorter ones with scossors at soil level, leaving the strongest. The 2 most labor-intensive job in guerilla growing is digging the holes and transporting the soil. It takes approx 2 cu ft to fill a 3' x 3' hole. A 2 cu. ft. sack of potting soil weighs about 80 pounds. For each hole I would have to split the bag up into 3 loads and backpack out 3 times per hole. Hard? Hell yeah. But soil and sun are the two most important factors in growing pot. Now, occasioanly I'd locate a grow site near a stream. Sometimes the soil would be pretty good (near pine tree's though is bad). You want rich dark soil, not hard packed. Look for bends in the stream and piles of rocks where leaves and twigs might get washed to and collect (and decompose) during winter rains. If you've got rich, good draining soil, you can get by with mixing quality potting soil with existing soil on a 50/50 basis. You will spend less on potting soil but more on nutrients (but then again nutrients don't weigh NEARLY as much as potting soil). Nutrients/fertilizers indicate the composition by N-P-K, which stands for Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (Potash). For veg you want something that is highest in the first number, like 10-5-5. Nitrogen is needed for growth and make plants a beautiful vibrant emerald green. And use organic nutrients. For rock bottom $$ you can use a tea made out of chicken shit (buy it or use well-rotted chicken shit from your coop, the hard dusty stuff from the bottom of the pile). Fill up a 5 gal. buckets 1/5 full of chicken shit, the fill to the top with water. Stir it several times/day. It smells terrible and may make you gag. Do this for 2 weeks and now you've got concentrated fertilizer for a few pennies. Add 1/2 cup of this to every gal. of water you use on your plants. Or better use something like Fox Farms nutrients. Alright freaks, it's time to get serious. You hiked and hiked and found the perfect spot, dug holes, hauled potting soil and have been making those long treks every 2--4 days to keep your plants watered and fertilized. Now it's mid-July and things start to get interesting. I just noticed one of my 12 plants start to begin flowering. Over the next 4 weeks they'll all start. For me this is not that important. All of my plants are clones from known females. But for people who grew from seeds you gotta watch your plants like a hawk. Because during the next 5--6 weeks (could be tomorrow could be Sept.1 or anywhere in between). And you want to get rid of the males. Rip them up without mercy. Anyway I'm jazzed. I always look forward to this time of year. It's amazing watching the plants develop, and observing the buds forming. Keep at it dudes, we're coming into the home stretch. Don't worry about getting busted for outdoor grows in the woods. If the cops find it, they'll rip it up and haul it off. No police force has the manpower to stake out a grow, 3 teams of 2 cops per shift, around the clock for who knows how many days to bust some guy growing some plants. Plus, if you have a dog like I recommended, your dog will let you know if anyone is lurking nearby. Here's a tip: when you get to your plants, just stand there admiring them for a minute before watering them. If the cops leap out and say "AHA gotcha" just say wtf you talking about, it's not against the law to find some pot plants and/or to look at them. They can only bust you for cultivation if they see you cultivating (watering) or harvesting them. They can't bust you for possession either, since you aren't in possession of them. Just say you were hiking around, saw some pot plants and decieded to look at them. Unless you have nutrients in your back pack, they'll have no way to assume/prove otherwise. EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE If you booby trap your grow and the cops find it, they WILL stake it out and bust you. Because that's a much more serious crime--endangering public safety. They'll get state or federal help to stake out the grow. GIVE A HOOT Corny yeah, but it's true. -Don't leave junk laying around. No wrappers, cans, empty sacks of soil or containers of nutrients. -Stash your nutrients in the bushes (in a plastic container) and wear gloves when you handle it. -Use organic nutrients, and safe-to-people & animal insecticides. Chem. nutrients/toxic insecticides get into the water table and kill fish and generally pollute stuff.