I had an idea for people in Northern climates or places where they want the convience and security of an indoor grow but out doors. So I thought - why not dig a really big hole? I was thinking like 12 x 12 x 12 or something and just putting 3 feet of dirt on top of the roof and having like a trapdoor or something near by. The dirt would provide the insulation and you could use like a propane heater to heat it. I don't know how much would be needed for 1296 Cubic Feet of Air or w/e, but please I'd like some input on this! Thanks guys!
Been discussed, generally not a good idea. First there are real safety concerns about cave-ins and such. Second, the labor involved would be a bear (assuming you aren't using a backhoe). Third you could have humidity issues. Usually it makes more sense to find or build an indoor (above-ground) space. Having said all that, if you lick all the problems then it could work. There have been grows in caves and such.
I'd be more than willing to build an above ground shack if I could find a place for it. Cave-Ins are a good point but I had thought about that and figured that enough either 2 x 4's or a small I-Beam could easily support 144 cubic feet of dirt if I even decided to have that much above it.
FYI - a cubic ft of dirt weights between 75 and 125 lbs... so 144 cubic feet of dirt would weigh between 10,800 and 18,000 lbs
Yes, dirt weighs more than I thought it does. So in stead of a foot of dirt why not try 6 inches? I really only need enough to not make it blatantly obvious that there's a huge chamber under you feet and since the area's already secluded a foot would be over kill. I'd only need enough soil to fill pots anyway so what do you mean I'd need tons??? lol
the only way i can see this workign is to have a few 4tons of dirt which would be a good base, say 8inchs to cover that space, give or take some, id build the frame of 4x4's then run steel beams every 3 feet horizontal for the roof and place them a good 5ft into the ground laying flat to support the dirt, but from what you said if you cant build a above ground place were you live im doubting that digging a huge hole and building this is gonna work for you without neighbors asking questions, I'd still be affraid of cave ins, ask a engineer they could help you sort out your problem
My parents bought the property where they are living now back in 1992. They bought it for the estate of a really shady guy that died a few years prior. We heard the guy was involved with organized crime such as gambling, prostitution and drug trafficking so we weren't really surprised when we found a greenhouse dug into the earth with just the roof above ground level. It was built from cinder blocks with a glass-paneled roof with an aluminum frame. My Dad estimated by examining the building materials that the structure was probably built in the early 1970s. There was also power fed underground to it and a drilled well about 20 feet away. I can only guess it was used for growing MJ. We also found hole in the ground that were six feet deep, six feet long by three feet wide with the dirt still piled up beside it. Looked just like waiting grave holes. We moved a lot of earth to build a new barn last year near where the hole are and were really expecting to find a body or two. Luckily we found nothing.
Yea, I'll have to get in touch with an engineer. But this will be off my property on Public Land which complicates things even more. I would be more than willing to build a shack if I knew I could keep it hidden, but how can I visit something one a week with snow on the ground, eh?
yeah doing something like that on someone elses land wound be best but i dont see how it could be done undergground, you'd be better off gurrila growing a lot of 200 plants so you need one harvest a year, and say fuck winter go someplace warm and do it again, have two grow locations one for your own supply and one to make profit, only cost you look at are nutrients and soil, i just dont think it would be something you could do unless you had 50 acres of land and some backhoes and dozers but what the post above said is a awesome idea cyinder blocks and a see threw top,
