Entrance and exit

[gorilla ganja]

Hamstring thanks for the info.

I have a swamp area near me I may have to take a hike around and really look at the area. At least 1\3 of the swamp has huge cattails.

My only concern would be mosquitos....

Mosquitoes are your best friends.
Between stinky,muddy,generally nasty areas to walk though swamps have built in guards with thick clouds of black fly's and mosquitoes.
Not the kind of place sane people accidentally wander into to have a picnic.
Just try and get the majority of your work done early before they become a problem.

Cheers GG

 

[stoned-trout]

get a camo bug suit ....fuck deet.....yeehaw...cabelas Canadian camo bug suit...

 

[Aye smokey]

Mosquitoes are your best friends.
Between stinky,muddy,generally nasty areas to walk though swamps have built in guards with thick clouds of black fly's and mosquitoes.
Not the kind of place sane people accidentally wander into to have a picnic.
Just try and get the majority of your work done early before they become a problem.

Cheers GG

Good information. I guess it worth it if others won't go into mosquito sanctuary. The mud has a smell of rotten sewage definitely that will keep almost anyone away.

Stoned-trout I have a mesh camo bug suit. I use it every fall. I hate bug spray smells horrible and kinda feels greasy.

 

[hamstring]

A lot of good info and advice I appreciate it all.

I busted out Google earth again and pulled back and took in the big picture. It didnt look good but I need to drive the whole area and see what the surrounding area looks like. Probably a 5 mile circle and lots of binoc work.

If it still looks the same I need to consider looking else where. I cant rule out the spot until mid April because things change fast as spring is in full bloom.

Of course this should always be done a year ahead of time but as I mentioned the spot I had done all the up front work on last year and this winter got burned this year. I had no idea they were going to burn several hundred acres.

I am recording this on IC mag because you almost never see a thread showing the pitfalls of picking a grow area. Growing is like an iceberg only 10% of it is the pics of the flowers but its what gets all the publicity.

Thats why I am never surprised when I see plants growing in horrible places like I did last year. I was on a kayak trip and when I pulled out at the pick up area I walked through 5 or 6 small plants in the cow pasture. The cows had not been moved to this area but I knew they would be later not to mention why would you grow 200 yards from a bridge. I drove by one day in late summer and went down to see and sure enough cows had been put out to pasture and everything was gone including the heavy grass that this guerrilla thought was his camo for his plants.

I have already been looking elsewhere but its tough coming up with something at the drop of a hat i.e. thats why there are so many failed grows every year.

10% is pics of flowers, 30% is the soil, ferts, cages etc and 60% is site choice. Do the math spend more time on site choice and less time on threads asking what amendments or strain selection.

My 2 cents and the reason for the thread.

 

[Kygiacomo!!!]

A lot of good info and advice I appreciate it all.




I am recording this on IC mag because you almost never see a thread showing the pitfalls of picking a grow area. Growing is like an iceberg only 10% of it is the pics of the flowers but its what gets all the publicity.




10% is pics of flowers, 30% is the soil, ferts, cages etc and 60% is site choice. Do the math spend more time on site choice and less time on threads asking what amendments or strain selection.

My 2 cents and the reason for the thread.

great post Hamstring! i agree 100% with u! it dont matter what u got in the soil or what strain u have if u dont get enuff light to the plant,which means spending time at the sites like u suggest. i hope u find a good one soon. security always trumps everything bc if we are not secure then we will not have a harvest.

 

[hamstring]

kygiacomo

You seem like a really good guy I always appreciate your comments.

I know where you're from its a different story many more wild places. Here in farmland USA the entrance/exit are job one because we dont have many wild places and the ones we have are surrounded by farm fields.

Look forward to your grow thread this year.

 

[DuskrayTroubador]

kygiacomo

You seem like a really good guy I always appreciate your comments.

I know where you're from its a different story many more wild places. Here in farmland USA the entrance/exit are job one because we dont have many wild places and the ones we have are surrounded by farm fields.

Look forward to your grow thread this year.

Very true. Ky and I have much more cover... I've been close enough to other people that I've heard their voices and they had no idea... ain't like that in the plains.

Trout, you wear that thing in the summer? Looks like it might get brutal in the heat.

 

[ronbo51]

Never did swamps. But I did guerrilla for 30 years. Mostly in Maine. The absolute best spots were heavily logged areas a few years after they were cut. Five years after cutting all the underbrush explodes in vibrant green and nothing is tall enough to cast meaningful shade. No one likes to go in regrown clear cuts because of the tangle. Second best spots are in old overgrown fields. Maine has thousands of old abandoned homesteads and farms where the old fields haven't been mowed in decades and these transitional areas provide great cover and remnant good soil. Otherwise, trying to find good spots is hard because the whole east coast is just a giant forest, with random holes in the canopy where hiding plants is actually pretty difficult.

Your dilemna is typical for guerrillas. An otherwise good spot receives a poor grade due to an insurmountable problem. If it weren't for this one thing..... Don't do it unless you are sure you cannot be seen by a casual observer coming/going/at the site. Good luck.

 

[hamstring]

Never did swamps. But I did guerrilla for 30 years. Mostly in Maine. The absolute best spots were heavily logged areas a few years after they were cut. Five years after cutting all the underbrush explodes in vibrant green and nothing is tall enough to cast meaningful shade. No one likes to go in regrown clear cuts because of the tangle. Second best spots are in old overgrown fields. Maine has thousands of old abandoned homesteads and farms where the old fields haven't been mowed in decades and these transitional areas provide great cover and remnant good soil. Otherwise, trying to find good spots is hard because the whole east coast is just a giant forest, with random holes in the canopy where hiding plants is actually pretty difficult.

Your dilemma is typical for guerrillas. An otherwise good spot receives a poor grade due to an insurmountable problem. If it weren't for this one thing..... Don't do it unless you are sure you cannot be seen by a casual observer coming/going/at the site. Good luck.

Hey brother spent some time in Maine myself for about 2 years and I have to agree with you finding light penetration is the deal there. Lots of small ponds and swamps though that I think may have been good for swamp growing.

 

[Buddle]

In and out is everything..because if you can't access it safely theres no other factors to consider. I'm a set it and forget it type. Once a month visit, ideally, otherwise your path is spotted before the plants.
Rondo..You are right about that. I was fortunate enough to have a spot last year that was harvested about four years previously.Even better it was on a big slope. I like swamps too.

 

[hamstring]

In and out is everything..because if you can't access it safely theres no other factors to consider. I'm a set it and forget it type. Once a month visit, ideally, otherwise your path is spotted before the plants.
Rondo..You are right about that. I was fortunate enough to have a spot last year that was harvested about four years previously.Even better it was on a big slope. I like swamps too.

Buddle
Brother from another mother. Once a month is my mantra also


I echo your thought on paths I have lost many spots over the years and to me it doesnt matter to who rippers, land owners etc. One of biggest factors in my opinion was to many visits do to things like leaf spot eradication or other plant problems . If you can keep your visits to a minimum you have a greater chance of harvest.

 

[hamstring]

For me anyways this has been a eyeopener because I never expected to hear so many guerrillas who think like mined to the Entrance/Exit question. Awesome responses.

I think this question also plays into the Entrance/Exit theme.

Some guerrillas want less plants but huge in size to increase their yield. Others want small plants ( 4- 6 ozs) for security but maybe just as important to the Entrance/Exit theme.

Do Smaller plants require less baby sitting i.e. less visits.

How do other guerrillas come down on this statement big or large plants as it pertains to Entrance/Exit and more importantly an actual harvest because thats the end game?

I am interested in everyones thoughts because all you ever read about is large plants not much from the other side of the question.

 

[D.D.]

For me large plants require more visits and small plants require few visits , but this is to do with my growing style .

I decide what size the plant is going to be before it ever goes in the ground , pushing the large plant to be just as big as it can get by visiting it weekly , but i let the small plants mostly fend for themselves , maybe visiting to feed once a month .

Not sure what i will do or where i will grow this year as my best spots are prepared , but no longer secure .
I found a good place to grow last year , and wanted to use it next year , so now i have to start all over again .

 

[hamstring]

D.D.
I feel your pain I lost my spot this year too. That brought this thread too light.

I too think smaller plants are also easier to take care of in most cases.

Two sides to every coin it takes four 1/4lb plants to equal what one large plant could bring you. I have never had much luck with large plants though. If you have a mold or a hermie problem you just lost a pound. I have had the large plants fall over in high winds. They just seem to take more care especially during flowering.


One mans opinion I would like to hear others thoughts.

 

[bd0t]

Yup large guerrilla plants are a bit of a pain. Mine always tend to snap a bit during flowering and I'm pretty sketched out about staking a bunch of plants, just makes it that much more obvious.

I'm a swamp type of grower myself. In the past I've made raised beds out of logs right near the edge where its pretty mucky and then hauled my own organic mix in. Works awesome since you dont need to worry much about water but fuck its a lot of work prepping. This season I'm going to try some osmocote on some new spots with way less prep work in mind. The other spots are still good to go though so thats nice

 

[corky1968]

Another reason people don't like beavers is because they like to make ponds all over the place.

Ponds = lots of people biting bugs (mosquitoes,black flies, etc.)

I know ponds in forested areas that are fine to be around in the daytime on sunny days.
On other hand, at night or on a cloudy days you better run for your life or the tiny
flying vampires will drain you dry.

 

[Crusader Rabbit]

kygiacomo

The site I had picked out got burned this year. In my area they burn grasslands every couple of years. Not sure I want to use it now because all the cover is now gone making security next to impossible.

Burns can make good grow spots where bushes and trees will be resprouting from the roots. There's not much heavy cover, but everything coming up is the size and shape of a pot plant, and there's plenty of sunlight. Scatter the plants and don't make a habit of visiting.

 

[corky1968]

I once made a small clearing about 100 ft by 100 ft on the north side of a
creek far in the forested area. Which was loaded with beavers. I cut the
trees in the fall at about 2 feet in height and left them there.

From the air, it probably look like beavers were going nuts. The next spring,
the trees were dry and much easier to lift. By then the clearing looked natural.
Now ferns grow there like mad. I haven't been there in years. It's nice to have
spare places to grow though.

BTW: Making a clearing at the same you grow is very risky.

 

[Cox Jared]

I prefer around 6 foot hybrid plants for guerilla growing. They don't stick out too much and are easy to deal with. The longer flowering ones I keep for home, I like to start em under lights and just finish em outdoors doesn't take long at all. In and out.

 

[hamstring]

Yup large guerrilla plants are a bit of a pain. Mine always tend to snap a bit during flowering and I'm pretty sketched out about staking a bunch of plants, just makes it that much more obvious.

I'm a swamp type of grower myself. In the past I've made raised beds out of logs right near the edge where its pretty mucky and then hauled my own organic mix in. Works awesome since you dont need to worry much about water but fuck its a lot of work prepping. This season I'm going to try some osmocote on some new spots with way less prep work in mind. The other spots are still good to go though so thats nice

I agree that it sticks out to be tying up large flowering branches. It may be just me because I'm the one doing it and my eyes see blinking red lights after I get done.

I like swamp growing also (thanks two heads). Bugs and water keep people out and relatively small plants take care of themselves.