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Guerilla Underground Thread
- Thread starter MountainBudz
- Start date
I'm weighing my options for a summer grow this year after a long hiatus, and with negotiations with my wife for an indoor grow going south, I've been eyeing some woods in my area as potential guerilla plots. I've read through this whole thread and have learned a lot, but I have some questions.
1. I live in a medium city with a lot of neighborhoods separated by hills and cliffs, with a good amount of unmaintained forested land scattered around. I like the look of a couple of spots like this for smaller plants, like auto-ak47 or flo. What I wonder is just how far the scent of a small plant can travel. The spots I'm considering are bordered by roads, houses, and businesses, and are maybe a few hundred yards across at the widest point. I'm pretty confident I could keep the plants from being seen, but if people can smell it from their back yard, it might raise a red flag.
2. I've been considering a couple of big parks with hiking trails for larger plants, namely PNG and Durban Poison. I'd rather they didn't get 10+ feet tall, as I'm only growing for my own stash, and I'd like to keep them well hidden. I know growing in a pot can restrict growth, but it requires frequent visits to water and feed. Would a buried fabric pot allow the same kind of water retention as planting in the ground while controlling the size of the plant by restricting it's roots? Or would it be better to plant the big tropical varieties later in the season? Maybe both?
3. I read about drying on site by hanging a plant upside down, possibly under a tarp. If the relative humidity at harvest time is super high, would putting branches into 5gal buckets with dessicant packs work?
4. I've read that seeding a plant can speed maturation. Does anyone have any experience with this? I was planning to make seed in my indoor grow this season, and if I have to go outdoors, I'll probably still plant 3 or so of each variety in hopes of getting a male or two. Do any of you think seeding a plant that normally takes 16-20 weeks would reduce the flowering time very much?
Thanks to everyone that's contributed to this thread. It's a great read and it's super informative. I hope everyone has a great season!
1. I live in a medium city with a lot of neighborhoods separated by hills and cliffs, with a good amount of unmaintained forested land scattered around. I like the look of a couple of spots like this for smaller plants, like auto-ak47 or flo. What I wonder is just how far the scent of a small plant can travel. The spots I'm considering are bordered by roads, houses, and businesses, and are maybe a few hundred yards across at the widest point. I'm pretty confident I could keep the plants from being seen, but if people can smell it from their back yard, it might raise a red flag.
2. I've been considering a couple of big parks with hiking trails for larger plants, namely PNG and Durban Poison. I'd rather they didn't get 10+ feet tall, as I'm only growing for my own stash, and I'd like to keep them well hidden. I know growing in a pot can restrict growth, but it requires frequent visits to water and feed. Would a buried fabric pot allow the same kind of water retention as planting in the ground while controlling the size of the plant by restricting it's roots? Or would it be better to plant the big tropical varieties later in the season? Maybe both?
3. I read about drying on site by hanging a plant upside down, possibly under a tarp. If the relative humidity at harvest time is super high, would putting branches into 5gal buckets with dessicant packs work?
4. I've read that seeding a plant can speed maturation. Does anyone have any experience with this? I was planning to make seed in my indoor grow this season, and if I have to go outdoors, I'll probably still plant 3 or so of each variety in hopes of getting a male or two. Do any of you think seeding a plant that normally takes 16-20 weeks would reduce the flowering time very much?
Thanks to everyone that's contributed to this thread. It's a great read and it's super informative. I hope everyone has a great season!
What to start with....
The spot dictates the method. It can also dictate the strains. No use growing sativas in a climate where they would never finish.
"pretty confident" won't cut it. Unless you know that if you got in the spot that the plant will be and stayed there for a few good hours and nobody would see you, then why risk it? Yes, if there is fast moving traffic in the area or people just don't give it a second look, it can be done. Also in a city you can always walk by the place with shopping bags with a water bottle in there.
Restricting growth can be done in many ways. Supercropping, fim, last, crunching the stem a bit, mainlining,.... Or just plant later. Later in the dirt, less time to grow before flowering.
I wouldn't try the bucket thing. But that's just me.
Seeding? Pollination makes them mature faster? That's a new one for me. Can't comment on it. But I doubt it. There would be a market for that. Either a lot of hash and cheap seeds, or really cheap seeded bud.
The spot dictates the method. It can also dictate the strains. No use growing sativas in a climate where they would never finish.
"pretty confident" won't cut it. Unless you know that if you got in the spot that the plant will be and stayed there for a few good hours and nobody would see you, then why risk it? Yes, if there is fast moving traffic in the area or people just don't give it a second look, it can be done. Also in a city you can always walk by the place with shopping bags with a water bottle in there.
Restricting growth can be done in many ways. Supercropping, fim, last, crunching the stem a bit, mainlining,.... Or just plant later. Later in the dirt, less time to grow before flowering.
I wouldn't try the bucket thing. But that's just me.
Seeding? Pollination makes them mature faster? That's a new one for me. Can't comment on it. But I doubt it. There would be a market for that. Either a lot of hash and cheap seeds, or really cheap seeded bud.
Thanks for the feedback. I've only been looking for potential plots recently as I drive around town. If I go this route, I'll probably plant later in the season to be sure I can spend some time in each spot with all the surrounding vegetation leafed out to get a really good feel for visibility. I'd love to get some trail cams to keep an eye on things, but if I were going to spend that kind of money, I might as well build a cabinet.
I guess trying to finish a plant that comes from 6 degrees south of the equator this far north would be a losing battle. It probably wouldn't start flowering til after the equinox, and then it would want to run til Dec or Jan. I may still try for the sake of making some seed, but we'll see how things go.
The bucket idea is a little strange, I admit. I looked up the average rh for Oct around here, and it looks like it's ~70%, which I think I could work with.
I may have misunderstood what I read regarding pollination speeding maturity. I probably saw 4-6 weeks for seed maturity and got confused. I don't even remember where I saw it. Oh well...
Thanks for your help!
I guess trying to finish a plant that comes from 6 degrees south of the equator this far north would be a losing battle. It probably wouldn't start flowering til after the equinox, and then it would want to run til Dec or Jan. I may still try for the sake of making some seed, but we'll see how things go.
The bucket idea is a little strange, I admit. I looked up the average rh for Oct around here, and it looks like it's ~70%, which I think I could work with.
I may have misunderstood what I read regarding pollination speeding maturity. I probably saw 4-6 weeks for seed maturity and got confused. I don't even remember where I saw it. Oh well...
Thanks for your help!
^that, just plant later if you want smaller plants.
a buried smartpot will probably dry out a bit slower as an aboveground smartpot, since it's not evaporating water out the sides.
but the big thing why full soil doesn't need as much water is because the roots expand more, they cover a larger volume of soil, so if all that soil can hold a certain % of it's weight in water, more soil covered by roots=more water available to the plant.
but if you're restricting the roots to a small volume with a buried smartpot, you don't get that benefit.
btw, I haven't noticed seedede plants maturing earlier. I often pollinate a branch or two, the seeds themselves indeed mature in 4-6 weeks, but that's not the same as ripe buds. it just means that 4-6 weeks after pollination you can pick nice darkbrown ripe seeds out of the buds. the buds could be still forming new flowers at that point, or be far past best harevesttime.
a buried smartpot will probably dry out a bit slower as an aboveground smartpot, since it's not evaporating water out the sides.
but the big thing why full soil doesn't need as much water is because the roots expand more, they cover a larger volume of soil, so if all that soil can hold a certain % of it's weight in water, more soil covered by roots=more water available to the plant.
but if you're restricting the roots to a small volume with a buried smartpot, you don't get that benefit.
btw, I haven't noticed seedede plants maturing earlier. I often pollinate a branch or two, the seeds themselves indeed mature in 4-6 weeks, but that's not the same as ripe buds. it just means that 4-6 weeks after pollination you can pick nice darkbrown ripe seeds out of the buds. the buds could be still forming new flowers at that point, or be far past best harevesttime.
TychoMonolyth
Boreal Curing
TychoMonolyth
Boreal Curing
1. In your situation I'd plant a few autos, then photos. Start your Autos in 3" peat pots about 4 weeks before you can get out to the spot. Then start some a couple weeks after that. Scheduling your harvest is important. And smell is a function of the strain. A couple years ago I grew ONE 12 inch Revolver with a single cola that stunk like 5 dead skunks from 200 feet. People visiting from the city for a BBQ would stop.. sniff... and say.. "There's a skunk around here." lol. Dr. Greenthumbs has a low odour Incognito that apparently is NO odor until you start trimming it, but a few people told me to stay away from him. Super expensive and suspect delivery. I'd risk it for a couple seeds though.
2. Besides the logistics of moving a pot to the location (do it at night?), put your pot in a garbage bag the the garbage bag in the hole. The soil won't wick the water away from your plant this way. Remember to poke a few holes (5-7 pencil sized holes) in your garbage bag for drainage.
3. Google "historical humidity <city>" to see where the humidity is likely to be at harvest time. I'm at 50-65% until it's time to harvest, then it jumps to 100%! (fuck!). If you put your fresh bud in a bin with dessicant packs, it'll start rotting that day and be slimy within two. If I HAD to, I'd check the forecast and wait for a couple sunny days and I'd completely defoliate the plant (bring your scissors), ring the plant. That means removing the bark from around the foot of the main stalk and let it die standing. If humidity is low enough, you might get away with the majority of the drying.
4. I doubt seeding it would speed it more than a week. I may be wrong. I did read up on some old school methods to speed finishing though. Sounds crazy.
- Split the main stalk with a knife for about 3 inches.
- Twist the knife and slide a twig in the slit to keep the slit open.
The pending death puts the flowering in high gear as a survival mechanism kicks in to finish asap. I think it may hermie at this point, but if you harvest a week or two later, who cares.
If you want to seed, make sure it's far far far away from your plants. Like miles away. Years ago I planted a couple Fems in a forest clearing (I have 500 acres to play with), and I still found a few seeds in the bud. Pollen travels like clouds and can go for miles and miles. The day you see pollen sacs open, carefully slide a garbage bag over it, and cut it down. Stick a few bud branches in the bag, shake the bag and remove it gently. Tie up the garbage bag and carry it out to a garbage bin. A couple nice branch colas can give you 1000+ seeds no problem.
Note that you may need a couple weeks for the white hairs to show up on your female buds, so it may be better to bring the male plant home and collect the pollen in a baggie (with a bit of rice to keep it dry) until it's ready to use. Then you can use a small paint brush to pollinate the flowers.
Good luck.
--Edit--
About peat pots: They can be acidic, so before you add your soil, dunk them underwater and rinse them until bubbles stop coming off them. It only takes a few seconds. When you water, water from the bottom in the tray. Don't be afraid to add 1 inch of water in the tray. When the top of the pot starts drying, add water from the top, then water from the bottom again. Let the pots wick the water to your seedlings, and don't start adding 1/4 nutes until week 2. Normal feeding at week 4 before they go out.
About your soil: I use this recipe so I don't have to feed once they are out in the field.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju6TDrMJxWU
[YOUTUBEIF]ju6TDrMJxWU[/YOUTUBEIF]
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TychoMonolyth
Boreal Curing
Unless you're growing autos, I think you should be at 18/6 then put out on June 1 and you should be good. Flowering starts when the days get shorter, so slowly counting down might risk flowering and then re-vegging when you put them out.
If I'm wrong, someone will correct me. I'm curious about the slow decrease in light.
If I'm wrong, someone will correct me. I'm curious about the slow decrease in light.
Yea im wondering if straight to 18/6 would cause them to flower even though it's still a veg cycle. Was hopeful i could put them out may1 or the 14 at the latest. Thinking of getting some autos to supplement harvest. Looking for original low ryder1 or 2 should make for great winter breeding project.
Thanks for your detailed response!
I think I'll only run one round of autos for some quick stash. For photoperiod strains, I wanted to do a couple Flos and/or a couple Baglung Nepalis, which are both supposed to finish around the end of Sept.
If I started seed in early July and planted them out in the beginning of august, i figure they should stay pretty small. I'll start the Durban and PNG in august, in the hopes that they start flowering as soon as they're able.
Are you growing out some of your Honduran seed outdoors? I figure if you can finish a tropical strain as far north as you are, I might as well try to at least make some seed.
How often do you have to water with your trash bag method? I was thinking I'd plant directly in the ground, but keep the hole small. Hopefully, this will help to restrict the ultimate size while still allowing the roots to scavenge for water so I don't have to visit that often. The advice I always used to give folks who were planting trees was to dig a hole twice as wide as the rootball and mix compost in with the native soil to give a good transition zone for the roots to grow through.i think by keeping the hole roughly the size of a #3 or #5 pot, it should provide plenty of space to grow and establish itself before the roots reach the heavy native soil and slow down.
I checked the RH for Oct and Nov, and it looks like it's usually around 70%. That seems fair for the first stage of drying, ya? I could visit with some big kilners jars and do a rough trim to bring them home to start curing.
I have been considering girdling to force the plants to finish faster, and it makes sense that it would also help to dry it in situ without the need to hang it. Would it dry too fast without defoliation, or is that just to encourage the plant to die where it stands?
Regarding pollen travel, I used to live in Portland, OR, 50 miles downwind of the biggest growing area for sod and grass seed in the western US. I'm allergic to grass, so i'm well aware how well pollen travels. I'll try to catch any males before they start dropping and collect as much as I can for controlled pollination on the females.
Thanks for the advice on soaking the peat pots.
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TychoMonolyth
Boreal Curing
I don't grow indoors. Too many kids dropping in. But yes, I will. I picked up a pound of seeds when I was there so I don't need any more. But it's one of the best and clearest highs I've ever had (but I'm a total lightweight). So I'll be growing a couple dozen or so. If the weather's nice I might have some to smoke.
I plant directly in the ground because I'm in a watershed with plenty of low lying areas, lots of groundwater and semi dry marshes. But if I did use them, I'd add a little water crystals to ease the burden a bit. But how much you water depends on how much it rains and if it's planted in an area that will collect water. I would think once every two-three weeks would be enough with occasional precipitation. Maybe never. I put a lot out and don't visit all that often unless we get a month of no rain. Even then, I've never watered. Buy mid August it's going to start getting lots of rain water.
That's a good HR for a nice long dry. The longer the dry, the better it is, but your risk for mold goes way up. Lucky you. I'm at a crushing 100%RH at harvest time. But I defoliate the fuck out of everything as it matures and it's complete at harvest time. I trim on the plant as much as I can on the spot to reduce the weight I have to haul, and reduce the risk of mold/rot. I use hockey equipment bags to haul because they're big and aerated. You can smell me coming a mile away.
If it's dry enough, it should dry standing, but again, you risk mold and bud rot without defoliation. If you do it, it will die absolutely. It's supposed to force an early finish, but it will for sure start the drying. I wouldn't advise to do it unless you're almost ready to harvest and it's at least 60% RH. But I've done it. lol
Your welcome, but that comes from Julian's thread. It should be required reading for every grower. Search for the "MASSIVE OUTDOOR GROW" thread. It's a big thread but a great read.
I run my outdoor plants indoors from 24/0, then to 18/6 for a week, then finally to 16/8 for a week or 2 before they go outside for the year.
This has always been great for me. Never had a plant flower on me when I put it outside on May 15th.
TychoMonolyth
Boreal Curing
Thanks for the tip. Puts me at ease doing that.
TychoMonolyth
Boreal Curing
M.o.g?
TychoMonolyth
Boreal Curing
Ah... I should have known that. Lol
