Guerilla Growing

Marijuana Horticulture

by Jorge Cervantes

Guerilla growing, a term coined in the early 1970s, requires strategy, time, and most often, physical prowess. Depending upon your location and local laws, clandestine guerilla growing in remote locations could be your only option.

Location and security are the main concerns for a guerilla grower. Choose a location that has limited public access. Check regulations for hunting and recreation, and think of who might be using the area: hunters, mushroomers, other marijuana growers, hikers, dirt-bikers, Boy Scouts, etc. Select a remote site unlikely to be used casually.

Look for a site that already has big green stands of vegetation. Marijuana is a vigorous plant with a large root system, and a flowering female will stand out if surrounding vegetation dies back before harvest. Stands of thorny blackberry bushes, ferns, and meadow grass are good options.

Prepare your marijuana patch up to six months before planting. Remove green vegetation in the fall for a spring garden. Clear a few patches to allow sufficient sunshine, cut back roots of competing plants, and till planting holes two to three feet square. If possible, allow amended soil to sit for a months or longer before planting. Remote locations are hard to visit on a regular basis, so proper planning and preparation is important. If your home and guerilla gardens are similar, you can pant an indicator crop like tomatoes as a backyard guide to your hidden plants’ condition.

Ample water is an important factor for site selection. If you cannot count n rainfall, locate your garden near a water source that does not dry up in the summer. Doing so will make watering easier and cut the chance of being spotted hauling water. Exclusive access by bat will reduce risk of discovery, but make sure your plants cannot be seen from the boat. Many people use waterways and explore land bordering rivers.

Plants need a minimum of five t six hours of sunshine a day. Scout sites in the winter and try to visualize how the trees will cast shadows during the summer months. Remember that the sun takes a higher path in the spring and summer. Five hours of direct midday sun per day is essential for acceptable growth. More is better. Rocky terrain, hillside terraces, and grasslands all receive good amount of sunlight.

Wind patterns will affect your garden and influence where pants are located. Do your homework. Research average wind direction and force. Windbreaks protect plants from heat and water loss.