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 Gandhis 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 ones 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 todays 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
