A Guide to Guerrilla Growing

For some people, guerrilla growing is the only way they can grow their own cannabis. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, cannabis is still illegal in many places, and the risks of cultivating are too much for some. Secondly, the initial set up costs, running costs, and space an indoor grow room will will take up. Some people, just can’t get started.

Guerrilla growing is a solution to these problems. By finding a spot, far from home, that is secluded, and out the way of paths and people, you can grow cannabis, with very little risk, and cost.

There are still risks with guerrilla growing, but the risks are different. Your plants may be found by people, and they will most likely be attacked by bugs or animals. But, you will not be prosecuted for growing cannabis, if it is found, as it can’t be linked back to you. Let’s go through some ideas in our Guide to Guerrilla Growing, that will increase your chances of a good harvest.

If you have any questions about starting a Guerrilla grow, then feel free to ask for help in our cannabis growers forum

Finding a Spot for Guerrilla Growing

Like growing indoors, the first thing you are going to have to consider is where you plants are going to live. Something you will be looking for in the perfect guerrilla spots are:

Is it Secluded?

secluded spot for geurrilla growing cannbis, Cannabis growers forum & community, How to grow cannabis, how to grow weed, a step by step guide to growing weed, cannabis growers forum, need help with sick plant, what's wrong with my cannabis plant, percy's Grow Room, the Grow Room, Cannabis Grow Guides, weed growing forum, weed growers community, how to grow weed in coco, when is my cannabis plant ready for harvest, how to feed my cannabis plant, beginners guide to growing weed, how to grow weed for personal use, cannabis plant deficiency, how to germinate cannabis seeds, where to buy cannabis seeds, best weed growers website, Learn to grow cannabis, is it easy to grow weed

If you want to have any chance of reaching harvest, you need to ensure that the spot you choose is secluded, away from buildings, roads, or anywhere where people may travel often. You will need to do some exploring to find a good place. The harder it is to get to , the better chance you have of it not being discovered.

You should take a walk for at least half an hour away from roads. Take some hiking gear and a map, some binoculars maybe. Make it look like you’re out for a stroll. If you do come across too many people, you’re in the wrong place, find another one.

Helpful Tip: If you have found a place, or have one in mind, you can test how secluded it is. Take a bank note, of small value, and leave it in your spot. Hang it on a tree, make it visible, don’t try to hide it. You will not be able to hide the smell of your plants, you need to know that people do not come close enough to that spot, to smell your plant, or see the money. Return after a week, if the money is still there, prepare the plot for your grow.

Is There a Water Source Nearby?

Secluded spot for guerilla growing, water source near by, Cannabis growers forum & community, How to grow cannabis, how to grow weed, a step by step guide to growing weed, cannabis growers forum, need help with sick plant, what's wrong with my cannabis plant, percy's Grow Room, the Grow Room, Cannabis Grow Guides, weed growing forum, weed growers community, how to grow weed in coco, when is my cannabis plant ready for harvest, how to feed my cannabis plant, beginners guide to growing weed, how to grow weed for personal use, cannabis plant deficiency, how to germinate cannabis seeds, where to buy cannabis seeds, best weed growers website, Learn to grow cannabis, is it easy to grow weed

You will not be able to visit your plant often. Everytime you visit it, you’re making tracks to it. Once planted, you will not visit the plant again for at least a month, so it will need to be close enough to water, to draw moisture from the ground.

Also, if there is a noticeable drought, with no rain for 7 days, you will have to go out, to your spot, and water the plant. You can’t go trekking around with large containers of water, it is suspicious, and hard work! Finding a spot that is close to a water source will make the feeding process easier if you need to do it.

Any Street Lights?

An easily overlooked part of guerrilla growing, is lighting. Depending on what strain you’re growing, light cycles can make a huge difference. You need your night cycles to be uninterrupted. You should be well away from roads and street lighting any way, but bear this in mind too, just incase.

Preparing a Guerrilla Grow Spot

Now you have found a place, and you are confident that it is secluded, and you plants will be safe, you need to prepare your spot.

Prepare the Soil

Sometimes, the soil you are planting into, will not be ideal for small plants. It may have too much, or not enough of what a cannabis plant needs. Because of this, it is best practise to dig a hole, and fill it with some fresh soil that is more specific for cannabis growing. Using a 50/50 mixture of good soil, and potting mix, will give your plants a nice medium to grow into.

Also, use a medium that will hold water for longer, as you will not be able to visit the spot often to water them. Even if you wanted to, and have time, the more you visit, the more chance you have of leaving tracks and being spotted.

Dig holes big enough to hold at least 25L of soil. It maybe hard to get this amount of soil out without being spotted, so use your initiative and try and be as discreet as possible.

Preparing your Plants for Guerrilla Growing

There are two ways you can go about this. Firstly, start your plants indoors for a while before planting them into their guerrilla spot. Secondly, plant your seeds directly outside after the soil is prepared.

Starting Indoors:
cannabis plant growing outdoor, adjusting to sunlight, Cannabis growers forum & community, How to grow cannabis, how to grow weed, a step by step guide to growing weed, cannabis growers forum, need help with sick plant, what's wrong with my cannabis plant, percy's Grow Room, the Grow Room, Cannabis Grow Guides, weed growing forum, weed growers community, how to grow weed in coco, when is my cannabis plant ready for harvest, how to feed my cannabis plant, beginners guide to growing weed, how to grow weed for personal use, cannabis plant deficiency, how to germinate cannabis seeds, where to buy cannabis seeds, best weed growers website, Learn to grow cannabis, is it easy to grow weed

The problem with starting indoors, is you will have to move the plants to the spot, without being detected. If you think you can do this, then awesome, it is a great way to get huge plants. Just make sure you give the plant a few hours a day in sunlight, before planting them into the spot. This is so they can adjust gradually to the strength of the sun light.

Planting Outdoors

By planting cannabis seeds directly outdoors, you will one, let the plant grow and adjust to its environment from the start of its life cycle. And two, be much more discreet when going to plant your guerrilla crop.

The problem is, these small plants are more susceptible to be eaten by animals or bugs. You have to take precautions to make sure your plant will be safe when you’re not around.

It is best to soak your seeds, and germinate them using the paper towel method before heading to your guerrilla site. This will expose the tap root, and will give a head start to the plant once it is planted. Plant them just a couple of centimetres deep, cover, and leave them. Cross your fingers, and hope for the best.

Prevent Bugs and Animals from Eating a Guerrilla Grow.

Bugs and Pests

Bugs are going to be difficult to control in an outdoor environment, you have to hope the plants own immune system can fight them off when they’re bigger. You can take precautions such as using slug pellets, and insect repellents. But you’re fighting against nature here. Plant a few extra plants, as you will probably lose a few to bugs.

bugs on the underside of cannabis leaves, Cannabis growers forum & community, How to grow cannabis, how to grow weed, a step by step guide to growing weed, cannabis growers forum, need help with sick plant, what's wrong with my cannabis plant, percy's Grow Room, the Grow Room, Cannabis Grow Guides, weed growing forum, weed growers community, how to grow weed in coco, when is my cannabis plant ready for harvest, how to feed my cannabis plant, beginners guide to growing weed, how to grow weed for personal use, cannabis plant deficiency, how to germinate cannabis seeds, where to buy cannabis seeds, best weed growers website, Learn to grow cannabis, is it easy to grow weed

Whenever you go out to check your plants, take a neem oil solution with you and do IPM. Check thoroughly for bugs, and spray the underside of your leaves during veg to try and prevent them laying eggs on your plants.

Animals

Animals are easier to keep away. You can use chicken wire around your plants, tucked well into the ground, to make sure no animals can get in. By using chicken wire around your plants, and then and extra layer around your whole grow spot will increase your chances of keeping animals out.

Be careful of the colour and how reflective your chicken wire is. Remember to always stay secluded and try not to be seen.

You can prevent animals lurking around your guerrilla site by making sure all rubbish, and anything you bring with you is always removed from the grow area. Animals will smell this, and come to investigate looking for food. When you visit your spot, leave nothing behind, not even footprints!

Equipment to Start Guerrilla Growing

When you are ready, you will need to head out to your plot, and being work. You should have already visited the site and prepared the soil a week or so before heading out there with your plants or seeds. The site should also have been tested to ensure it is secluded enough, away from light leaks, and at a very minimum 10m away from any paths.

It’s time to head to the spot, and begin your guerrilla grow. Don’t forget to take everything with you, this is the last time you will visit the place for a while, the more you visit, the more tracks will be made. DON’T FORGET ANYTHING!

  • Germinated Seeds or Cuttings
  • Gardening Tools; Trowel, Spade, Labels
  • Water with root some stimulator, and Microbes.
  • Bug and Animal Prevention: Chicken wire, slug pellets etc
  • Joints/ Spliffs / Bong / Pipe / Cannabis, or all of these.

When you’re going out to your guerrilla spot, dress up like you’re hiking, rock climbing, birdwatching or something like this. You will need an excuse to be carrying a backpack, while you’re out there, should you come across any one. You don’t want to look out of place. Take every precaution necessary.

How Often to Visit Your Guerrilla Growing Site.

As little as possible! After you have planted your seed or cuttings, and made the site secure from animals and bugs, you should not return for at least 2 weeks. Everytime you visit the plants, you risk exposing their location.

Unless there has been no rain for 7 days, you should not need to visit your plant until it is going into the middle stages of flowering. As late summer approaches head back to your site with some nutrients that are heavy in potassium and phosphorus.

Bat guano for growing cannabis, increase cannabis flavour, how to make tasty weed, Cannabis growers forum & community, How to grow cannabis, how to grow weed, a step by step guide to growing weed, cannabis growers forum, need help with sick plant, what's wrong with my cannabis plant, percy's Grow Room, the Grow Room, Cannabis Grow Guides, weed growing forum, weed growers community, how to grow weed in coco, when is my cannabis plant ready for harvest, how to feed my cannabis plant, beginners guide to growing weed, how to grow weed for personal use, cannabis plant deficiency, how to germinate cannabis seeds, where to buy cannabis seeds, best weed growers website, Learn to grow cannabis, is it easy to grow weed

This will give the plant an extra boost to push out bigger flowers. If you add some bat guano too, the terpenes will be more prominent and give you extra flavour.

After this, the next time you visit your plant will be into autumn, near harvest time. At this time, moisture will be high in the air, and it will rain more. Your plants may be susceptible to rot at this stage.

If you find rot, harvest your plants ASAP! Go home, and collect the equipment you need to harvest, and take the plants down.

Harvesting a Guerrilla Grow.

Harvesting your guerrilla grow will be the most risky time of the whole process. You will need to head to your plot, early morning, as the sun comes up, when there is very little chance of people being around.

Some growers will move their flowers off site and dry elsewhere, some have no choice to to dry in the guerrilla spot outdoors. Like everything in growing, each has their own pros and cons.

Drying a Guerrilla Grow indoors.

Head to the site, and take with you some strong cutting shears, and a opaque, plastic container, big enough to hold your harvest. Of course, if this is going to be a big harvest, take numerous trips, rather than carrying a huge container!

harvesting cannabis outdoors, plastic tub of cannabis, Cannabis growers forum & community, How to grow cannabis, how to grow weed, a step by step guide to growing weed, cannabis growers forum, need help with sick plant, what's wrong with my cannabis plant, percy's Grow Room, the Grow Room, Cannabis Grow Guides, weed growing forum, weed growers community, how to grow weed in coco, when is my cannabis plant ready for harvest, how to feed my cannabis plant, beginners guide to growing weed, how to grow weed for personal use, cannabis plant deficiency, how to germinate cannabis seeds, where to buy cannabis seeds, best weed growers website, Learn to grow cannabis, is it easy to grow weed

Dress up in your usual guerrilla disguise, hiker, fisher man, birdwatcher, and head to the site. Chop branches off the plants and place them into the container, until it is full. Then, quickly get the container home, and hang it to dry.

When drying indoors, you will need to have a carbon filter! The smell will otherwise leak out, and it will be detected. It is rule number 3 and must not be broken! Cover the smell, or get caught!

Most growers are guerrilla growing because they do not have the space to grow indoors, or the resources to buy a carbon filter and extractor. Because of this, drying on site is a common practise.

Drying a Guerrilla Grow on Site

This is also very risky, the smell of the plants after they are chopped is very strong. This is when you will know for sure if your spot is good for next year.

Tie some string between two trees, or posts. Chop the plants at the base, and hang them. Air flow is important to drying buds, and stale air can cause mould to form. To prevent bud rot, and mould you need to ensure the buds stay as dry as possible, but still get plenty of air flow.

hanging cannabis outdoors, drying cannabis outdoors, how to dry cannabis outdoors, how to dry a guerilla grow, Cannabis growers forum & community, How to grow cannabis, how to grow weed, a step by step guide to growing weed, cannabis growers forum, need help with sick plant, what's wrong with my cannabis plant, percy's Grow Room, the Grow Room, Cannabis Grow Guides, weed growing forum, weed growers community, how to grow weed in coco, when is my cannabis plant ready for harvest, how to feed my cannabis plant, beginners guide to growing weed, how to grow weed for personal use, cannabis plant deficiency, how to germinate cannabis seeds, where to buy cannabis seeds, best weed growers website, Learn to grow cannabis, is it easy to grow weed

Use some plastic sheeting like tarpaulin, as a slanted roof over your hanging plants. This will prevent rain falling onto them, but still give plenty of space for air to flow around.

Cardboard boxes

Alternatively, you could take some cardboards boxes to the site, and hang the buds inside those. Have some holes in the side of the boxes, to encourage more air flow, and cover these to prevent rain getting to them.

You are a Guerrilla Grower

After a week or so, your buds will be dry enough to use! Check thoroughly for any signs of mould and rot, and if all is clear, you can put your buds into jars and begin the curing process!

Growing outdoors is a massively efficient way to grow cannabis, guerrilla growing even more so! By just planting some seeds, or cuttings, and visiting a couple of times throughout the grow season, you can grow a huge amount of personal cannabis.

Even if you have space indoors, why not give it a try, take some cuttings or germinate a few spare seeds. Become a Guerrilla grower, and have organic, naturally grown cannabis, and also earn that forum bling.

Cannabis Growers Forum

Thanks for reading! You can find more information on anything related to growing in our cannabis grow guides. All of our guides are written by experienced growers, and members of our cannabis growers forum. If you have any questions, sign up. It is free, and we are always happy to help!

21 thoughts on “A Guide to Guerrilla Growing”

  1. @macky
    Hey macky, and thanks for the welcome.
    I don’t think it was my germination, my technique is soaking the seed 24 hrs, then putting it (or them) in a damp paper tower and put that that in a baggie which goes into dark place in the house. Most time the tail starts growing by the 3rd day, if no growth in 14 days, I chuck the seed. I store the seeds in an airtight bag in the shipping container which is kept in the veg dept of the fridge. Been doing this way for years.
    I think the seeds were leftovers from an earlier crop. This year I’ll wait until early Feb to order this coming years crop, hoping to get better seeds.
    Anyway, I’m looking forward to chatting with other farmers here at Percys.
     

  2. Thanks for the input mate, and welcome to Percys. Shame you had a bad experience. I would say it was your germination technique, but if you’ve been growing since the 70s, im sure you have that under control. 

    And like you say, seedsman might replace them, but that doesn’t make up for lost time. Maybe order extra seeds this year and germinate more than you need to, just incase you have more problems. Seeds can often be over heated during transit. If left by a heater in a van or something, they can over heat and that kills them. Most the time it isnt the seed banks fault. Just one of those things. 

  3. Up until last year, Seedsman was my “go-to seed company". Then last year I ordered 40 female seeds and 15 of those seeds were duds and one of the 40 was a male. Not good germination odds. The kicker is two of the medical strains, Clinical White and Super Critical Bud made up of 10 of the seeds that didn’t germinate.
    I’ve been growing pot since the early 70’s and my germination rate is excellent….when I have good seeds to work with.
    Seedsman will eventually make good for the bad seeds, problem is that I grow outdoors and have a limited window to put the seeds in the ground. By the time Seedsman acknowledged the problem, 3 weeks had lapsed and be the time they finally got me so called replacements (these were strains I did not want) another 4 weeks passed. Way too late to plant.
    This year I’m definitely going to another seed bank.
     

  4. Yer seedman are quality man, but don’t forget about chosen seeds, you get a discount code buying with them, 10% off 😉 Ill inbox it you if you need it, i have not set up the discount code section yet i dont think

  5. Posted by: Lucas3330I believe they give you discounts of your subtotal. 🙂 If you’re patient and not in real rush to buy the seeds. i would recommend you wait till the site does some sort of deal! they love to give away some seeds. last Halloween  i spent like £60 and got over £200 worth ^^ Plus i know the site probs get some deals/promotion knowing macky! best to wait for hes go ahead

    I’l hang on then ?

  6. I believe they give you discounts of your subtotal. 🙂 If you’re patient and not in real rush to buy the seeds. i would recommend you wait till the site does some sort of deal! they love to give away some seeds. last Halloween  i spent like £60 and got over £200 worth ^^ Plus i know the site probs get some deals/promotion knowing macky! best to wait for hes go ahead

  7. Posted by: Lucas3330Seedsman my favourtie seedbank, not had much variety but there solid 🙂 amazing deals too if ya can catch them! sadly i didnt buy another order in time and lost 200 loyalty points 🙁

    What’s the loyalty points for? Just got 200 for signing up? Never used seedsman seeds before but definitely ordering them seeds for my outdoor grow ?

  8. Posted by: Macky

    Posted by: Buddy

    Posted by: Fu manchu

    Posted by: BuddyGood read! I’m defo going to be trying this out! Found myself a good little spot 

    Wow awesome! Let us know how it goes ?

    I’l keep you all updated, just waiting for the great British shitty weather to decide what it’s doing ?

    Lol, like that’s gonna happen! 😉 Purple Maroc is a good strain for out door uk growing 

    Where would I get some of them macky? 

  9. Posted by: Buddy
    Posted by: Fu manchu
    Posted by: Buddy

    Good read! I’m defo going to be trying this out! Found myself a good little spot 

    Wow awesome! Let us know how it goes ?

    I’l keep you all updated, just waiting for the great British shitty weather to decide what it’s doing ?

    Lol, like that’s gonna happen! 😉 Purple Maroc is a good strain for out door uk growing 

  10. Posted by: Fu manchu

    Posted by: BuddyGood read! I’m defo going to be trying this out! Found myself a good little spot 

    Wow awesome! Let us know how it goes ?

    I’l keep you all updated, just waiting for the great British shitty weather to decide what it’s doing ?

  11. Posted by: AND

    Wouldn’t mind having a go…its just finding a decent spot that no one else can. Had the same thought about building an alcohol still and producing some 120 proof spirit 🙂

    Might do the both at the same time…

     

    Nah man, stick to the weed, fuck that 120 proof shit lol

  12. Wouldn’t mind having a go…its just finding a decent spot that no one else can. Had the same thought about building an alcohol still and producing some 120 proof spirit 🙂

    Might do the both at the same time…

     

Leave a comment