Guerrilla cannabis grow is a technique that has been adopted by many cannabis growers in order to keep their growing activity anonymous and away from prying eyes. This strategic approach involves grow cannabis plants in remote and hidden locations, away from private property and prying eyes.
Guerrilla grow is an adventure that combines a passion for cannabis with the need for discretion, nature and respect for the law. Join us on this journey to discover the secrets and strategies that we explain to you in our online grow shop. Make yourself comfortable, because we want you to learn a lot about guerrilla grow.
Guerrilla grow is a cannabis grow technique that involves growing discreetly in remote or hidden areas such as forests or mountains, out of sight of others and away from private property. This strategy allows growers to maintain security and anonymity while harvesting their own cannabis plants.
How to do guerrilla grow step by step
If we are thinking about grow guerrilla crops, we must take into account several aspects. If we want to achieve a successful grow we will have to be aware of all the steps we will have to follow to do it.
Location
It is essential to find the right place. It should be a discreet place, away from any signs indicating the passage of people such as roads or paths.
Camouflage
It is important to camouflage your guerrilla grow. Even if you have chosen a remote location, it is essential to camouflage and protect your growing from the view of others. It is advisable to use natural plants and vegetation to hide the growing.
Preparing the growing area
The soil where we are going to grow our plants must be ideal for the correct development of the plants. We will optimise the substrate for a better retention of humidity and if necessary we will add slow release fertilisers.
Watering
We must guarantee the water supply so that our plants do not die of thirst. Water is indispensable for the survival of our plants in guerrilla grow.
Pest control
Any insect or animal pest can ruin all our work and destroy the growing. Therefore, we must prevent and protect our grow from any predator that may invade our plants.
Read on and we will explain in more detail how to carry out your guerrilla grow.
Where is the best place for guerrilla grow?
Cannabis plants in guerrilla grow will need the same basic conditions as any other cannabis plant grown outdoors. That is why we will have to satisfy the same needs of the plants as in any other place. Keep in mind that cannabis plants will need lighting, water and good substrate with nutrients.
One of the most important factors is to choose a discreet place that is well hidden, since if our plants are in plain sight they can be discovered, stolen or even seen in them. Avoid areas that are close to busy roads, footpaths, housing estates, houses, farmhouses, etc. Avoid areas where there is rubbish or signs of human life.
We will look for a place where there is a lot of vegetation, full of undergrowth, many bushes such as brambles or even reeds, which we can use for camouflage. This will prevent our plants from being spotted from afar, or our guerrilla grow area from attracting the attention of curious onlookers.
Finding the right grow site
Seek locations away from trails and busy roads. Avoid private areas and other people’s property. Discretion is the key. Then, the right place will be an area where there is as little human life as possible, which receives enough light to be able to develop our plants in the best possible way.
Light
We must bear in mind that we must not only look for the right place, but also for the area. It is important that the place where we are going to grow our cannabis plants faces south. With this, our plants will receive much more light, giving us a better production.
Water
In addition, it is important to look for an area with a nearby water source, such as streams, rivers, or creeks. This way we will avoid carrying bottles of water. In the case of not having water nearby, we will have to create a water tank, either in the form of a raft or with jerry cans, although the latter may attract more attention so that we are discovered.
Soil
It will be important to check the soil and surrounding plants. We need our guerrilla grow cannabis plants to have the nutrients they need to thrive. If the surrounding plants are healthy, with good colour, it is an indication that the soil may be rich in nutrients. If not, we can always prepare the soil to provide nutrients for the plants.
Wind
Another important factor is the wind, it can be an enemy, so we should look for areas where the air flows, but without receiving strong winds directly. The flowing air will keep some insects away and maintain a good temperature in our growing area, avoiding air pockets. On the other hand, strong wind can break branches or our plants, causing a disaster in the growing.
If our guerrilla grow is located in an area that is directly affected by the wind, the smell of our plants can be felt up to 15 metres away.
How to camouflage a guerrilla grow?
Once we have found our ideal location to plant our cannabis plants, we will camouflage the area so that we cannot be seen working in it.
The best way to camouflage our guerrilla grow is to use natural elements, such as bushes, trees and reeds that block the view of the growing area. The ideal is to build an open area surrounded by walls of nature. We will put on some gloves and pruning shears and try to close gaps with the branches of bushes or trees. We will cover completely around our grow area, leaving “free” an entrance that we know and that allows us to enter with difficulty.
In addition, we can grow wild plants that have a similar size and foliage to cannabis, such as nettles, or create associated growing, which we will talk about later.
If any of the areas are less covered, we can use camouflage nets or artificial plants to finish covering that area. Once we have harvested our plants, we should always remember to remove the “unnatural” material we use, to avoid being discovered, so that if we have found a perfect spot we can come back the following year.
Another option is that with a little imagination we can look for areas higher than the ground. Grow plants in pots and placing them in high areas, such as tree branches, is an excellent way to avoid detection of our growing.
It is important not to always enter our growing area from the same place, as we can create a path marking the way to our plants. This could mean the end of our growing.
Preparation of the soil for grow
Once the area has been chosen and camouflaged, it is time to prepare the soil for growing in it.
First of all, we will prepare the soil by working the ground, where we will make the holes where we are going to grow our cannabis plants. Depending on the type of plant we are going to be grow, we will make a hole that is more or less wide and deep.
If our guerrilla grow is going to be feminised seeds, we should at least dig a hole one metre wide by one metre long, with a depth of one or even one and a half metres. The deeper the hole, the more root development our plants will have.
If you are growing autoflowering seeds, it will be enough to dig the hole up to 40cm wide and long, with a depth of 60cm.
When we have the holes, we should check if the growing soil is of good quality. If we have doubts about the quality, we recommend filling them with substrate for cannabis plants. We must add a suitable substrate to the soil, depending on the percentage of humidity in the soil, we will need a substrate that retains it to a greater or lesser extent.
When adding the substrate, it is ideal to add matter that helps the development of our plants in guerrilla grow. We can use slow-release organic fertilisers such as GuanoKalong powder, to keep the plants fed throughout the growing process, coconut fibre, arlite to retain humidity or even polymers. Polymers are gels that absorb water and store it and then release it slowly, that way the plants will stay better hydrated, making our guerrilla grow stay longer without watering.
A trick to avoid evaporation of water from the soil is to cover around the plants with mulch or straw, so it will retain more moisture.
Irrigation in guerrilla grow
Watering is one of the most complicated parts of guerrilla grow. We have to visit our growing as often as necessary to avoid arousing suspicion, but our plants must be kept hydrated during the time we don’t visit them.
Below, we explain several ways to water your guerrilla grow cannabis
In-ground bottle irrigation system
The in-ground bottle irrigation system is one of the most common in guerrilla grow. It is mainly used in small growing areas or pots. To irrigate with buried bottles we must make a hole at the bottom of the bottle, so that it does not retain water, and other holes around it.
Once the bottle is holed, bury it next to the hole where you are going to plant the cannabis plant. The stopper part of the bottle should not be buried, so that is where the water will be introduced, in order to place the stopper and close it, preventing the water from evaporating.
It should be buried at a distance that will not hinder root development, so that we can introduce the water without disturbing the branches of the plant.
It is a simple system, but we will refill the water bottles frequently, depending on the size of the bottles we use.
Guerrilla irrigation by string
The string irrigation system is very similar to buried bottle irrigation, but this time we will add strings. We will choose a container or a bottle, we will make several holes and in one of them we will place a string, tying a knot so that it does not come out of the bottle.
Once we have made the holes and tied the twine, we will bury the container near the roots of our plants. The twine will have to border the hole of our plants. In addition, we will leave the closure at ground level to be able to refill the water.
With the holes made we will be able to spread the water through the ground, while, thanks to the string, we will be able to bring the water to the plants.
It is a simple and efficient irrigation system, being able to offer slight independence to the irrigation of our guerrilla crop. Depending on the size of the twine or rope, our plant will receive one or another amount of water, at a greater or lesser speed.
Drip irrigation system for guerrilla cannabis grow
Drip irrigation can be a simple and efficient system. The way to make a drip irrigation system is to place a bottle in an upright position and make a hole at one end. The bigger the hole, the more water will flow.
We recommend that you buy drip tips, which are inserted into the cap of the bottle and it is possible to regulate the water pressure. The larger the container we use, the greater the amount of water we will be able to carry per watering, avoiding constant visits.
Bear in mind that watering must be constant, so that the soil is kept moist at all times, so that our plants suffer as little stress as possible.
Condensation irrigation
To achieve condensation irrigation in guerrilla grow, we need two containers of different sizes. The larger container should be translucent and we will make a cut in its base. In the smaller one we will place water, while the larger one will cover it, acting as a dome.
Once the small container has been filled with water and covered by the large container, it should be placed near the plant. It should be exposed to the sun’s rays, so that the water in the small container evaporates, while the condensation remains inside the large container. With this, we will get the water drops that evaporate to fall to the ground and water our plants.
Water tanks for guerrilla grow
The water tanks or ponds can be created by ourselves, with work and effort. We will make a hole in the ground, the size of this hole will be the space that will be filled with water. Once we have finished the hole, we must cover it with plastic, so that when it rains it will fill with water.
It should be noted that the size should be large enough to hold the water and prevent evaporation of the water from the sun, if that happens our work will be in vain. One way to avoid evaporation of our water reservoir is to cover the raft with another plastic sheet.
It is advisable to make a pond on sloping sites, so that we will not only be provided with rainwater, but also with the water that descends.
Traps in guerrilla grow
Before placing any animal traps in our guerrilla grow, let us remember that this is their habitat and it is we who are invading their home. That is why we will protect the plants, but we will always have to be respectful of both the animals and the environment.
One option to protect our guerrilla grow plants is to surround them with wire mesh. We place the mesh around the plant, burying part of it, thus preventing moles and other larger animals from gaining access to them. With the mesh we will have a safe and resistant system, although, on the contrary, we must invest in it and we add an unnatural element to our space.
Another more natural option to protect our plants is to use branches, sticks or trunks to create barriers and prevent access by unwanted animals.
Surprising as it may seem, one way to keep animals away is to urinate around the growing area. Many species of animals ‘mark’ their territory with their urine, the strong smell will keep curious animals away.
Insect attack in outdoor guerrilla cannabis grow
Apart from animals, another serious problem in guerrilla grow is insects. Before suffering from insect problems, it is advisable to prevent them from appearing. The most common insects are aphids, mealy bugs or even slugs and snails.
To prevent insects we recommend using Bio Neem (Neem oil). Thanks to this, our cannabis plants will be protected from various insects. We also recommend spraying it on plants and bushes in the vicinity of the growing area to keep them away even further. Against slugs and snails, it will be as simple as spreading eggshells around the plants, when they get close they will notice that it is a sharp surface and they will move away from the plants.
In our blog you will find how to prevent and fight different insects and diseases. Such as aphids, spider mites, caterpillars or even powdery mildew or botrytis. If by bad luck we have suffered the attack of an insect or fungus, we explain how to stop the attack and find a remedy.
But if we can use a more natural way to repel insects or animals in our guerrilla grow, why not do it? Thanks to companion planting, we can protect and camouflage our growing.
Associated growing
Companion planting is about growing plants that keep away predators that threaten our growing and attract others that defend our growing. Nature is wise and there are several wild plants that will keep certain animals or insects away, while attracting other insects that feed on insects that harm our growing.
Here are some of them. To find out more visit our blog on companion growing.
Basil
Along with cannabis, basil is one of the plants that gives off the most terpenes, so it can be used to mask the smell that our cannabis plants may give off. Basil will also keep away aphids, whiteflies, beetles and other beneficial insects to keep insects that want to feed on our growing at bay.
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a highly recommended plant for guerrilla grow. Its roots will fix nitrogen in the soil, as well as accumulate other nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and even iron. These nutrients are essential for growing cannabis. It also helps to break down the soil, improving water penetration, stimulating greater water absorption, allowing us to forget about irrigation.
Marigold
Marigold will keep insects such as aphids, leafhoppers, moths and even rabbits away from our growing. Some of these insects prefer marigold to cannabis, making it perfect bait, while others won’t go near it. As if that were not enough, the roots of this plant will serve as fertiliser for our own.
Dill
Dill is a plant that will protect against mites, whitefly and aphids. In addition, caterpillars prefer it to cannabis, heading there rather than to our plants. It also attracts bees and ladybirds that will protect plants from insects.
Lavender
Lavender is a magnet for beneficial insects that protect cannabis. But not only that, it will also divert pests away from your cannabis plants. With lavender we will be able to repel different bugs such as moths, preventing them from turning into caterpillars, ticks and even a small animal that can do us a lot of harm, such as mice.
What is the best variety for guerrilla grow?
In order to carry out guerrilla grow, it is very important to choose the variety we are going to grow. We must bear in mind that we must choose plants that are resistant to both climate and diseases.
Our plants will spend days alone and unvisited, enduring the hot days of July and August, and the cold nights at the end of summer. For this reason, we will choose plants with strong genetics, which are resistant to high temperatures, bad weather, rain and even more resistant to pests and fungi.
We can grow feminised plants or autoflowering plants, depending on what suits us best.
Here are some of them. If you want to know more about them, visit what are the best seeds for guerrilla grow.
Feminised seeds for guerrilla grow
Feminised seeds are those that offer photosensitive strains, i.e. they have a growth cycle of 18 hours of light and a flowering cycle of 12 hours of light. The plants will flower as the days become shorter, and each plant has a specific flowering period, so some will flower faster than others.
- Critical +2.0
- Early Skunk
- Frisian Duck
- Green Poison Fast Version
- Northern Lights
- White Widow
It is worth noting that feminised plants will give us much more production than autoflowering seeds, but the growing period is longer. The longer growing period means more attention and care, but we get bigger harvests.
Guerrilla grow of autoflowering plants
Autoflowering plants are ideal for guerrilla grow, as they have a shorter life cycle and are smaller than traditional strains. This makes them easier to hide and require less maintenance. They are also not dependent on daylight hours, which makes them perfect for growing in places with less light, but the more light, the higher the yield.
- + Speed Auto
- Afghan Express
- Auto Mazar
- Northern Lights Auto
- Quick One
- Sweet Skunk Auto
Although autoflowering plants require less attention than feminised strains, it is essential to continue to monitor watering and nutrients to ensure healthy growth.
Our guerrilla grow will be much faster and more discreet if we grow autoflowering cannabis seeds, but the yield will be lower than with feminised plants.
Guerrilla grow in pots
When opting for guerrilla grow in pots, it is essential to select containers that are sufficiently portable and can provide the necessary space for the plants to grow. Fabric pots are an excellent choice, as they are lightweight, allow good drainage and can be easily camouflaged. Keep in mind that the larger the size of the pot, the larger the size of the plants.
Substrate for guerrilla grow
The substrate should be of high quality and well balanced in nutrients. Make sure that it is sufficiently aerated for the roots and that it retains moisture adequately. Transport the substrate carefully so as not to be seen, and provide as many litres of substrate as the pot will accept.
Guerrilla home grow
In their first days of life, cannabis seedlings are fragile and delicate, which is why we grow our cannabis plants at home during the first few weeks. In guerrilla grow, as we all know, we can suffer mishaps due to the weather, birds, insects, mice, rabbits and if that happens during their first days it would be the end of guerrilla grow.
We will be growing our feminized photosensitive plants at home, in small pots so that they can start their development. First, we will place them in an illuminated place that can receive enough light to start their growth, such as behind a window, so that when we have a larger plant, we can take it outside and it will start to acclimatise. Once the plants have reached a sufficient size, about 20-25cm, we will take them to our growing area and transplant them to their final location.
In the case of autoflowering varieties, we do not recommend growing them at home and transplanting them after they have reached a considerable size. Autoflowering plants grow very fast and if we transplant them, they will be stressed and their size will be very small. Therefore we should germinate them at home, once germinated, we can place them in peat tablets – jiffy’s, so that the root will develop, and once it has developed its first roots, we will take it to our guerrilla grow to transplant them.
Guerrilla grow near the river
Guerrilla grow near the river can be key in our growing. Water is the most precious element in guerrilla grow, as without it cannabis plants will not develop.
Growing near a river or water source will allow us to obtain water without arousing suspicion. Having water nearby will mean less distance to travel with buckets and bottles of water.
But in addition to travelling shorter distances to transport water, there are even better advantages to grow cannabis near a river. All the soil around the river absorbs water, so if we are growing near it, our substrate will have better humidity conditions.
By having a more humid soil, our cannabis plants will not be so demanding of water, so they will last longer without watering, or we will not have the need to water them so often. This is an important factor, as we will have to visit our guerrilla grow less often.
But humidity can also become a disadvantage, the higher the humidity, the more likely we are to suffer from fungal attacks such as powdery mildew or botrytis. As well as suffering from insect pest problems, that is why we always recommend prevention with fungicides and biological insecticides.
Irrigation of guerrilla river grow
If the land where we are going to grow the crop does not get enough water from the river, we can transport the water from the river by means of a hose to the growing area. Part of the hose should be placed under the water, but it should always be in a higher area than the growing area, so that the water descends towards the growing area.
It is advisable to bury the hose with stones, so that it goes unnoticed, just as we will not place it straight towards the growing, we will try to make curves to disguise it better, and make it look like some kind of snake. In this way, it will go unnoticed and will not reach the growing in case it is discovered.
Winter guerrilla grow
Although the guerrilla grow area near the river stays warmer during the winter, it is not the favourite time of the year for growing cannabis plants. If cannabis grow is done at temperatures below 16ºC our plants will not absorb the amount of nutrients they need to grow strong and compact.
To protect them from the cold, we could use greenhouses to protect them from low temperatures and rain. But at all times they must be properly ventilated.
On the other hand, the plants do not receive the necessary amount of light to grow properly, which is 18 hours. As a result our growing would produce small plants with small and not very compact buds.
When to start guerrilla grow?
Guerrilla cannabis grow has the same growing cycle as outdoor cannabis growing. Cannabis is usually planted during the spring so that during the summer months the plants grow until it is time to start flowering. If we grow cannabis before spring we can lose our plants to cold and frost.
It is worth noting that the earlier we plant our cannabis plants, the longer the growing period, which means that we will have to take care of them more, providing more fertilisers and more maintenance. In addition, with a longer growing cycle, our plants will have a much larger size, so depending on how we have planned our guerrilla grow, this can be a disadvantage, as they can be spotted more easily. On the other hand, we will get a bigger harvest.
In the case of autoflowering varieties, we can even grow several crops, as they are fast-flowering plants. Although the best time for growing autoflowering seeds is during the months of May – June, as this is the period when our automatic cannabis plants will receive the most hours of light.
To learn more about grow cannabis plants outdoors you can visit our blog.
Harvesting our guerrilla grow
Harvesting the guerrilla grow plants may seem like the end of the crop, but it is one of the most delicate and risky moments. Once the time comes to harvest the cannabis plants and we get to our cultivation, we must think that it is possible that everything has not turned out as we would like. Foreign friends, caterpillars or gray mold can make us suffer some discomfort after months of work.
The best time to harvest cannabis plants is in the morning, because it is the time when THC is most concentrated in the trichomes. Therefore, doing it at dawn or before the sun rises will be the best time to cut our guerrilla plants, since we can go more unnoticed.
It must be taken into account that depending on the variety we have grown, they have some harvest days or another. Each plant has its specific flowering period, and each cannabis seed bank specifies it. If we have grown several varieties, it is possible that the buds do not have the same ripening point. It will be time to choose whether to wait until they finish maturing or harvest them all at once.
If our plants are not at their optimal point of maturation, and rains are approaching or it is not possible for us to harvest them later, we recommend cutting your plants. That will always be better than completely spoiling it, right?
Harvest quickly and safely
We will have to cut quickly, the less time we spend in the area the better, since any sighting will blame us. We will cut the branches or buds and place them in a large airtight container to transport them and work on them in a safe place. Another option will be to use large plastic bags to transport them from the crop and then place them in an airtight container until they reach a safe place.
If we suffer from the smell that our harvest may give off, we can seal the bags and spray an anti-odor inside the bag where we keep the sealed bags with the buds.
What to do with the crop after harvesting?
Nature has helped us with our guerrilla grow, which is why we should thank her too. We have to collect everything that is not natural elements, garbage, plastics, bottles or other elements that are not part of the landscape.
On the other hand, it may be that the place where we have grown has offered us excellent results, we have had no problems and we may want to grow next year in the same place. If so, we can improve our growing area, work the land better, add plants that nourish the soil, such as clover. With white clover we will be able to add all the nitrogen that our plants have been consuming, since clover fixes nitrogen in the soil.
Security to not be discovered
Security must at all times be one of the most important factors in guerrilla grow, which is why we will try to go as unnoticed as possible.
If we travel by vehicle, it is advisable not to always park in the same place, and to park it in a place slightly away from the crop. Furthermore, it is advisable to try not to carry our growing accessories, so that if we are discovered it will be proof of our activity. We can get some binoculars and go with them towards the crop, because if they ask us we will have the perfect alibi, since we could be exploring birds, reptiles or wild animals.
It is important to visit our guerrilla cultivation at times when it is difficult to meet passers-by or walkers.
Tips for successful guerrilla grow
- Safety first: Keep your activity secret, visit your crop discreetly and avoid sharing information with untrustworthy people.
- Know your terrain: Study the growing location well, including the soil, sunlight and weather conditions. This will help you choose the best varieties and optimize the care of your plants.
- Watering and nutrients: Don’t overwater, and use slow-release fertilizers to keep your plants healthy.
- Constant maintenance: Visit your crop to make sure everything is in order. Pruning and removing dead leaves will help prevent problems.
- Prevention against attacks: Being in a wild place we can suffer attacks from insects or mold, which is why we recommend using preventive products against possible attacks.
- Grow in more than one place: If we grow in various places we will increase the chances of being successful if a plantation is discovered.
- Preparation for harvest: Plan in advance how and when you will harvest your plants, and consider the logistics of transporting your crops safely.
Remember that growing cannabis may be illegal in many jurisdictions, so we urge you to comply with local laws and consider legal risks before undertaking a guerrilla grow. Furthermore, it always acts responsibly and in harmony with the natural environment.
